There are around 1.4 million people living with HIV in China and women make up around 23.7% of them, according to the latest data from Chinese health authorities. Among those living with HIV are pregnant women who are in a particularly vulnerable position due to the stigma surrounding the disease.

In order to counter such stigma and discrimination, women living with HIV and Hepatitis B came together at The Voice of Resilience event to tell their stories and to call for additional resources for community-based organizations (CBOs) working on the frontlines providing services for women living with and affected by HIV.

In 2023 alone, more than 5,000 pregnant women were diagnosed with HIV and over 400,000 with hepatitis B, and some of them were diagnosed at very late stage to be able to receive HIV services to prevent transmission to their children, according to China’s National Health Commission. Even though services are in place to prevent the transmission of HIV to their babies, discrimination, including denial of healthcare, obstructs women from accessing such services.

“I received a call from the doctor telling me that I couldn’t receive services from their hospital because I was HIV positive,” explained Xia Jing, one of the mothers, after she went to a general hospital in Beijing for a routine maternal exam. She still cannot hold her tears when she remembers her traumatic experience. She challenged back and told the doctor r that under the law they had no right to reject her.

She was eventually referred to Beijing’s You’an Hospital, a designated hospital for infectious diseases and people living with HIV where she delivered her baby. Now she is a happy mother of a four-year-old boy. Doctor Zhu Yunxia was the doctor who helped Jing deliver her baby. Dedicated to her job for more than 30 years, she is proud of having helped so many women deliver healthy babies. She calls for empathy with people facing discrimination and unfair treatment and urges all people to look at women living with HIV without prejudice.

“Stigma undermines public health objectives by creating barriers to accessing health and social services and can reduce the quality of the services that members of affected communities receive,” said Mark Vcislo, the First Secretary at Canadian Embassy to China, which has supported the work to tackle stigma. He called for breaking down “the prejudices that can prevent and deter marginalized communities, including persons living with HIV, from accessing the health and social services they need and deserve.”

Community-based organizations (CBO) are vital support for women living with HIV. Sister Xin, for instance, who herself received help from community volunteers when she was first diagnosed with HIV, created Firefly, a community-based organization that has help more than 20,000 women living with HIV in the last 20 years. Zhang Yu whose CBO supports women living with HIV in rural areas of China’s southwestern Yunnan Province, called for more resources for CBO’s work. “CBOs are struggling with their survival due to lack of resources,” she said. “I sincerely hope the government, the charity organizations and everybody can support us to continue our work.”

China has developed a strong and ambitious plan to significantly reduce the transmission rates of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B by 2025 outlined in China Women’s Development Plan and Healthy China 2030. China has achieved around 99 percent national screening rates among pregnant women living with HIV over the past five years. In 2023 alone, more than 9 million pregnant women have received HIV testing services. 

The Chinese government has partnered with UN agencies for the “last mile” by building a patient-centred and family-centred community service model to enable a holistic set of services and help break the barriers for both mothers and infants.

“Thanks to the combination of development of technology and social progress, women living with HIV can today give birth to healthy babies,” said Sister Xin.

Read the profile of the storytellers and more unsung community heroes committed to  helping mothers and babies: http://www.unaids.org.cn/page122?_l=en&article_id=1233.

GENEVA, 1 October 2024—UNAIDS expresses deep concern over the recently adopted anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Georgia, which poses serious risks to public health and human rights.

UNAIDS supports the UN Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights' statement that these laws will “impose discriminatory restrictions on education, public discussion, and gatherings related to sexual orientation and gender identity.”

These discriminatory laws violate fundamental rights to autonomy, dignity, and equality, exacerbating stigma and hindering LGBTQ+ people's access to essential health services. This undermines Georgia’s efforts to end AIDS and combat other infectious diseases.

UNAIDS reiterates that laws discriminating against LGBTQ+ individuals have no place in modern society. They lead to harassment, discrimination, violence and social exclusion, jeopardizing efforts to end the HIV epidemic. We call on Georgian authorities to repeal these harmful laws, as they will further isolate marginalized communities and worsen public health outcomes.

Stigma kills, but solidarity saves lives. Upholding the rights of LGBTQ+ people is crucial to advancing public health, social cohesion, and equality for all.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The Mentor programme for women in Kazakhstan was established to empower women living with or affected by HIV by connecting them with mentors who share their life experiences and provide critical support during challenging times. Co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and supported by UNAIDS, the program creates a safe space for women to learn, grow, and draw strength from one another. Through training seminars, support groups, and one-on-one mentoring, it helps women overcome stigma, rebuild their lives, and find their purpose. 

