What does this mean and why is it important?
By Victoria Yutronich [1]
Last week, a website was launched to enable people and organisations across the world to take a Pledge [2]. The aim of the pledge is to enable individuals and organisations to make a public commitment to bring an end to blame, shame, judgement, and prejudice due to diabetes. This is known as diabetes stigma.
In just 10 days, the Pledge has been taken:
Why is this important?
Around 4 in 5 people with diabetes have experienced some form of diabetes stigma. In addition, up to 1 in 3 people with diabetes have been discriminated against due to their diabetes. This means they have been treated differently (by an individual or an organisation) due to their diabetes. To read more about diabetes stigma and discrimination, and why they matter, check out our previous blogs [3].
How did the Pledge come about?
The Pledge was developed by an expert panel of 51 people from 18 countries, who united to identify what it would take to bring an end diabetes stigma. The panel includes people living with diabetes who have experience of diabetes stigma, as well as professionals with research and/or clinical experience. They reviewed the evidence on diabetes stigma and then came to unanimous agreement on the Pledge [2].
So, what does it mean when we take the Pledge?
It means:
The panel identified that we all need to come together to commit to these actions. We all need to think about what it means. We all need to hold a mirror up to reflect how we may have been contributing to diabetes stigma in the past. This is not about blaming and shaming ourselves. It’s about realising where we need to make improvements for the future. Only then will we be able to bring an end to diabetes stigma and the harms it inflicts.
How can you join this global effort?
You can sign the Pledge [2] as an individual [4] and/or on behalf of an organisation [5].
You’ve taken the pledge [6], now what?
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- Talk about this with other people in your own organisation or networks
- Encourage those individuals and organisations to take the Pledge
- Share on social media using the hashtag #EndDiabetesStigma [7]
- Share using one of the social media tiles [8]
- Post a photo or a brief video (e.g. 20 seconds) of you taking the pledge or sharing that you have taken the pledge. This can be as an individual or as a group or organisation. We plan to have a gallery on the website where such media can be included, and we will also be able to use such media in our World Diabetes Day events (see below)
- Volunteer to translate the Pledge (contact us [9] to find out more)
- Get together with other people in your organisation or country to plan an event on World Diabetes Day as part of a global community-led celebration to #EndDiabetesStigma. Contact Matthew Garza [10] to let him know you’d like to take part in this global celebration
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You can read more about the Pledge here [11]. Remember, this is not just limited to the diabetes community. This involves everyone and all organisations, as people with diabetes go to school, university, work and play in the same places as everyone without diabetes. Please join us in committing to creating a more compassionate and respectful world for people with diabetes.