stigma and discrimination

When grace locates you

…the story of Kensington Marufu

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

“I want you to believe that God exists, I want you to appreciate life from an angle of grace; that there is a certain thing called grace.”

The above were the words of 34-year-old Kensington Marufu, who was diagnosed with HIV when he was just aged 10 and the doctor who attended to his family said they only had five years to live.

Despite facing huge setbacks, including losing family members to the HIV virus, stigma, discrimination, missing out on precious school time and working at various farms to earn a living, Marufu triumphed to become a legal practitioner and author.

Marufu was one of the key speakers at a recent media workshop organised by the National AIDS Council (NAC) in Chinhoyi.

And his presentation titled, “Testimony-Positively HIV positive,” touched many attendees, including the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, who said Marufu’s testimony was “proof that living with HIV is not the end of life.”

Marufu revealed that along with his parents and brother, they tested HIV positive in the year 2000 and the doctor said they would all not live beyond five years.

“When we got tested on the 23^rd of March 2000, the doctor who attended to us estimated that we were not likely to live more than five years.

“It meant that I had about five years to live. Those days there was no medication, there were no ARVs (anti retrovirals), we were just taking cotrimoxazole and when I was in Grade 5, I knew most of those pills.

“So stereotypes unfortunately got affirmed, my brother passed on in 2003, my mother passed on in 2004 but my dad went beyond five years, actually he passed on in 2006,” revealed Marufu.

For some time, Marufu went into hiding, because of the labeling that was common during that time.

“I then realized that I was actually hiding from myself and it took me years to appreciate that there are certain things in life that we can never change and we will not go forward in life until we appreciate who we are.”

He revealed that he was called names such as “Go Slow”, and when he sat for his O-Level exams, he only managed to pass one subject, English with a B; and it meant that he had to go stay with his grandmother in Shackleton, Chinhoyi.

And there life was tough; as people were judged by how they could perform hard labour.

“So we were working in farms, not that I had the strength but I had no choice, I had friends who would assist me, those were the days when I also had a tattoo, a mohawk and I was smoking marijuana because I wanted to fit in.

“I had lost faith in life, I stopped believing in myself, I stopped believing in life, I stopped believing in a lot of things, you know losing parents who loved you and appreciated you and then growing up in an environment where you are unfairly judged really affected me, so I started taking some drugs,” narrated Marufu.

He further revealed that how the HIV messages were packaged in those days also affected him as some of the phrases in use included, “AIDS kills”, “mukondombera” and “chakatikuuya chiya”, as this brought fear.

“When I was in Shackleton, things were really tough and I did not expect to live until now, but God was with me throughout the time.

“When I’m telling my story, I want you to believe that God exists, I want you to appreciate life from an angle of grace; that there is a certain thing called grace,” he said.

Kensington also revealed that in 2010 when he was now 20 years-old; he went to his late father’s bank and he was notified that he (father) had left US$1000 in his account.

He revealed that when all due processes were done, he wanted to use the money to buy a Mazda 323; but he was warned against and was advised that going back to school was the best option.

And he went back to school and rewrote his O-Levels but that also had its own challenges because of his advanced age as the name calling started again.

“Because I was very old, I was called many names like kadhara, but one thing that my mum told me before she died was that when people laugh at you, laugh with them, they will feel embarrassed.

“So when people called me kadhara, I would correct them to say no, call me mudhara because I was actually the eldest at the school.

“Then I rewrote my O-Levels in 2011 and passed eight subjects, I had 4As, 3Bs and a C,” revealed Marufu.

While he thought he would easily get a job maybe as a cop or soldier, it was not to be; as “some of the things that hindered me had something to do with my health, my age, there were a lot of things involved.”

Despite passing his O-Levels; in 2012 he was just at home, the same with 2013 and at one time he was herding some old lady’s cattle.

“The old lady would brag that her herd boy had passed Mathematics and English.

“I didn’t have any problems with that because I had passed the two subjects and I was also a herd boy; that’s life.