Meet three inspiring leaders from this programme—women who never saw themselves as heroes but are, indeed, changing lives. 

Halima

Several years ago, Halima found herself at a crisis center for women victims of domestic violence in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She was at rock bottom—diagnosed with HIV, grieving the loss of her second son, and trapped in an abusive marriage with a husband who drank heavily and often turned violent. Raised in a family that valued tradition, Halima felt compelled to keep the peace at all costs, but the weight of her daily life became unbearable. 

At her lowest point, an elderly doctor’s advice pushed her into action: “If you want your eldest son to end up in an orphanage, your husband homeless, and you in a mental hospital, you are sadly following that path.” Determined to change her fate, Halima sought help at the crisis center, which she credits with helping her climb out of the “dark hole” of depression. 

Today, Halima is helping other women in the mentoring programme. She shares her story with women, believing that her experiences can inspire others to seek life-saving HIV treatment and persevere.

At her lowest point, an elderly doctor’s advice pushed her into action: “If you want your eldest son to end up in an orphanage, your husband homeless, and you in a mental hospital, you are sadly following that path.” Determined to change her fate, Halima sought help at the crisis center, which she credits with helping her climb out of the “dark hole” of depression. 

Today, Halima is helping other women in the mentoring programme. She shares her story with women, believing that her experiences can inspire others to seek life-saving HIV treatment and persevere.

"I make sure to give each person my undivided attention so I can explain in simple terms what HIV is, what an undetectable viral load means, and how to get better,” she says.
Her work extends beyond Almaty, reaching women in rural areas where information about HIV and access to services is limited. “I have no special education, but I love learning. While I’m cleaning or mopping the floors, I listen to psychologists and doctors on my headphones,” she says, knowing that every bit of knowledge helps her make a difference. 

Lena

“This is a complex group,” says Lena from Pavlodar, Kazakhstan. She works with 17 women in a mentoring programme. Many of the women use drugs, have experienced domestic violence or have been in prison. Lena, aged 55, used drugs for over 20 years, but she has been drug-free for seven years, crediting opioid agonist maintenance therapy for helping her quit. 

“I went through all this myself. I remember how it was using drugs: I fell asleep—it’s winter. Woke up—summer,” she says. “If a person comes to therapy out of desperation, does not want to steal or torment their parents and loved ones, this programme can help them.” 

The therapy helps mitigate the need for drugs, but Lena emphasizes “it is important that peers and psychologists work with people and prepare them to leave the programme and have access to essential HIV prevention services and treatment”. 

After being released from prison nearly a year ago, Lena became a peer consultant in the women’s mentoring programme. 

“The problem for many people who use drugs is that they live with HIV and TB but cannot access available services or receive therapy,” Lena explains. Without a home or family, they are invisible to the social protection system and are often driven into desperate situations. “They need a helping hand. They are humans and live next to us."

Lena helps some people register for medical or social support facilities, and others to get treatment. She plans to meet with the akim (mayor) to propose a project to create a support system for people who are left behind. Lena believes there should be no situations where a person is alone and cannot be admitted to a home for disabled or elderly people because they are living with HIV. It is crucial to revise the laws so that everyone is allowed access to social institutions. 

Lena is dedicated to the programme. “I am reborn from this work. My eyes light up, and I feel strong and ready to help,” she says. 

Zulfiya

Zulfiya, a mother of three who has lived with HIV for nearly 20 years, uses her experience to support adolescents and young women in the program. “My task is to help them accept their diagnosis, start treatment, and stick to their medication,” she explains. She refers women to psychologists, social workers, or lawyers when additional support is needed. Zulfiya understands the denial many women face; she felt it herself two decades ago. Inspired by her son, an activist in the Teenager youth organization for adolescents living with HIV, she found her calling in guiding women who never thought HIV would touch their lives. 

Connecting women with other women in a predominantly male-dominated society is the foundation of the mentoring program. “Women in Kazakhstan are often forced to solve a wide range of problems themselves, whether it’s financial difficulties, lack of help, or protection from violence,” says Elena Rastokina, coordinator of the Mentor Programme for Women. “They are not used to uniting in women’s communities, do not know how to ask for help, and often do not know their rights.” Despite the challenges, she is immensely proud of what the mentors have achieved. “When women support each other, they find strength they never knew they had. We need each other, and together, we can change lives.” 

