“Over the next 9 months, we aim to shift public understanding, attitudes, and the systems surrounding women and girls living with HIV, helping ensure that policies, services, and communities respond to their real needs and experiences.”
— Mavjuda Ibragimova, Director of the Tashkent regional office of RSIC “ISTIQBOLLI AVLOD”, one of the partners of AFEW International within the project “Empowering Voices for Inclusive Development: Strengthening Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Uzbekistan, focusing on women and youth”, financially supported by European Union.
In September ISTIQBOLLI AVLOD launched a new project to reduce stigma and discrimination. The goal is not only to protect women and girls living with HIV but also to create a safer and more supportive environment for them. This will be done by building strong dialogue with government agencies, offering training, and creating long-term solutions.
Why this work matters
According to UNAIDS, more than 38 million people worldwide are living with HIV, and around 53,000 of them are in Uzbekistan. Women and girls account for a significant share of new infections, with young women (aged 15–24) nearly twice as likely to be living with HIV as young men in many parts of the world. Beyond health, stigma and discrimination are among the greatest obstacles to accessing treatment and support.
Stigma isolates people, keeps them from seeking medical care, and leads to unemployment, family rejection, and violence. For women and young people, the situation is even harder: they often face double discrimination—because of their HIV status and because of gender or age-related biases.
That is why tackling stigma is not just a health issue, but a human rights issue. By challenging harmful stereotypes and creating more inclusive policies and services, this project aims to make a lasting difference. Moreover, reducing HIV-related stigma can have a ripple effect: it strengthens social norms of respect and equality, which also helps to fight discrimination against other vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, migrants, or survivors of gender-based violence.
Mavjuda Ibragimova explains:
“Stigma and discrimination remain big barriers for people living with HIV when it comes to getting medical, social, and legal help. Women and young people suffer the most. They face not only prejudice, but also lack of access to protection and support.
Our project addresses this urgent problem. We want to go beyond just fighting the effects of discrimination—we want to remove its causes. Through education, dialogue, and policy changes, we aim to bring real change in people’s thinking, approaches, and systems.”
What ISTIQBOLLI AVLOD will do
- Create a working group with government representatives and develop a training program on reducing HIV stigma. The materials will also be adapted for schools and universities to change attitudes among young people.
- Hold dialogue meetings with NGOs, government agencies, community leaders, and specialists to prepare joint recommendations for better policies towards women living with HIV.
- Provide psychological and legal support to at least 150 women and girls affected by HIV, in close partnership with government agencies to ensure long-lasting help.
- Promote local reforms by introducing HIV-friendly practices in the Committees for Women and Children, strengthening their response to stigma and discrimination.
How everyone can help
Every action against stigma is a step towards a kinder and fairer society. Together with ISTIQBOLLI AVLOD, we invite partners, experts, media, and all caring people to follow the project activities in Uzbekistan and join events and initiatives. By fighting HIV stigma, we are building a foundation for wider inclusion—ensuring nobody is left behind.
About the project
With financial support from the European Union and in partnership with local organizations in Uzbekistan, AFEW International is implementing the project “Empowering Voices for Inclusive Development: Strengthening Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Uzbekistan, focusing on women and youth.”
This project strengthens 15 local CSOs that support people living with HIV, with a special focus on women and youth. Using the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, the project works to fight stigma and discrimination and build stronger, more inclusive communities.
