United Nations Jamaica 76th Anniversary

Creating Stigma-free Spaces in Kingston 1 Stigma Index 2.0. 2020. 2 Ibid. 3 https://www.unaids.org/en/story-type/update#: ~:text=The%20analysis%20suggests%20that%20failure,make%20any%20progress%20across%20all 4 https://www.fast-trackcities.org/cities/kingston 5 https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/2021_political-declaration-on-hiv-and-aids_en.pdf The Fast-Track Cities initiative is a global partnership between cities and municipalities around the world, and the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) and UNAIDS, to Fast-Track the global targets to end AIDS as a public health concern by 2030. The City of Kingston is one of the cities that participates in this partnership. The ongoing collaboration between UNAIDS and the Kingston and Saint Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has produced several contributions to the national HIV response, including but not limited to the development of a city situational analysis and an online epidemiological profile, which are important instruments that inform the design of HIV-related interventions in Kingston and Saint Andrew. However, all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination continue to pose substantial challenges to people’s access to HIV prevention and treatment services and have a profoundly negative impact on the achievement of the national HIV targets. For example, when a person is living with HIV and is on treatment, it lowers the viral load in their blood, making HIV undetectable, at which stage HIV cannot be transmitted to other persons However, a third of people living with HIV surveyed in 2019 in Jamaica reported experiencing stigma and discrimination due to their HIV status. 1 Moreover, the survey found that 38% of people living with HIV delay testing because they fear how others would treat them, and 29% delayed treatment as a result. 2 Indeed, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), “failure to make any progress on HIV-related stigma and discrimination [globally] would undermine efforts to reach the HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression targets, resulting in an additional 440 000 AIDS-related deaths between 2020 and 2030, and that failure to make any progress across all societal enablers would undermine efforts to reach HIV prevention targets, resulting in 2.6 million additional new HIV infections over the same period.” 3 According to His Worship the Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, “a key component in reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths is reducing and eliminating the stigma and discrimination associated with getting tested for HIV and knowing your HIV status.” 4 To tackle stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV in Kingston, a partnership between UNAIDS, the Jamaican Network of Seropositives (JN+), and the Kingston and Saint Andrew Municipal Corporation, have decided to work together to create Stigma-Free Spaces . A Stigma-Free Space will be a public space of gathering, entertainment, business, or worship where: People strive to ensure that stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV does not occur. People are sensitized to prevent and identify stigma and discrimination. Managers are committed and act to transform or sustain these spaces as enabling environments that respect, protect and promote human rights. Persons can easily access information to increase awareness about stigma and discrimination, and about available channels to access redress, if necessary. The process to create these spaces include performing situation assessments, review of internal workplace policies, development, and dissemination of public declarations of commitment to end stigma and discrimination, training and sensitization of staff, managers, service users and the public who visit these spaces, and a certification declaring the space free from stigma. As part of this effort, the office of the Kingston and Saint Andrew Municipal Corporation is committed to becoming the first Stigma Free Space in Kingston, and to encourage other entities to participate until the entire City of Kingston is freed from stigma and discrimination. These efforts are critical to improve health outcomes amongst people most affected by HIV, and in line with the Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS: Ending inequalities and getting on track to end AIDS by 2030, recently adopted by all Member States, including Jamaica, at the United Nations General Assembly in June 2021. In this Declaration, all Member States committed to eliminating HIV-related stigma and discrimination and to respecting, protecting, and fulfilling the human rights of people living with, at risk of and affected by HIV (…). 5 Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams walks with the UNAIDS Jamaica team, appreciating ongoing efforts by the KSAMC to revitalize Downtown. Credit: Kingston and Saint Andrew Municipal Corporation. THE 76TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FEATURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN JAMAICA 20