The mentoring programme covers 10 regions of the country. Dozens of women have received help. Some have learnt a new skill and found a job, and others have managed to accept their diagnosis and restore family ties. With help from the programme, many women who use drugs have managed to quit active drug use, improve adherence to life-saving HIV and TB treatment, and reconnect with the community.  

 For Aliya Bokazhanova, UNAIDS Country Director a.i. in Kazakhstan, these are incremental steps to empowering women from key populations. “Women living with HIV have the opportunity to develop and receive the necessary support and inspiration from experienced mentors, which contributes to their self-realization and integration into society,” she says. 

As of 2024, there are an estimated 40 000 [35 000–46 000] people living with HIV in Kazakhstan. New HIV infections are mostly among people from key populations (people who use drugs, gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, and people in prisons and other closed settings). HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs is almost 7%, compared with 0.3% in the general population. 

Four weeks before the African Cup of Nations football tournament kicked off it was down to the wire. José Fardon, a Côte d’Ivoire web designer and digital developer, had his whole team frantically working on a special edition of an interactive health and HIV game app, called "A l'Assaut du Sida", ‘Tackling AIDS’ (AADS) to coincide with the tournament.

The UNAIDS team had secured funds for the latest rendition of the online game and had rallied UNICEF and the Global Fund to chip in.

“We had launched various versions of the game in the past, but this required a different look and feel to gel with the sporting event,” said Mr Fardon, founder of SYL.

They also needed a final approval from the National AIDS Programme (PNLS).

"Out of the many initiatives put forward ahead of the CAN, the online app really appealed to us because we knew it would not only reach the target audience, it would also make an impact,” said Eboi Ehui, PNLS Coordinating Director. “This is a generation that has never seen the ravages of AIDS so they have felt like it isn’t a problem but it is.”

The success was beyond anyone’s expectations.

The 20,000 tournament volunteers recruited by the Ministry of Youth not only played the online game themselves but they fanned out around the stadiums promoting the game by sharing the QR code with the hundreds of thousands of supporters. And with various prize giveaways during the tournament and afterwards, more and more people downloaded the app to play. Since mid-January 2024, AADS has reached nearly 200,000 adolescents and young people with the latest version reaching a lot of young boys and men (cumulatively, the three versions have reached almost 300 000 people.)

“When I think back, this idea germinated in 2016 as a tool for schools then was launched at the Francophonie Games a year later but now, we really brought it to the general public,” Mr Fardon said. “I am so proud we never gave up.”

His determination impressed more than one person.

In eight years, he convinced UNAIDS staff, the country’s Ministry of Health in close collaboration with PNLS, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth and countless partners on the ground.

UNAIDS Country Director Henk Van Renterghem, like his predecessors before him, saw the value and potential of using digital technology to reach adolescents and young people. “General knowledge about HIV and overall comprehensive sexual education has decreased and young people are struggling with so many choices that this easy to download game is without a doubt relevant,” he said.

In July 2023, he explained, the National AIDS Council was alerted by the results of a survey and beseeched HIV partners to step up communication and education efforts.

“Despite the fact that young people have more access to information through the internet and social media than ever before, many young people are struggling to make informed decisions about their sexual relations,” said Mr Van Renterghem. For example, the survey revealed that only 40% knew that medicine (anti-retroviral treatment) existed for HIV and 39% of girls (29% of boys) did not know that condoms prevented HIV transmission. Last year, 20% of new HIV infections in the country were among 15–24-year-olds, according to government data.

As a result, UNAIDS staff along with SYL, vetted and increased the number of questions expanding prevention info.

He and his staff were particularly happy because they also succeeded in expanding the scope of the content.

In went the fact that people with HIV on effective treatment can achieve an undetectable viral load and cannot transmit the virus (U=U) plus stuff about stigma & discrimination, human rights, gender equality and gender-based violence – all structural drivers of HIV.

The full game of 400 questions is like a quiz with additional information popping up. Players score points by advancing through 40 sets of ten questions. At least seven correct answers are needed to advance to the next level. It can take up to an hour to get to the last round and when the updated pilot was tested in October and November of 2023, young people responded well.

Two of the young players who scored in the best percentile agreed.

“The game really taught me a lot. There are a lot of facts about HIV and sexually transmitted diseases,” said Marie Koffi. For Wilfried Touré he said, “I learned a lot of things that I had no idea about from tuberculosis to HIV and even on a personal level I picked things up.”

Going forward national partners now want to distribute a scholastic version of the game to all Côte d’Ivoire schools.