“In 2014, a certain guy called Kuda approached me to say if I assist you to go for A-Level, would you take the opportunity.

“I was now 24; but then there is a verse in the Bible that says; I know the plans I have for you, so because I was desperate, I accepted.

“And I started my Form 5 at St Pauls Musami; and as always, teachers would ask for our ages and then people would know.

“You would get nicknames and being at a boarding school I would share hostels, so I had my medication but then I didn’t want people to know, but it was really difficult,” he narrated.

He went on to reveal to NAC that taking medication is one of the challenges for children living with HIV who learn at boarding schools because they get to share hostels.

Despite the challenges he faced, Marufu revealed that it didn’t affect him academically as he went on to ace, first becoming a class monitor, then Deputy Headboy, before later scoring 15 point when he sat for his A-Level exams in 2015.

Marufu then enrolled into Law School and today he is a Legal Officer at a company in the capital.

**Minister Jenfan Muswere receives the novel titled “Touched by Grace”, from author and lawyer, Kensington Marufu**

He then wrote a book titled “Touched by Grace”, which is about his life with HIV.

He said of the book; “because I understand that there is another Kensington out there, I’m not alone like what I’m saying, there is another Kensington going through similar challenges but that Kensington does not have role models.

“Because most of the people like Kensington are in hiding, they will never expose themselves, they will hide, they will succeed but in hiding. “So that Kensington is just where he is and he doesn’t know if there is anything in life.

“So I have written a book, maybe one day that Kensington will read the story of Kensington and appreciate life; that life can change, God can make things possible.

“The title of the book is called Touched by Grace; because grace touched me. I would not have achieved this without God, because the life was actually too complicated,” he added.

And Marufu took the opportunity to hand over his book to Minister Muswere, describing it as a special moment for him, considering his journey to success.

Collective efforts needed to fight HIV stigma and discrimination

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Ending HIV related stigma is not only morally crucial but it is also vital for the public health and socio-economic development of the country, it has been revealed.

During a workshop on the Zimbabwe HIV Stigma Index Action Plan, it was also noted that stigma had to be eradicated if the country is to attain its targets in HIV management.

This is comes at a time when the country’s 2022 HIV stigma index stands at 69,7 percent, up from 2014’s figure of 65,5 percent.

According to UNAIDS, HIV stigma index is the standardized tool to gather evidence on how stigma and discrimination impacts the lives of people living with HIV.

Tatenda Makoni, Executive Director at ZNNP+ said as a country, it was worrisome that while the stigma index was supposed to be going down, it was actually on the rise.

Abisha Jonga, Senior Programmes Manager at Zim-TTECH, said as a clinical partner, they notice that stigma is a major barrier to various efforts to ensure that we attain not only the 95-95-95 targets but actually the 100-100-100 targets.

“But what is critical is that for us to reach those high targets, stigma and discrimination needs to be addressed at all costs, not only today but as of yesterday, if not last year, if not five years ago.

“The reason being, due to stigma and discrimination, people are not open enough to disclose their status which actually is a starting point towards prevention and then again because of lack of disclosure, people are not going to find it easy to adhere to their medication.

“Then they will have to hide each time they need to take their medication. We have realized that due to the issues around failure to adhere to medication, we are then having a situation where viral suppression is getting highly compromised because people are not taking their medication as expected, every day, same time, same time every day; they can’t achieve that if they experience stigma and discrimination.

“What we have also noted in our work with stigma, it varies across different sub population, where even parents are afraid of disclosing their own status to the children or the children’s status to the children themselves,” revealed Jonga.

He also emphasized that people should work together so as to ensure there is a full program to address stigma and discrimination.

It was also revealed during the workshop that another issue of concern is internalized stigma or self-stigma.

Winnet Manyadza, Clinic and Further Education Manager at CONNECT Zimbabwe Institute Systemic Therapy, said internalized stigma was also a stumbling block to all the efforts being put in the HIV fight.

