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(Male, 49yrs, University education, DU)“People looked….uneasy lah. They look at you like an alien. At times, itis as though they are looking at something that is dirty, you know,something that is already contaminated. No doubt…yeah… contaminated.But, the look they gave us is scarier than the words they have to say. Weare only humans, we have emotions also”(Male, 44yrs, Upper secondary education, DU)“Fear others will look down on me. Fear others are afraid of me”(Female, 43yrs, Primary education, Infected Partner)“For me, if I tell the community/family, they may not love me like before.I mean, I fear that they may reject me lah”(Male, 24yrs, Primary education, Refugee)“I did not tell my family because I am afraid they will hate me. If myfamily knows, may be they kick me away”(Female, 40yrs, Lower secondary education, SW)To summarise, the FGDs revealed that PLHIV in this study, whether they areinfected partners, heterosexual men, MSM, transsexuals, drug users, refugees orsex workers, face and fear stigmatization and discrimination in their every daylives. Some have experienced insults, harassment, ridicule and humiliation. Somehave been forced, overtly or subtly, to resign from their place of employment.Although moral judgements may play a part, it is evident that fear of contagion byHIV-infected people is one of the root causes of the stigma attached to HIV.Clearly, years of IEC have not convinced people of the routes of transmission andlay-persons, and even some healthcare workers, are still fearful of being infectedfrom casual or close contact. The persistence of this misconception is supportedby the FGDs with communities (described below) and needs to be redressed.Moreover, with such prejudice and discrimination against PLHIV, the breech ofconfidentiality from healthcare providers or related HIV agencies assumes greatersignificance in light of the severe psychological and emotional stress it causes.Whether real or perceived, this fear of stigmatization and discrimination affectstheir quality of life and denies them social and economic opportunities throughnot only negative actions by others but also self-imposed isolation and limitations.86