During the final awards ceremony at the end of March, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Health, Pierre Dimba, was clear.  “This fun and educational online game is a response to young people's need for true and accurate information via social media,” he said.  “The popularity of this game among teenagers is a real testimony that adapting our communication strategies to the habits and needs of young people pays off.”

In Mr Van Renterghem’s mind, Côte d’Ivoire should be proud.

“This home-grown low-cost tool will help us sustain our HIV prevention efforts as international funding will inevitably dwindle.”

That is in part why Mr Fardon and UN partners are dreaming even bigger.

“We would like to launch the app-based game in neighboring countries and eventually roll this out throughout western and central Africa,” he said.

“The sky is the limit.”

In a modest neighborhood of Bangui, Central African Republic’s capital city, Gniwali Ndangou is rushing to work. She’s a peer educator and community health worker at a youth sexual education centre, CISJEU.  

The same centre that saved her life.

I'm an orphan," she said, “I am the youngest of three sisters.” Throughout her childhood, her legal guardian told her to take pills saying it was anti-malaria and headache medicine. “I was the only one who took treatment every day and it never stopped.”

After threatening to stop taking pills when she was 17 years old, her sister finally told her the truth. She was born with HIV.

Gniwali couldn’t believe the litany of lies. Having recently been forced to quit school as her adopted family struggled to make ends meet, she once again felt abandoned.

 
“Many times, I tried to commit suicide… I wanted to end my life,” she said.

Her sister Astrid said she tried to pull her youngest sibling out of despair and kept hammering to her: “There are no differences between us, we are all humans.”

At her sister’s urging, Gniwali sought help at a youth center, Centre d’information et d’éducation sexuelle des jeunes (Center for Youth Sexual Education and Information) known as CISJEU. Established in 1994, CISJEU has been a beacon of hope for many young people like Gniwali. They offer community-led services ranging from HIV prevention to HIV testing to peer-supported treatment initiation and adherence.  

War and extreme poverty have greatly increased premature death in Central African Republic, leaving seventy-eight percent of the population under 35 years old. Young people struggle to receive an education with less than 4 in 10 adults literate. Gender inequality and gender-based violence also make young girls particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. Out of the 10,000 yearly new HIV infections, 3000 are among 15-24 years old with more than two female infections for every one male infection.

According to a UNICEF survey, less than 20% of young people possess comprehensive knowledge about HIV prevention. The youth center uses peer educators to bridge this knowledge gap and provide youth-friendly services. "We've trained and deployed 160 peer educators (80 in schools while the others are at youth centers) across different districts of Bangui and beyond, ensuring effective outreach and health and body awareness," said Michael Guéret, a program officer at CISJEU.

Chris Fontaine, former UNAIDS Country Director, underscores the importance of peer-led initiatives, “Addressing HIV and sexual health among young people in CAR is not just a health issue but a critical component of sustainable development and peace consolidation.”    

With support from UNAIDS and the Ministry of Health, CISJEU has attained the right to distribute HIV medicine, antiretroviral therapy, among the community.

For Gniwali, CISJEU became more than a sanctuary. Through training programs, she evolved from a beneficiary to a peer educator and community healthcare provider. “I received various certifications such as mobile HIV testing, and psychosocial support."

Leading discussion groups and dispensing life-saving antiretroviral medications to young people, she inspires young women to take care of their health. Her message is clear and powerful: "Being a young woman isn't easy. We must educate ourselves about this disease, fight against it, and prevent its spread in our country.”

MUNICH, 22 JULY 2024 – A new United Nations report released today shows that the HIV response in Eastern Europe and Central Asia is critically off track. Data in UNAIDS’ global report The Urgency of Now: AIDS at a Crossroads reveals that in this region, new HIV infections have risen by 20% and AIDS-related deaths have risen by 34%, since 2010. Only half of the 2.1 million people living with HIV in the region are accessing treatment, and only 42% of all people living with HIV in the region have suppressed viral load, the lowest rate globally. The report shows that it is still possible to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, but only if governments reform laws to protect everyone’s human rights and increase resources to ensure services are available for all.

“The promise to end AIDS is off track in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. But leaders can get on the path that ends AIDS. Programmes need to focus especially on people most affected by HIV, who are often the most marginalized and vulnerable. Community organizations need to be properly funded, supported and enabled to provide HIV services to people affected by HIV. The barriers of stigma and discrimination need to be broken down,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. 

The new data shows that in 2023, there were 140,000 new HIV infections across the region, with 93% occurring in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. Eight out of 13 countries in the region reported increases in new infections.

