World AIDS Day, celebrated annually on December 1, serves as a reminder of the global fight against the pandemic, while commemorating lives lost and celebrating progress.
“Every 25 seconds, one person in the world becomes infected with HIV”Guterres said.
“A quarter of people living with HIV – more than nine million people – lack access to life-saving treatment,” he added.
She called for a rights-based approach to the prevention and treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), highlighting the harmful effects of discriminatory laws and practices that stigmatize women, girls and minorities.
“The fight against AIDS can be won“, Mr. Guterres emphasized, “If leaders take a rights-based approach to ensure that everyone – especially the most vulnerable – can get the services they need without fear.“
“We will overcome AIDS if the rights of everyone, everywhere, are protected. I call on all leaders to pay attention to this year's theme and take the path of 'rights',” he declared.
Keep rights at the center
UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, reinforced the call and urged governments to “get on the right path to ending AIDS.”
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, highlighted the importance of removing systemic barriers to healthcare.
“To protect everyone's health, we must protect everyone's rights.“, said.
Progress at stake
Its World AIDS Day report showed that respecting and protecting human rights can help ensure equitable access to HIV services and prevent new infections.
It also revealed how gaps in the realization of human rights and abuses and violations hinder the end of the AIDS pandemic.
The UNAIDS report highlights that progress will stagnate without a human rights-based approach. In 2023, 1.3 million people will be infected with HIV worldwide, three times the target of no more than 370,000 annual infections set for 2025.
Women and children at risk
Additionally, 63 countries still criminalize LGBTQ+ people, while widespread gender-based violence and limited educational opportunities for women and girls leave them particularly vulnerable.
Last year, they accounted for 62 percent of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Worse still, nine out of ten new infections among 15- to 19-year-olds occur among girls, reflecting systemic gender inequalities, according to UNICEF.
The disparity is also evident in access to treatment, including for boys and young men.
While 77 percent of adults living with HIV have access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), only 57 percent of children ages 0 to 14 and 65 percent of adolescents ages 15 to 19 They have it.
“Children and adolescents are not reaping the full benefits of increased access to treatment and prevention services,” said Anurita Bains, UNICEF Associate Director of HIV/AIDS.
“Children living with HIV must be prioritized when investing resources and efforts to expand treatment for all.“This includes the expansion of innovative testing technologies,” he added.
