Stigma and discrimination in India

In India, as elsewhere, AIDS is perceived as a disease of "others" - of people living on the margins of society, whose lifestyles are considered 'perverted' and 'sinful'. Discrimination, stigmatisation and denial are the outcomes of such values, affecting life in families, communities, workplaces, schools and health care settings. Because of HIV/AIDS related discrimination, appropriate policies and models of good practice remain underdeveloped. People living with HIV and AIDS continue to be burdened by poor care and inadequate services, whilst those with the power to help do little to make the situation better.

In India the social reactions to people with AIDS have been overwhelmingly negative. For example, in one study 36% of people felt it would be better if infected people killed themselves, the same percentage believed that infected people deserved their fate. Also, 34% said they would not associate with people with AIDS, and one fifth stated that AIDS was a punishment from God.

The health care sector has generally been the most conspicuous context for HIV/AIDS related discrimination, stigma and denial. Negative attitudes from health care staff have generated anxiety and fear among many people living with HIV and AIDS. As a result, many keep their status secret, fearing still worse treatment from others. It is not surprising that among a majority of HIV positive people, AIDS-related fear and anxiety, and at times denial of their HIV status, can be traced to traumatic experiences in health care settings.

"There is an almost hysterical kind of fear .. at all levels, starting from the humblest, the sweeper or the ward boy, up to the heads of departments, which make them pathologically scared of having to deal with an HIV positive patient. Wherever they have an HIV patient, the responses are shameful."

Other examples of discrimination are children of HIV-positive parents, whether positive or negative themselves, being denied the right to go to school or being separated from other children. Whilst women are often blamed by their parents and in-laws for infecting their husbands, or for not controlling their partners' urges to have sex with other women. People in marginalized groups (female sex workers, hijras (transgendered) and gay men) are often stigmatised on the grounds not only of their HIV status but also being members of socially excluded groups.

Stigma is also affecting prevention efforts, with the harassment of AIDS outreach workers and peer - educators being reported in 2002. Although the Indian government encourages NGOs to provide condoms and AIDS education to high-risk groups such as sex workers and men who have sex with men, it seemingly allows law enforcement agencies to harass outreach workers who provide those services.