Because stigma, discrimination and harmful punitive laws obstruct marginalised communities’ access to vital services, 94% of new infections were among people from key populations - including men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and sex workers - and the sexual partners of people from key populations. Only 58% of sex workers, 43% of gay men, 52% of people who inject drugs, and 65% of transgender people receive HIV prevention services. Only 12% of resources are dedicated to prevention programmes for key populations.

The criminalization of small amounts of drug possession for personal use, of sex work, and of HIV transmission and exposure, are driving the people most in need underground and out of reach of HIV services. All 16 countries in the region criminalize sex work, 13 criminalize the non-disclosure, exposure, or transmission of HIV, and 7 criminalize small amount of drug possession for personal use. Studies show criminalization increases HIV prevalence among key populations. Unless countries can ensure fear-free access to HIV prevention services for everyone, new infections will continue to grow.

“Restrictive legal environments and stigma are obstructing progress in the region,” said Eamonn Murphy, UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and Asia Pacific. “Restrictive laws, along with aggressive policing and stigma, push people away from medical care. If people are pushed underground, the HIV response will not succeed.”

Powerful prevention technologies like PrEP are also not widely accessible for the same reason.  Criminalization fuels stigma, with many avoiding medical care due to discrimination. Nearly half of people surveyed who inject drugs in Kyrgyzstan and 32% of people living with HIV in Tajikistan reported avoiding medical care due to stigma and discrimination. UNAIDS data shows that people in key populations are experiencing high levels of violence.

"Supporting the leadership of communities is essential for reaching marginalised people providing vital outreach services. Without community leadership and the integration of community services into the health system, reaching these groups is too difficult," said Yelena Rastokina, lead of the ‘Answer-Kazakhstan’ Association.

Recent years have seen worrying restrictions of civic space and limits to communities’ involvement in public health initiatives, including those related to harm reduction, access to public health services for LGBTQ+ people, sex workers and other marginalised people. Restrictive systems at local, national, and regional levels are holding back communities’ contribution to public health.

Ganna Dovbach, Executive director of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association, highlighted: “The shrinking of civic space and attacks on human rights threaten our response to HIV, which is based on community-led or civil society provided services. Addressing these interconnected issues is essential for a sustainable response to the AIDS epidemic in our region.”

The region’s HIV response has also been hurt by the war in Ukraine.

But despite the conflict, Ukraine remains committed to its HIV response. Through a strong coalition of the government, civil society, international organizations and donors, HIV services have been maintained, with 143,600 people receiving treatment in 2023. This collaboration has ensured vital supplies of antiretroviral and tuberculosis medicine, and opioid agonist therapy, contributing to uninterrupted HIV treatment and other services. As of January 2024, 7,900 Ukrainian refugees in other countries and 1,900 returnees were accessing antiretroviral therapy.

Many community organizations working on HIV in Ukraine refocused their efforts to addressing humanitarian issues and supporting community members while continuing national advocacy for access to HIV services and the protection of human rights.

With support from the UNAIDS and other donors ALLIANCE.GLOBAL oversees a network of five specialized shelters across the country, providing shelter, humanitarian aid, and access to specialised services, including HIV prevention and treatment, for key populations and LGBTQ+ people who are internally displaced.

Despite the war, ALLIANCE.GLOBAL together with other community-led organisations continue advocating for laws that better protect LGBTQ+ people from intolerance and from hate crimes, to enhance access to public health services, including HIV-related services.

UNAIDS new report calls on leaders to develop sustainable plans for the HIV response to2030 and beyond. These plans should include enabling legal environments, support for community-led response and a boost in domestic funding. Repealing laws and norms that prevent people from accessing services is crucial.

“Ensuring access to services and treatment for all is how we end AIDS,” said Mr Murphy.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Every pain yields a lesson, and every lesson transforms a person

Parisa's life was forever altered by HIV 25 years ago. The virus struck her family, snatching her husband's job and halting her child's education. Tragically, her husband passed away two years later, leaving Parisa to navigate the daunting landscape of loss and discrimination.

Undeterred by adversity, Parisa embarked on a relentless mission for human rights, determined to combat the pervasive stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV. Initially, she immersed herself in seminars and conferences, volunteering tirelessly at counselling centres, where she shared her own experiences to chip away at the stigma and discrimination.

Her unwavering dedication caught the attention of Dr Minoo Mohraz, the former director of the Iranian Research Centre for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA), who offered her a pivotal role in a Positive Club—a sanctuary for those grappling with similar challenges. Thus began Parisa's transformative journey, marked by a series of initiatives aimed at raising awareness, eradicating stigma and discrimination, and supporting her peers.
 

