Facilitators: Stephen Bitti, UKC and Edwige Fortier, APPGA
Rapporteur: Stephen Bitti
This workshop was attended by 50 people and was a chance for participants to learn more about the reasons and issues around migration and explore what they could do as individuals to raise awareness and get involved. Stephen and Edwige started the session by asking people what they thought were the main reasons for moving or migrating.
Economic and social (going to ‘greener pastures’)
Political difficulties
Persecution
Study
Business – (but this could be negative, like people who end up as sex workers and those involved in human trafficking?)
Visit, Tourism, Travel
Families
Sexual freedom
Protection
Employment
War
Stigma/and discrimination
Sexuality
Domestic violence
Cultural practices
Forced marriage
Famine and/or drought or national disasters
Access to treatment
To make a change
Obtaining housing and housing benefits
Stigma/Discrimination
Concerns about whether treatment will be provided
Adapting to a new environment/people/culture
Physical support
Peer support
Isolation
Understanding new systems
Change of circumstances
Struggling to survive
Lack of freedom
Language barriers
The legal system
Acceptance
Fear of gong to work
Disclosure
Fear of loss of work/job
Pressure to work
Adapting to a multi-cultural society
Diversity
Unemployment
Separation from families/friends
Inability to travel or move
Stuck in the benefit trap
Finding and getting a job
Education (lack of qualifications or recognised qualifications)
Fear has done a lot of damage. What could be done to address some of the issues highlighted?
People could seek more information
Lobby the Government to relax rules (strictness of system)
Talk to MPs
Set up a forum to respond to negative press coverage
Be bolder with the Department of Health, UKC, THT and other HIV organisations
HIV organisations should be working with people living with HIV, not just for people living with HIV
Challenge discrimination
London HIV organisations could send staff out to regional organisations on secondment.
There are many reasons for mobility and migration
Fear and negative press coverage has done a lot of damage
People living with HIV who come to the UK face many difficulties and challenges unrelated to HIV
Discrimination in the media needs to be challenged
The asylum application process needs to work faster
People living with HIV should come together to create a unified voice – this would be stronger
This workshop was evaluated by 42 people. The youngest participant was 27 and oldest 63. The average age was 41.
Gender
23 female, 15 male, 4 not stated
Ethnicity
19 black African, 15 white, 7 not stated, 1 other non-white
Sexuality
27 heterosexual, 8 gay, 6 not stated, 1 bisexual
Usefulness
Very useful |
Useful |
Not useful |
50%(21) |
43% (18) |
7% (3) |
17 people set themselves action points:
Actively involve in campaigning for PLWHIV
So much I am going to do
Become a committed activist
Involved locally
Attend rallies
Lobby MPs & respond to literature to show support
Lobby for change
Train, work in HIV, maybe educating young people
Try to get involved
Gain more info, make choice about getting involved
Continue my international internet work
Inform self re worldwide situation
Living life to the full
More involvement immigration/treatment issues
Try to get to World AIDS Conference
Educate the world outside about HIV
Take care of myself
Move on to Parenting Skills