On the 17th of January 2025, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) convened a consultative meeting through the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK). The half-day meeting brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, diverse civil society organizations (CSOs), and community representatives.
The meeting aimed to assess Kenya’s progress in implementing its commitments under the Global Partnership framework focusing on addressing stigma and discrimination in healthcare, education, workplaces and in the communities. Participants engaged in productive discussions on Kenya’s national action plan and strategies to institutionalize interventions that combat stigma and discrimination across various settings.
During the forum, the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) presented updates on Kenya’s progress in the fight against stigma, highlighting key interventions such as the I-Monitor and one impact platform, which are community-led monitoring tools that allow individuals to report stigma-related challenges in healthcare facilities. KELIN has been at the forefront empowering community members on social accountability by collecting and reporting information on human rights concerns related to the HIV/TB response using the One-Impact-Community-Led-Monitoring-Platform.. Further, the NSDCC emphasized ongoing efforts to train healthcare providers, integrate human rights education into medical training curricula and revise workplace policies to protect individuals from discrimination based on their HIV or TB status.
GNP+ also outlined its 2025 priorities, which align closely with KELIN’s advocacy efforts for improved access to Long-Acting HIV treatment tools such as Lenacapavir. Both organizations will work collaboratively on implementing interventions that will promote equitable access to these tools and medicine.
The discussions also focused on the shrinking donor funding and the need to develop innovative domestic resource mobilization strategies. Participants called for stronger policy engagement to ensure human rights, stigma reduction and equitable healthcare access are key priorities in donor funding negotiations.
Moving forward, the meeting participants resolved to enhance stakeholder collaboration between government and CSOs by prioritizing community-led monitoring and advocating for sustainable strategies to eliminate stigma and discrimination in healthcare and social settings.
KELIN reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with stakeholders to advocate for inclusive policies and ensure the protection of human rights for all people living with HIV in Kenya.
For further information, contact:
Duke Otieno
Advocacy Officer-HIV/TB
Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN)