WHAT IS THE POSITIVE CLUB INITIATIVE? The Positive Club is a meeting place for people living with HIV, who run the club themselves, with supervision from Parisa and colleagues. At the club, people receive training in arts, and sports, and as peer educators.  The Positive Club initiative was one of the successful programmes aimed at promoting positive health, dignity, and HIV prevention; it has been running for over 12 years with support from UNAIDS in collaboration with national partners and civil society organizations. Through this initiative, over 10,000 people living with HIV have been supported across 25 Positive Clubs, empowering them through training classes, workshops on HIV prevention, care and treatment, counselling sessions, and psychosocial support.

Over the years, Parisa's efforts have been nothing short of extraordinary. From managing a Positive Club in Tehran to representing people living with HIV in various influential platforms, including Iran's Country Coordinating Mechanism, its Oversight Committee, and Global Fund, she has been a relentless advocate for change. 

Her initiatives have spanned diverse arenas, from radio shows and collaborations with filmmakers to training workshops for religious leaders and healthcare providers. Parisa's impact reverberates across borders, as she leverages regional platforms like MENA Rosa --the first regional network dedicated to women living with HIV in the Middle East and North Africa-- to exchange experiences and champion global efforts against HIV stigma and discrimination with a particular focus on Women living with and affected by HIV.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Parisa's compassion for people living with and affected by HIV was once again evident. She mobilized support networks to provide essential supplies for Positive Club members and vulnerable families, ensuring that the crisis does not exacerbate the challenges faced by PLHIV.

Reflecting on the progress made over the last 25 years, Parisa acknowledged the remarkable strides in combating HIV-related stigma and discrimination. Efforts to eliminate HIV-related stigma and discrimination have been led by the UNAIDS Country Office for Iran, alongside national partners of the AIDS Control Programme. Notably, the first PLHIV Stigma Index study, conducted in 2010, laid the foundation for understanding the landscape of stigma in Iran. Subsequently, a second PLHIV Stigma Index study, was carried out by the network of PLHIV in collaboration with UNAIDS, Global Network of PLHIV (GNP+), International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW), Johns Hopkins Medical University (JHMU), National AIDS Programme (NAP), and with financial support from Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) /UNDP. Parisa played an important role in implementing the Stigma Index 2.0 which provided updated insights.
 

COMPARING OF BOTH OF IRAN’S STIGMA INDEX STUDIES A comparison between the two Stigma Index studies conducted ten years apart, using updated methodologies, revealed promising changes. The prevalence of self-stigma among PLHIV decreased significantly from 80% to 40%. Similarly, the percentage of PLHIV refraining from seeking medical help has decreased from 80% to 19%, underscoring improved accessibility to healthcare services and increased health-seeking behaviour among affected individuals. Overall, reports of stigma and discrimination have decreased from 71% to 47%, reflecting tangible improvements in societal attitudes to HIV.

Parisa reflects on these notable shifts in HIV-related Stigma observed between the two studies. In the initial Stigma Index conducted a decade ago, internal stigma was predominant among PLHIV, followed by societal and healthcare provider stigma. However, in the subsequent study, internal stigma was significantly reduced, while stigma and discrimination from healthcare providers emerged as the most prevalent issue. The improvement observed in internal stigma among PLHIV could be partly attributed to the work of the empowering Positive Clubs. Additionally, this improvement highlights the importance of ongoing efforts to address stigma and discrimination comprehensively, with a particular focus on healthcare settings. By acknowledging these shifts and persisting in their efforts, UNAIDS Iran, Parisa and her colleagues remain committed to building a future free from the burdens of HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

Through her nearly two decades of hotline counselling experience, Parisa has witnessed a shift in attitudes, with increased awareness and openness surrounding HIV discourse. 

She credits grassroots campaigns and community-led initiatives for driving this transformation, paving the way for a more inclusive society.

In 2019, Iran joined the Global Partnership to Eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination, prioritizing a strong emphasis on interventions within communities, emergency/humanitarian settings, and healthcare facilities. With support from UNAIDS, protocols and training packages were developed to address stigma and discrimination in these critical areas. These efforts were carried out in close collaboration with national partners and civil society organizations, with training workshops being a key component of the initiative.
 

OVERVIEW OF GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP The Global Partnership for action to eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination is a critical vehicle for action to mobilise all countries to reach the political declaration and Global AIDS Strategy targets. It leverages partnerships to enhance coordination of interventions and funding; it provides knowledge and evidence-guided technical support; and increases accountability mechanisms and community leadership.

