Introducing our practical guide to reducing disability stigma

By Michael Odong, Sightsavers’ global technical lead for social norms and inclusive social behaviour change. Michael’s LinkedIn profile

Disability stigma does not always look obvious or dramatic.

Sometimes it is a health worker talking to a caregiver, instead of speaking directly to the person with a disability sitting in front of them. Sometimes it is a teacher who assumes that a child with a disability will not do well in school. And sometimes it is less overt than that. It might be the moment when a person with a disability decides not to go to a health clinic at all, because their past experiences have made them feel unwelcome.

For people with disabilities, stigma (negative or unfair beliefs and attitudes) shows up in everyday moments like these. These moments may seem small, but over time, they build up, affecting someone’s confidence, access to services and participation in community life.

Stigma can create significant barriers for people with disabilities, leading to discrimination, isolation and inequality. It can affect individuals, families, communities, structures and systems – yet disability inclusion programmes often don’t properly consider it, or fund activities to address it.

This is why Sightsavers has developed a step-by-step stigma reduction guide. It is designed to help programme teams and partners see stigma for what it really is – a daily barrier that shapes people’s lives – and understand how to address it through planning, implementation and monitoring stigma reduction activities.

Stigma is not just about a lack of knowledge

We often think disability stigma exists because people do not know enough. We believe that if we educate people, then attitudes will change. But experience and evidence tell us that this is not always the case.

People do not always act on what they know. Our behaviour is shaped by social norms, power, fear, habits and expectations. Disability stigma works the same way, and dismantling it requires deeper, more thoughtful work than one-off messages or awareness campaigns.

This is why Sightsavers’ stigma reduction guidance does not propose quick fixes; instead, it is built on existing evidence and underpinned by behavioural and social science. It goes beyond individual attitudes to focus on the role of families, communities, services and systems in reducing stigma, and offers a practical, people-centred way forward that is grounded in listening, participation and evidence.

Start with people, not assumptions

One of the most important messages in the guide is also the simplest: listen first.

Too often, stigma reduction efforts are designed without the meaningful involvement of people with disabilities. Our new guide challenges that. It places people with disabilities at the centre, not just as participants, but as partners and leaders.

Our guide encourages those working with people with disabilities to understand:

• How disability stigma shows up in their daily lives
• What drives stigma in their communities
• What kind of change would make a difference
• The role of age, gender, type of impairment, identity and context

When programmes are co-designed with people with disabilities, activities feel more real, messages are more believable, and change feels possible. As one programme partner shared with me, seeing people with disabilities leading discussions in their own communities challenges long-held assumptions far more effectively than messages delivered by outsiders.

A practical guide, not a checklist

Our stigma reduction guide is made to be used. It follows the programme cycle, from understanding stigma, to planning, implementation and monitoring. It does not offer one single solution; instead, it includes practical tools, reflection questions and real examples that programme teams can adapt across different sectors, including health, education, economic empowerment and political participation.

The guide encourages teams to be intentional in setting clear goals and activities, and to ask important questions, such as:

• Whose behaviours need to change?
• What social norms are reinforcing stigma?
• What institutional or structural barriers exist?
• How will we know if stigma is reducing?

These questions are not easy. But asking them early makes programmes stronger and more inclusive.

Measuring change that matters

Stigma can be hard to measure. It is often hidden. It may be expressed quietly or felt internally. Our guide recognises this challenge, and encourages teams to combine different methods, both quantitative and qualitative, to look beyond attitudes alone.

Changes in behaviour, language, participation and access to services all matter. So do small shifts: someone speaking up for the first time, taking on a new role, or using a service they previously avoided. Change is rarely quick or linear. But these moments can be powerful signs that something is shifting.

Why this matters now

Across development and humanitarian work, there is growing awareness that technical solutions are not enough. If disability stigma goes unchallenged, services will continue to exclude the very people they are meant to support.

For those working in social and behaviour change, this guidance is a reminder that inclusion takes intention, humility and partnership. If we want programmes that truly reach everyone, then reducing stigma cannot sit on the margins of our work. It must shape how we listen, how we design and how we act. Because real inclusion starts there.

Michael will be presenting Sightsavers’ new stigma reduction guidance at the International SBCC Summit 2026. He will demonstrate how evidence-informed social and behaviour change approaches can be intentionally planned and applied to challenge stigma and foster more inclusive outcomes.