Although HIV/AIDS have become very common, it is still surrounded by silence. People are ashamed to speak about being infected and many see it as a scandal when it happens in their families. People living with HIV or AIDS are exposed to daily prejudice born out of ignorance and fear. Fear leads to discrimination and victimisation against those living with HIV or AIDS. Some people still believe that only a certain group of people will be infected with HIV, such as gay men, sex workers, people who engage in risky sexual behaviour, and injecting drug users. This causes stigmatisation and discrimination against HIV-positive people. People become reluctant to test or disclose their status out of fear.

There are myths around HIV/AIDS that lead to people seeing it as something that should be kept secret. Many people see those with HIV/AIDS as people who are somehow to blame because they are promiscuous or homosexual. HIV is seen by some people as a plague that you can catch just from being in the same space with someone who is HIV-positive. In some communities people with HIV or AIDS have been ostracised. This underlines the importance of widespread community education efforts because the ignorance and prejudice around HIV/AIDS can be almost as destructive as the disease itself. In some countries AIDS activists have adopted the slogan “Fight AIDS, not people with AIDS.”

(See: Running an HIV/AIDS and TB Awareness Campaign)

There is a need to educate people to make responsible decisions that will prevent them from getting HIV. People should be encouraged to test and seek treatment in the event that they test positive. It is important to create awareness on HIV/AIDS in communities and encourage non-discriminatory practices for a more conducive environment that allows HIV-positive people to live more freely and openly.