World AIDS Day 2024: Global Call to Action for HIV Rights and Awareness

World AIDS Day, observed on December 1 every year, marks a significant global event aimed at raising awareness about HIV and AIDS, as well as honoring the victims of the disease. First observed in 1988 following a recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN), this day is crucial for recognizing the worldwide impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and advocating for those infected with HIV.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2024 is “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!” This theme emphasizes the need for a rights-based approach to ensure that everyone, especially the most vulnerable populations, has access to vital services without fear of discrimination or stigma. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is achievable if leaders take this rights-based approach.

The current statistics are stark: every 25 seconds, someone in the world is infected with HIV, and one-quarter of people living with HIV—more than nine million people—lack access to lifesaving treatment. Discriminatory laws, policies, and practices continue to punish and stigmatize vulnerable groups, including women, girls, and minorities, preventing them from accessing proven preventions, testing, treatment, and care.

World AIDS Day serves multiple purposes, including educating people about HIV prevention and treatment, disputing the stigma attached to the disease, and remembering those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses. It also promotes health campaigns and unites people globally in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The WHO and other global health organizations appeal to leaders and citizens worldwide to take action toward addressing inequalities that bar the realization of an AIDS-free world. The emphasis is on ensuring the right to health for all, without discrimination or stigma.