Parisa was actively involved in the implementation phase of these projects. Her contributions have been instrumental in advancing the work to eradicate HIV-related stigma and discrimination across humanitarian, healthcare, and community settings.

However, Parisa acknowledges the persistent challenges faced by PLHIV, from sporadic bouts of self-doubt to occasional rejections and the lingering shadows of depression and fear. Despite these hurdles, she remains steadfast in her belief that we can achieve a future free from stigma and discrimination.

As Parisa continues her tireless advocacy, her journey stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of collective action in fostering a world where every individual, regardless of their HIV status, is embraced with dignity and compassion. 

UNAIDS has played a pivotal role in the establishment and sustained operation of Positive Clubs for over a decade, catalyzing transformative changes in the lives of people living with HIV such as Parisa and in the fight against stigma and discrimination. Nonetheless, the journey towards eliminating stigma and discrimination remains unfinished, albeit considerably smoother and more steadfast with the collaborative efforts and political commitment of initiatives such as the Global Partnership.

BEIJING, 15 July 2024 – The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and China signed two new Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to advance joint strategic efforts to end AIDS in China and globally.

The first agreement was signed on 10 July by Wang Hesheng, Vice Minister of the National Health Commission and Administrator of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (NDCPA) and Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, in Beijing. UNAIDS and China have agreed to deepen their collaboration to reach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, within the context of China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The agreement acknowledges China’s commitment to take a leadership role in the global HIV response including mobilizing partners and supporting efforts to end AIDS in middle- and lower-income countries. 

Mr Wang thanked UNAIDS’ for technical support and guidance around China’s HIV response, particularly in formulating HIV response plans and strategies, monitoring and assessment, as well as UNAIDS’ data collection and analysis.

“We expect to continue and further our cooperation with UNAIDS with this MOU,” he said. “The first steps will be to boost communication and coordination, and actively participate in global health governance.”

According to the agreement, NDCPA will make an annual contribution of USD$1 million to UNAIDS from 2025 to 2029, totaling USD$5 million, which includes increased core funding.

The other agreement signed in Beijing on 13 July with the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) addresses critical global development issues to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes promoting health and ending AIDS globally, especially in other developing countries in Africa and Asia Pacific.

Luo Zhaohui, Chairman of the CIDCA recognizes UNAIDS’ leadership in the global HIV response and encouraged UNAIDS to apply for more Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDF) to address the HIV epidemic.

“Let’s work together to improve people’s health especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.” he said. "HIV is a new area for CIDCA but UNAIDS has a lot of experience so there is huge prospect to have more cooperation.”

As part of this agreement, UNAIDS and CIDCA will fund projects in developing partner countries through policy coordination, community engagement, capacity building and technical insight.

Since its founding in 2019, the CIDCA has provided steady financial support to UN agencies and developing member states. As highlighted at the annual Steering Committee of UNSDCF, 13 UN agencies mobilized more than US$ 100 million in South-South funding, predominantly from CIDCA, which assisted 85 partner countries in the areas of COVID response and resilience, social inclusion, agriculture, climate and energy efforts. Earlier this year, UNAIDS received the first GDF to support Iran’s upscaling of rapid HIV testing. UNAIDS is the second UN entity to sign a MOU with the CIDCA.

UNAIDS looks forward to deepening cooperation with China especially in South-South Cooperation and China-Africa cooperation in the areas of local drug production as well as supporting partner countries.

Ms Byanyima said, “Global South solidarity is the bedrock of the HIV response. It is only by standing together that we can end AIDS by 2030 and I welcome steps towards a deeper partnership building China and African countries.”

UNAIDS will also closely work with the African Union, the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Medicine Agency.   

Ms Byanyima’s week-long mission to China is her first to the country since she became Executive Director of UNAIDS.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Girls’ education as a tool to prevent HIV infection has been centered at the 1st African Union Pan-African Conference on Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa. This followed African leaders designating education as the 2024 African Union theme of the year.

At a high-level side event hosted by the Education Plus Initiative on the first day of conference held at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, leaders, girls’ and women’s networks and advocates called for greater investments in girls’ education.

“Some people claim that providing girls with secondary education is too expensive. Such claims fail to consider the exponentially higher cost of not educating them,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “We can get all our girls and boys to complete secondary education; that should be our legacy."

