Reducing HIV Stigma by Transforming Children's Stereotypical Perceptions Through Arts-Based Methods

High levels of HIV-related stigma in South Africa continue to hinder effective management of the pandemic. Although the Department of Basic Education incorporates HIV and stigma education into the life skills curriculum, classroom teaching remains largely theoretical and does not enable children to grasp the deeper social complexities and intersectional factors that drive and sustain stigma. An arts-based, experiential pedagogy offers a transformative paradigm for life skills teaching by allowing children to engage emotionally and critically with the realities of people affected by or infected with HIV. This study used an action research approach integrating interactive, arts based strategies in a Grade 5 Life Skills classroom to support children in exploring HIV stigma with the aim of reducing stereotypical thinking and fostering a more nuanced, intersectional understanding of the pandemic's social implications. In the first cycle, we examined children's initial perceptions of HIV and then applied arts based pedagogies to transform their thinking by identifying and challenging negative assumptions and promoting more informed and empathetic insights. Findings show that arts based methods surfaced children's existing interpretations of HIV, highlighted knowledge gaps, and encouraged greater empathy. These outcomes may help teachers bridge the gap between theoretical curriculum requirements and children's lived realities, making HIV education more relevant and engaging

Critical thinking · Curriculum · Experiential learning · Perception · The arts · Transformative learning · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Art Therapy and Mental Health · Participatory Visual Research Methods