On March 28, 2025, with financial and technical support from DFAT through UNAIDS, the National AIDS Authority (NAA) organized a policy dialogue on reducing stigma and discrimination (S&D) against people living with HIV (PLHIV) and key populations (KPs) in Cambodia under the theme “We Stand Together for Zero Discrimination.”
The meeting was held at Sunway Hotel and was attended by key honorable guests, including H.E. Dr. Tia Phalla, Vice-Chairman of NAA; H.E. Chhim Khindareth, Secretary General of NAA; Dr. Patricia Ongpin, Country Representative of UNAIDS; and Ms. Prum Dalish, Program Manager of CPN+. Participants included representatives from key ministries, NGOs, PLHIV, and KPs.
The purpose of the meeting was to follow up on the progress made in 2024 and to discuss solutions to stigma and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs in Cambodia.
Stigma and discrimination remain major barriers preventing PLHIV and KPs from accessing healthcare services. Reducing and eliminating these barriers is essential to achieving the 95-95-95 targets by 2025 and ending HIV as a global threat by 2030.
During the meeting, key ministries shared their contributions to reducing stigma and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Additionally, the result of community-led monitoring (CLM) on stigma and discrimination was presented by Mr. Seum Sophal, FoNPAM Officer of HACC. The findings highlighted that stigma is highest among entertainment workers (EWs), followed by people who use drugs (PWUD), transgender individuals (TG), men who have sex with men (MSM), and PLHIV.Stigma among PLHIV is decreasing.
