Stigma reduction programme guide

Our Associate helped Sightsavers develop a step-by-step stigma reduction guide. It is designed to help programme teams and partners see stigma for what it really is – a daily barrier that shapes people’s lives – and understand how to address it through planning, implementation and monitoring stigma reduction activities. The stigma reduction guidance does not propose quick fixes; instead, it is built on existing evidence and underpinned by behavioural and social science. It goes beyond individual attitudes to focus on the role of families, communities, services and systems in reducing stigma, and offers a practical, people-centred way forward that is grounded in listening, participation and evidence.

The stigma reduction guide is made to be used. It follows the programme cycle, from understanding stigma, to planning, implementation and monitoring. It does not offer one single solution; instead, it includes practical tools, reflection questions and real case studies that programme teams can adapt across different sectors, including health, education, economic empowerment and political participation.