By Henry Neondo
The UNAIDS has termed human rights protection as vital to ensuring the success of efforts to end AIDS.
In a statement released ahead of the World AIDS Day 2024in Geneva, the UNAIDS noted that discrimination against girls and women, from denial of education to denial of protection from gender-based violence, is also undermining progress in the global HIV response. In 2023, women and girls accounted for 62% of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa.
“The choice is clear if we want to end AIDS as a public health threat. World leaders must take the rights path to protect people’s right to health and life. When human rights are respected and guaranteed, their lives are greatly improved because they can freely seek healthcare, including HIV prevention and treatment,” said Stephen Fry, broadcaster and comedian.
According to Margaret Cho, actress and comedian victory over AIDS will happen when human rights and the right to health are secured for everyone everywhere. “We can end AIDS as a public health threat by promoting rights, respect and dignity for all,” she said.
“When girls cannot get access to education and information, when young women cannot access HIV prevention and testing, they are put at much greater risk of acquiring HIV,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.
In 2023 alone, 1.3 million people around the world were newly infected with HIV—three times higher than the global target set for 2025 of no more than 370 000 new infections.
“To protect everyone’s health, we need to protect everyone’s rights,”
UNAIDS World AIDS Day report, “Take the rights path to end AIDS”, shows that the world can end AIDS—if the human rights of people living with or affected by HIV are respected, protected and fulfilled, to ensure equitable, accessible and high-quality HIV services.
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