UNICEF calculates that 34 million girls in sub-Saharan Africa are out of secondary school. According to the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2023, in all regions in Africa, there are more girls out of school at the secondary level than boys, with gender disparities worsening as children move up to higher levels of education in favour of boys over girls. In sub-Saharan Africa, less than half of adolescent girls complete secondary education, their percentage standing at 42% and there has been no progress at all in closing this gap in the past 20 years.  Sub-Saharan Africa is the region furthest from parity at the expense of girls, with no progress since 2011 at the lower secondary level and since 2014 in upper secondary.

Gender is a key factor linked to disparities in enrolment, retention, completion, and learning outcomes through social conditioning, gender-based differences in parental expectations and education-related investments, child marriages and early childbearing, female genital mutilation, child labour, gender-based violence, period poverty and discrimination.

More than forty years into the HIV response, Africa remains an epicenter of the AIDS epidemic with adolescent girls and young women being disproportionately affected. Every week 3100 adolescent girls and young women acquired HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Every three minutes, an adolescent girl or young woman aged 15-24 years acquired HIV in 2022 in sub-Saharan Africa.  Adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years in the region were more than three times as likely to acquire HIV than their male peers in 2022.

UN agencies, African Union representatives, government ministers, and young women leaders called for accelerated actions to translate commitments to action through leveraging girls' education for gender equality and preventing HIV, child marriage, teenage pregnancies, violence, gender-related stigma and discrimination in Africa.

Speakers emphasized the connection between health and education. Ministers spoke about key policy reforms and best practices aimed at promoting girls' education, including creating safe and inclusive school environments, strategies to get girls into secondary school, and the readmission policy that addresses high dropout rates due to pregnancy.  UN co-leads emphasised the need for improved collection of data disaggregated by sex and other relevant population characteristics to better understand educational participation, progression, and learning, and using gender-sensitive data for policymaking and planning. 

Other issues highlighted included the integration of digital literacy programs into the secondary education and vocational training curriculum to facilitate smooth transitions from school to employment; integrate gender equality into all aspects of the education system, including curriculum-based comprehensive sexuality education  and life skills, address gender-based violence  within schools and discriminatory laws and practices, and access to information, non-discriminatory HIV and sexual and reproductive health services access.

Young women leaders spoke on the role of partnerships and young women's leadership. Participants highlighted the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration as an opportunity moment to accelerate accountability and commitments, as well as the CSW Resolution 60/2, Women, the Girl Child and HIV and AIDS as significant mechanisms to address political and resource gaps so no woman or girl is behind in the HIV response.

Education Plus is a rights-based, gender-responsive action agenda to ensure adolescent girls and young women have equal access to quality secondary education, alongside key education and health services and support for their economic autonomy and empowerment.  Co-led by five UN agencies, the initiative builds on existing frameworks like the Transforming Education Summit, the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) and the Dakar Education for All (EFA) Declaration to push for access and completion of education for women and girls in Africa.

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GENEVA, 21 JUNE 2024—UNAIDS applauds the judgment by the High Court of Namibia, striking out as unconstitutional the law which had criminalised same-sex relationships.  The court found the law incompatible with the constitutional rights of Namibian citizens. This decision, which is in line with a series of judgments by courts in Southern Africa in recent years, marks a significant victory for equality and human rights for all Namibians and will help protect the health of everyone.

"This decision by the High Court of Namibia is a powerful step towards a more inclusive Namibia," said Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. "The colonial-era common law that criminalized same-sex sexual relations perpetuated an environment of discrimination and fear, often hindering access to essential healthcare services for LGBTQ+ individuals. To protect everyone’s health, we need to protect everyone’s human rights.”

Originally introduced during colonial rule in Apartheid South Africa and maintained in Namibian law when the country gained independence in 1990, this law had been used to rationalize discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in Namibia. It not only violated the constitutional rights of Namibian citizens but also posed a challenge to public health. The climate created by the law discouraged LGBTQ+ individuals from seeking HIV testing and treatment, undermining efforts to control the epidemic.

"By decriminalizing same-sex relationships, Namibia creates a safer environment for LGBTQ+ communities," said Ms. Githuku-Shongwe. "This allows them to access vital healthcare services, contributing to the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030."

UNAIDS urges all countries to follow Namibia's lead, remove punitive laws, and tackle prejudices against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people. Since 2019, Botswana, Gabon, Angola, Bhutan, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Singapore, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Cook Islands, Mauritius, and Dominica have all repealed laws that criminalized LGBTQ+ people.

A more just, equitable and kind world is a healthier one for everyone.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.