“We are committed to work together so that we strengthen those strategies, so that people living with HIV will live lives which are free of internalized stigma, we would want to see people living lives free from negative thoughts of their HIV status,” said Manyadza.

Shamiso Yikoniko, Technical Advisor-Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilization at Zimbabwe Association for Church Related Hospitals, also revealed that stigma and discrimination surrounding various aspects of society including health conditions such as HIV and AIDS can hinder progress and perpetuate inequality. “It is our collective responsibility to champion a society that embraces compassion, empathy and inclusivity. To address this issue, we must first recognize that stigma and discrimination are rooted in ignorance, fear and misconceptions.

“Ending stigma and discrimination is not solely the responsibility of a selected few, it is an obligation that each one of us must embrace, let’s examine our own biases, examine attitudes and promote empathy and understanding within our circle of influence,” said Yikoniko.

Belinda Chindove, Senior Strategic Information and Evaluation Officer at Zimbabwe Health Interventions said

HIV related stigma remains a significant challenge in the country, hindering access to vital HIV prevention, treatment and care services.

She added that it is essential that we confront this issue head on and work collectively so as to create a more compassionate and informed society.

“Let us acknowledge the few key points, understanding stigma, it is not just a word, it’s a real world consequence.

“People living with HIV face many issues, denial of employment, housing and education.

“They may even experience violence; by addressing stigma, we can address the lives of those affected by HIV, let us break the silence.

“HIV related discrimination is a violation of human rights, everyone deserves respect,” she added.

Isheunesu Nhiringi, Technical Advisor Community Support at OPHID, revealed that the increase in stigma was worrisome and is not supposed to be taken lightly.

“The increase in stigma and discrimination from 65,5 percent in 2014 to 69,7 percent in 2022 is a wakeup call and testament to gaps in our current system.

“In Zimbabwe, combating HIV and AIDS is not just about medical treatment, it is about confronting a deeply engraved stigma and discrimination that exacerbates the epidemic.

“Our collective efforts to end stigma is not only morally imperative but also vital for the country’s public health and socio-economic development,” revealed Nhiringi.

He added that the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV and AIDS did not only marginalize those living with the virus but also hinder prevention and access to treatment.

“Fear of discrimination prevents individuals from getting tested, seeking treatment and disclosing their status, perpetuating the spread of the virus.

“Furthermore, stigma leads to social exclusion, loss of employment opportunities and undermines the overall wellbeing of the affected individual and the community. “Addressing stigma and discrimination requires multifaceted approaches including education, advocacy and policy change. We must challenge myths and misconceptions about HIV and AIDS through community outreaches and awareness campaigns.

“Empowering individuals with accurate information can dispel fear and encourage acceptance. Moreover, legal and policy frameworks must be strengthened to protect the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS and prevent discrimination in healthcare settings, workplaces and society at large,” added Nhiringi.

He also revealed that ensuring equal access to health care and opportunities for all regardless of HIV status, is not just a moral obligation but a strategy imperative for sustainable development.

And he added that by fostering a culture of compassion, understanding and inclusivity, an environment can be created “where individuals feel safe to seek support, access treatment and live fulfilling lives without fear of judgment or discrimination.”

Similar sentiments were also echoed by Imelda Mahaka, Executive Director at Pangea Zimbabwe who revealed that while significant strides had been made in preventing HIV infections, stigma and discrimination was threatening to derail such progress.

“We have come a long way and made sterling progress in preventing HIV infections and putting people living with HIV on optimized regiments, the biggest threat to the gains in the HIV response and to sustain epidemic control is stigma and discrimination.

“We need to appreciate the complexity in the various forms of stigma at individual and community systems levels.

“More importantly, we need to appreciate the intersectionality of stigma for example as Pangea Zimbabwe, we serve communities and individuals who experience stigma either because they are on PrEP or living with HIV but also because, the same individual is a member of the KP (key population) community experiencing gender based violence or has mental health issues or is probably using drugs,” revealed Mahaka.

