Title “Take the path of rights to end AIDS,» the report highlights how stigma, discrimination and punitive laws hinder progress in the fight against HIV.
Despite significant progress in HIV treatment and prevention, human rights violations continue to block access to essential services.
In 2023, 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses and 1.3 million people contracted HIV.
The human rights challenge
Marginalized communities, including women, girls and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other) people, remain disproportionately affected.
Sub-Saharan Africa clearly illustrates this disparity: every day, 570 young women aged 15 to 24 contract HIV, a rate three times higher than that of their male peers.
Globally, 9.3 million people living with HIV are not receiving life-saving treatment.
“Discrimination and violence against girls must be addressed as a human rights and health emergency,” said Nomonde Ngema, a 21-year-old HIV activist.
Criminalization stands in the way of progress
Punitive laws targeting marginalized communities are exacerbating the crisis. In 2023, 63 countries still criminalized same-sex relations.
HIV prevalence among gay men and other men who have sex with men is five times higher in these countries than in those where such laws do not exist.
“Punitive laws and policies prevent vulnerable people from getting the help they need to prevent HIV, test for HIV, and treat HIV,” said Axel Bautista, community engagement manager at MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health & Rights.
“Instead of punishing marginalized communities, governments must uphold their human rights,” he stressed.
The 2021 UNAIDS Political Declaration on Ending HIV/AIDS calls for the removal of restrictive laws by 2025, but progress remains slow.
Bridging the innovation gap
Scientific advances, such as long-acting injectable medications, offer hope but remain inaccessible to many due to their high costs and limited production.
“Life-saving medical tools cannot be treated as simple commodities,” said Alexandra Calmy, head of HIV at Geneva University Hospitals.
“The revolutionary therapeutic and preventive options currently being developed must be made accessible without delay to achieve universal reach.”
The report calls for a human rights-centered approach to ensure equitable access to these life-saving innovations.
Listen to our interview with Dr Angeli Achrekar, Under-Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS:
Voice of change
The UNAIDS report amplifies the views of world leaders, including British singer and songwriter Elton John, Irish President Michael D. Higgins and HIV activist Jeanne Gapiya-Niyonzima.
“As long as HIV is seen as a disease reserved for ‘others’, and not for so-called ‘decent people’, AIDS will not be defeated. Science, medicine and technology may be the “what” to end AIDS, but inclusion, empathy and compassion are the “how”», Wrote Elton John.
President Higgins echoed this sentiment: “Keeping the commitment to end AIDS as a public health threat is a political and financial choice. It is high time to choose the right path.”
A global call to action
As the world approaches the 2030 deadline, UNAIDS stresses that ending AIDS is not just about health – it is a human rights mandate.
By addressing inequalities and ensuring equitable access to services, the international community can achieve its shared goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.
