Stephanie Joseph de Goes, Guyana’s Country
Coordinator for the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief –
PEPFAR, a United States governmental initiative to address the global
HIV epidemic with her office based at the US Embassy in Georgetown,
spoke on the dire need for Guyanese to come together to fight against
stigma and discrimination for those living and infected by HIV.
Her remarks made at Guyana’s 7th Annual AIDS Candlelight
Memorial held at the Catholic Life Centre by the Society Against Sexual
Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) Sunday last gave an uplifting charge
for the future. “This year’s theme, to engage, educate, and empower,
emphasizes the need for each one of us – not just people living with HIV
or gender minorities –to join forces in the movement for human rights
and zero discrimination. We must put an end to the disease of stigma and
discrimination,” she said. “Stigma and discrimination eats at the soul
of a society. We know that eliminating stigma and discrimination will
positively affect a nation’s progress, well-being, and public health for
things like HIV prevention, care and treatment.”