To protect everyone’s health, protect everyone’s rights

**Jane KALWEO – UNAIDS Country Director, Zimbabwe**

BY JANE KALWEO

This Friday 1 March, is Zero Discrimination Day, established 10 years ago by UNAIDS to protect the rights of everyone and build healthier societies. The evidence is clear: only by protecting everyone’s rights, can we protect everyone’s health.

There is much to celebrate.

Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa which has reached and surpassed the 95–95–95 targets. The country has reached 95 percent for the number of HIV-positive people knowing their status, 98 percent of HIV-positive people on ART and has reached the target of 95 percent of people taking ARV’s virally suppressed. The number of new HIV infections has also decreased by 78 percent from 78 000 in 2010 to 17 000 in 2022. These results have been achieved through the Government’s commitment to follow the evidence in the implementation of a combination of behavioral, biomedical, and structural prevention interventions targeted at diverse groups based on their needs, as prioritized in national strategic plans.

Although there has been remarkable progress in Zimbabwe towards reaching the global targets, inequalities continue to pose barriers to accessing lifesaving services for marginalized groups such as Key Populations, Adolescent Girls, and Young Women (AGYW) and People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The 2022 People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 for Zimbabwe indicated an increase in stigma and discrimination against PLHIV from 65% in 2014 to 69.7% in 2022. The country, through its Zimbabwe National HIV AIDS Strategic Plan 2021 -2025 (ZNASP 2021- 2025) has identified addressing stigma and discrimination by strengthening community-led reporting mechanisms and developing comprehensive programmes to reduce stigma and discrimination, as a critical enablers towards attaining the goal of eliminating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

When marginalized communities are criminalized or stigmatized, their vulnerability to HIV infection increases, and their access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support services is obstructed. Laws which criminalize HIV transmission have proven to be ineffective, discriminatory and undermine efforts to reduce new HIV infections UNAIDS is advocating for legal reform aimed at decriminalization in areas such as: HIV exposure, non-disclosure, and transmission; key populations’ sexual relations; and drug possession and use. This ensures access to services and is a crucial step in ending AIDS as a global public health threat.

Every week in 2022, 4000 adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 became infected with HIV globally, in large part because their rights are not respected. When girls’ rights to education and empowerment are realized, then their vulnerability to HIV is greatly reduced. In Zimbabwe HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women is more than three times higher than among their male counterparts. The HIV incidence among young women who are 15 -24 years was 0.25 which is 3.6 times higher than their male counterparts 0.07, in Zimbabwe deeply entrenched gender inequalities and discrimination, often combined with significant levels of poverty, increase their risk of HIV infection, among Adolescent Girls and Young Women. It is vital to advance safe societies so that young women can protect their health and wellbeing.

Countries that are beating the AIDS epidemic are doing so by repealing laws and policies that discriminate, by expanding human rights for all and by allowing marginalized communities to lead the response. Progress towards eliminating AIDS as a public health threat has been strengthened by ensuring that legal and policy frameworks do not undermine human rights, but instead enable and protect them. It is commendable that in 2022, Parliament of Zimbabwe repealed section 79 of the Criminal Law Code, which criminalized HIV transmission. The rights path strengthens entire societies, making them better equipped to deal with the challenges we face today and those that are emerging.

Public health is undermined when laws, policies, practices, or norms enshrine punishment, discrimination, or stigma for people because they are women, migrants, key populations, (includes sex workers, and people who use drugs). Discrimination obstructs HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care, and holds back progress towards the end of AIDS.

We have hope, however, from communities on the frontlines. As Dr. Martin Luther King noted, “Social progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of people.” It is the communities most affected by discrimination that are leading the pushback against the erosion of their right to health, against the right to life. They are uniting their efforts to protect and advance human rights. They need, and deserve, all our support.

Protecting everyone’s rights is not a favor to any group but is the way that we can protect everyone’s health, end AIDS and create happier societies for all.

Contact

By Jane KALWEO – UNAIDS Country Director, Zimbabwe| tel. +2634338836-41

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.