The primary aim of the study is to describe the stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV in Aotearoa New Zealand, using the internationally validated HIV Stigma Index questionnaire, adapted for the Aotearoa New Zealand context.

In addition, we aim to:

• Enable a process of empowerment for interviewers and participants living with HIV
• Develop the evidence base relating to stigma and discrimination, building on and comparing findings between studies that can be monitored over time
• Contribute to evidence to inform policy and programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand, including integrating findings into the HIV Monitoring Report.
• Identify where people are experiencing stigma, therefore enabling responses targeted on those areas e.g. in the workplace, in healthcare, in social gatherings
• Compare the stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV in Aotearoa New Zealand with other comparable countries (e.g. Australia, United Kingdom).

Data obtained from these studies is used to inform the implementation of policy and practice in New Zealand for the protection of people living with HIV. It contributes towards an evidence base for policy change and programmatic interventions and a baseline to measure how stigma, discrimination and the rights of people living with HIV change.

The questionnaire was developed by the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) and the International Community of Women Living with HIV or AIDS (ICW), with financial and management support from the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS). Visit stigmaindex.org for further details.

The Index follows the UNAIDS GIPA (Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV) and MIPA (Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV) principles that people living with HIV will be at the centre of the research process as interviewers and interviewees, and as drivers of how the information is collected, analysed and used. The research therefore is not intended to be an abstract academic exercise that is done “to” people living with HIV, rather it is intended to embrace a participatory spirit for all those involved and that the process of interviewing is one of empowerment for both interviewees and interviewers.

Tū Pakari, which translates as “to stand firm, strong, and grounded,” is the guiding Model of Practice for the 2026 Stigma Index in Aotearoa New Zealand. It reflects the strength, dignity, and collective resilience of people living with HIV, and sets out the values that shape how we work together throughout the study. These values include mātauranga (valuing all types of knowledge and shared learning), mauri tau (calm, steady presence), māramatanga (clarity and understanding), whanaungatanga (connection and relationships), manaakitanga (care and uplift), and pono (integrity and honesty). Tū Pakari guides how interviewers are supported, how participants are welcomed, how decisions are made, and how challenges are navigated with care. By embedding Tū Pakari across every stage of the project—from design to data collection to community engagement—we ensure the study is led by lived experience, grounded in shared values, and delivered in a way that strengthens the wellbeing and mana of our communities.