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Online Stigma, Silence, and the Shrinking Space for Youth HIV Advocacy in Ghana: A Call to Action

By Richard Agodzo

In the 21st century, technological advancement has brought education and information closer to us than ever before. With just a mobile phone and internet access, a world of knowledge is within reach—especially on critical health issues like HIV. Yet, this same digital space that should be a tool for transformation is becoming a trap for stigma, silence, and discrimination.

For many young advocates and activists working to end HIV-related stigma and discrimination in Ghana, the online space is no longer a safe zone. While the internet offers opportunities to educate, connect, and amplify voices, it also exposes us to digital abuse, harassment, and technology-facilitated violence. These realities are pushing youth away from participating actively in the HIV response online.


The Invisible Wound: Online Stigma and Digital Harassment

Digital spaces should empower us. But instead, many young people living with HIV or working in HIV advocacy face online bullying, name-calling, unsolicited exposure of their status, and verbal abuse. Social media platforms, WhatsApp groups, comment sections, and online forums have become breeding grounds for harmful narratives, misinformation, and moral judgment.

This silent threat was captured in the 2024 cross-country research titled Paying the Cost of Connection: Human Rights of Young Adults in the Digital Age in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Vietnam. In Ghana, the report revealed that young people fear online backlash when they speak out about HIV. Many shared experiences of being trolled, insulted, and even threatened simply for sharing educational content or publicly identifying as persons living with HIV (PLHIV).

This online hostility contributes to the dwindling number of youth participating in public HIV advocacy on digital platforms. Silence is becoming the default mode of survival, and this is dangerous. When the voice of the youth goes quiet, so does the hope of a stigma-free future.


The Cost of Silence

New HIV infections are on the rise, and alarmingly, the most affected demographic is young people aged 15–24. In Ghana and many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the drivers of new infections include a lack of comprehensive sexuality education, persistent stigma, low testing rates, and misinformation.

Now, imagine a young person looking for answers about HIV prevention or living positively with HIV. Their first instinct is to search online—but what do they find? Judgment. Fear. Silence. Misinformation. Without credible youth-led content, they’re left vulnerable, ashamed, and uninformed.

The cost of connection, it seems, is the dignity and safety of those willing to speak out.

It Takes a Youth to Teach a Youth

There is a saying, "It takes a man to uplift a fellow man." But in today’s fight against HIV, it takes a youth to teach a youth. Young people are best positioned to reach their peers, challenge stigma in relatable ways, and build a digital culture of support and empathy. But this can only happen when they feel safe, empowered, and equipped to lead.

What Needs to Change?

Digital Safety and Literacy Training:

Young advocates must be trained in how to navigate online spaces safely, respond to digital abuse, report harmful content, and protect their mental health.

Mental Health Support:

Online stigma often leaves deep emotional scars. Advocacy spaces should integrate psychosocial support for young activists to avoid burnout and trauma.

Community Guidelines and Tech Accountability:

Social media platforms must be held accountable for how their tools are used to perpetuate stigma. They should partner with local organisations to enforce community standards that protect marginalised voices.

Mentorship and Capacity Building:

Investing in leadership and storytelling training for youth living with HIV will help them develop compelling digital content, counter misinformation, and reach their peers effectively.

Intergenerational Dialogue:

Older HIV advocates and policymakers must create safe and inclusive platforms that encourage youth voices to be heard without judgment or tokenism.

A Collective Responsibility

HIV-related online stigma is not just a youth issue—it’s a human rights issue. When we ignore it, we fail an entire generation that is already bearing the heaviest burden of new infections. We must act now to protect and empower young people in the digital space.

It starts with listening. It grows with investment. And it succeeds when we recognise that the battle against HIV is not only medical—it is deeply social and increasingly digital.

Let’s reclaim the internet as a place of education, compassion, and courage. Because no young person should pay the cost of connection with their dignity, voice, or future.

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