Why Inclusion Matters
People with disabilities in Papua New Guinea face multiple barriers that put them at increased risk for HIV, and can hinder access to prevention, testing, care, and support services. For people from key and vulnerable communities who also have a disability, these barriers are multiplied. These barriers include:
- Physical inaccessibility of health facilities
- Communication barriers (e.g. for people with sensory impairments)
- Discrimination and stigma — both because of disability and HIV
- Lack of information in accessible formats
- Exclusion from decision‑making, service planning, and policy forums
KPAC PNG believes that an HIV response that is inclusive of disability is not optional — it is essential for an equitable, comprehensive national response.
Our Objectives
To ensure that the HIV response in PNG fully includes people with disabilities, KPAC PNG aims to:
- Raise awareness about the needs, rights, and challenges of people with disabilities in relation to HIV and related health services.
- Promote the importance of accessibility of HIV prevention, testing, treatment, care, and support services in both physical and communication terms.
- Promote intersectional inclusion — recognizing that disability intersects with gender, sexual identity, key population status, socioeconomic status, etc.
- Strengthen partnerships with disability organizations, community networks, government agencies, and service providers.
- Embed inclusion in policy and governance so that HIV programs and strategies formally consider and provide for people with disabilities.
- Monitor, evaluate, and adapt – collect disaggregated data, measure inclusion outcomes, and use feedback from people with disabilities to improve services.
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What We Are Doing Now
- In mid 2025, KPAC PNG recently hosted a Disability Inclusion and Networking Forum, bringing together HIV and disability groups, government agencies, and partners to explore collaborative approaches, shared challenges, and action planning. (You can read more about it in the Post Courier and on the Health Equity Matters website).
- KPAC PNG is pioneering the addition of disability-specific questions in its Community-Led Monitoring program – a global first! This will collect enable the collection of disability disaggregated data related to HIV service access.
- KPAC is planning a number of pilot initiatives in 2026 and onwards, to collaborate with disability organisations to strengthen inclusive HIV services.
- KPAC is ensuring that disability inclusion is embedded in all that we do, as outlined in our is part of our Gender, Equity, Disability & Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Policy and other policy frameworks.
- We are working with Health Equity Matters, UNAIDS, and other partners to strengthen capacity within both KPAC and our member organizations to deliver HIV responses that account for disability.
Key Issues to Address
- Ensuring HIV testing and treatment sites are physically accessible (ramps, accessible toilets, etc.)
- Making communication accessible: sign language interpreters, easy‑read, Braille, pictorials, audio materials
- Training health workers in disability awareness, non‐discrimination, and client‑centred care
- Ensuring service delivery policies include people with disability in planning, budgeting and evaluation
- Eliminating layered stigma (disability + HIV + potentially gender or sexuality)
Join the Movement & Get Support
If your organization or service wants to work with KPAC PNG to strengthen disability‐inclusive HIV responses, here’s how:
- Reach out to our Disability & Inclusion Focal Point at KPAC PNG to discuss collaboration.
- Apply for training or support on inclusion assessment, communication access, etc.
- Submit case studies or examples of good practice from your community — we want to celebrate what works.
- Share feedback, challenges, and recommendations to help us improve together.
Contact & Resources
For more information or support, contact:
Disability & Inclusion Lead
Email: brendal.kpacpng@gmail.com
Phone: +675 325 5007
