Stigma guidance
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Section 1:
Context and background

About the guidance

This guidance adopts a programme cycle approach in planning, implementing and monitoring stigma reduction activities. It is illustrated with numerous case studies, examples and stories, drawn primarily from Sightsavers’ work, as well as other published good practice.

The guidance is broad and is not intended to offer detailed implementation instructions. It provides key details for a step-by-step approach to reducing stigma, and illustrates stigma-reducing approaches for programmes that could target:

  • Different disabilities and impairments
  • Different sectors, including health, education, economic empowerment, political participation, neglected tropical diseases, and more
  • Both adults and children with disabilities
  • Stigma experienced by caregivers and other family members

If you have any questions or want to get in touch, contact us at sbc@sightsavers.org

Key terminology

We refer to ‘people with disabilities’ throughout the guidance. This refers to ‘people with disabilities in all their diversity’, which encompasses women, men, girls and boys of all ages and with all impairments.
Source: Sightsavers

What’s covered in the guidance?

 

Section name Topics covered

Section 1: Context and background
  • About the guidance
  • Sightsavers’ approach to stigma reduction
  • The three core principles

Section 2: What is stigma?
  • Overview and definitions
  • Four types of stigma
  • Why is it vital to address stigma?

Section 3: Intentional planning for stigma reduction
  • Overview
  • Shared understanding of stigma
  • Stigma analysis
  • Methods to collect stigma data
  • Building stigma into a theory of change
  • Prioritisation

Section 4: Implementing stigma reduction approaches
  • Overview
  • Stigma reduction approaches

Section 5: Measuring change
  • Overview
  • Building stigma into your results framework
  • Approaches for assessing stigma change
  • Ethics, safeguarding and unintended consequences

Development and structure

This guidance was developed by a lead consultant, together with a team of Sightsavers staff.  It built on a synthesis of available evidence and a learning piece from the Inclusive Futures/Disability Inclusive Development programme.

A cross-organisational working group met regularly in 2025 to discuss the content and structure.  The final step was a workshop conducted with staff and partners in Uganda in July 2025.

  • Dr Maria Zuurmond, Lead consultant
  • Cathy Stephen, Global technical lead, social behaviour change
  • Michael Odong, Technical adviser, social behaviour change
  • Geordie Woods, Director, social behaviour change/WASH
  • Bob Okello, Technical adviser social behaviour change analyst
  • Sarah Wang’ombe, Technical adviser, economic empowerment
  • Charles Odol, Technical adviser, education
  • Tracy Vaughan Gough, Deputy technical director, social inclusion
  • Hortance Manjo, Global technical lead, eye health
  • Doris Chalambo, Tanzania country office
  • Moussa Mbengue, Senegal country office
  • Doreen Nakuti and Edith Kagoya, Uganda country office 
  • Monday Okwoli, Esther Bature and Maryam Aminu, Nigeria country office
  • Leena Ahmed, Pakistan country office
  • Benjamin Zalira, Malawi country office
  • Valdemiro Bila, Mozambique country office
  • Jenny Eddis, Senior monitoring, evaluation and learning adviser

Partners included:

  • Rose Aloyo, National Union for Persons with Disabilities of Uganda (NUDIPU)
  • Peruth Nakandi and Paska Odip, National Union of Women with Disabilities of Uganda (NUWODU)
  • Conny Adoch, Light for the World, Uganda
Next page: Our approach to stigma reduction