PURPOSE: World AIDS Day takes place on 1 December each year. It’s an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day. We have only eight years left before the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a global health threat. Economic, social, cultural and legal inequalities must be addressed as a matter of urgency. In a pandemic, inequalities exacerbate the dangers for everyone
FORUM: "Let communities lead." World AIDS Day 2023. December 1st. The world can end AIDS, with communities leading the way. Organisations of communities living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV are the frontline of progress in the HIV response. Communities connect people with person-centred public health services, build trust, innovate, monitor implementation of policies and services, and hold providers accountable. But communities are being held back in their leadership. Funding shortages, policy and regulatory hurdles, capacity constraints, and crackdowns on civil society and on the human rights of marginalised communities, are obstructing the progress of HIV prevention and treatment services. If these obstacles are removed, community-led organisations can add even greater impetus to the global HIV response, advancing progress towards the end of AIDS. This World AIDS Day is more than a celebration of the achievements of communities; it is a call to action to enable and support communities in their leadership roles. World AIDS Day 2023 will highlight that to unleash the full potential of community leadership to enable the end of AIDS:
Communities’ leadership roles need to be made core in all HIV plans and programmes and in their formulation, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. “Nothing about us without us.”
Communities’ leadership roles need to be fully and reliably funded to enable the required scale up,and be properly supported and remunerated. “Not ending AIDS is more expensive than ending it.”
Barriers to communities’ leadership roles need to be removed. An enabling regulatory environment is needed which facilitates communities’ role in provision of HIV services, ensures civil society space, and protects the human rights of all, including of marginalised communities, to advance the global HIV response. “Remove laws that harm, create laws that empower.”
Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #Worldaidsday, #1December, #equilize on social medias.
EVENTS: On Tuesday, November 28th, 2023 from 13:30-14:30 GMT, will be held the Launch of UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report: Let Communities Lead at Central Hall Westminster (Mathew Parker Street West entrance), London, UK. Media are invited to attend the launch of a new report by UNAIDS which shows that the world can end AIDS if communities are included, funded and supported to lead the way. Much of the progress made against the HIV pandemic over the last 40 years is thanks to the efforts of community-based organizations. However, the new UNAIDS World AIDS Day report - Let Communities Lead - reveals how communities working to end AIDS are too often unrecognized, under-resourced and in some places even under attack. It outlines how, by removing these obstacles, the full potential of community leadership will be unleashed, allowing the world to end AIDS by 2030. The press conference will be held in London on 28 November during a World AIDS Day conference hosted by the UK civil society organization STOPAIDS. Media can register here (please select ‘Media’ when registering)
On December 1st, 2023 during all the day, several events will take place across the world. Communities are leading World AIDS Day 2023, and across the world are shaping the events and tailoring the detailed calls to their specific needs. Through photos and videos shared by groups on social media and aggregated by UNAIDS, people will be able to witness the kaleidoscope of events taking place, be inspired by the determination and hope, and hear communities’ calls for action. These activities will be led not only by official bodies but also, most importantly, by communities. Get the list of the Worldwid events!
STATEMENTS: “The end of AIDS is possible, it is within our grasp” says UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. “To follow the path that ends AIDS, the world needs to let communities lead.”
PODCASTS:.Because change depends not on a moment but on a movement, the message “Let Communities Lead” will not only ring out on one day. It will be at the core of activities that will build up across November, see the release of the World AIDS Day 2023 Report – entitled Let Communities Lead – in late November, reach a crescendo on World AIDS Day on 1 December, and continue to echo throughout December and beyond. Indeed, the end of AIDS can only be achieved if we tackle the inequalities which drive it. World leaders need to act with bold and accountable leadership. And all of us, everywhere, must do all we can to help tackle inequalities too. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Calling for continued global commitment to universal access to prevention, treatment and care services. Adaptable materials for World AIDS Day2023 will be shared to highlight communities’ leadership role. Materials are tailorable by countries and communities. Get the communication materials!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS
The World AIDS Day remains as relevant today as it’s always been, reminding people and governments that HIV has not gone away. There is still a critical need for increased funding for the AIDS response, to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on people’s lives, to end stigma and discrimination and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV. Young women in Africa remain disproportionately affected by HIV, while coverage of dedicated programmes for them remains too low. In 19 high-burden countries in Africa, dedicated combination prevention programmes for adolescent girls and young women are operating in only 40% of the high HIV incidence locations. Only a third of people in key populations— including gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who use drugs, sex workers, and prisoners—have regular prevention access. Key populations face major legal barriers including criminalisation, discrimination and stigma.
Activities will build up to World AIDS Day from November. The World AIDS Day report will be released in late November.
Increase availability, quality and suitability of services, for HIV treatment, testing and prevention, so that everyone is well-served.
Reform laws, policies and practices to tackle the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV and by key and marginalised populations, so that everyone is shown respect and is welcomed.
Ensure the sharing of technology to enable equal access to the best HIV science, between communities and between the Global South and North.
Communities will be able to make use of and adapt the “Equalize” message to highlight the particular inequalities they face and to press for the actions needed to address them.
Awareness-raising activities take place around the globe.
Many people wear a red ribbon, the universal symbol of awareness of, support for and solidarity with people living with HIV.
People living with HIV make their voice heard on issues important in their lives.
Groups of people living with HIV and other civil society organizations involved in the AIDS response mobilize in support of the communities they serve and to raise funds.
Events highlight the current state of the epidemic.
The World Aids Day is hosted by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, the World Health Organization (WHO), the UNHCR, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programma (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UNESCO and the World Bank.
With the participation of Civil Society Organizations; Public Health sectors; Private sectors; Health Community-Based Organizations; Researchers and academics.
Data from UNAIDS on the global HIV response reveals that during the last two years of COVID-19 and other global crises, progress against the HIV pandemic has faltered, resources have shrunk, and millions of lives are at risk as a result. Four decades into the HIV response, inequalities still persist for the most basic services like testing, treatment, and condoms, and even more so for new technologies.
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