An AIDS-free generation is still possible, but it will take political will.
Unprecedented funding cuts, discrimination, widening inequalities and weak health systems are threatening hard-won progress on HIV prevention, with women and girls particularly at risk.
Recent dramatic cuts in international aid – which are expected to worsen in 2026 – have hit HIV prevention programmes hard, leading to potentially millions of additional new infections. When seeking HIV prevention services, women, girls and LGBTQIA+ people continue to face widespread stigma and discrimination, including misinformation and even the denial of care.
Despite the obstacles, there’s still a chance to usher in a new era of HIV prevention, one anchored in rights and equity to safeguard and advance gains. With that in mind, the UNFPA theme for World AIDS Day is “Expanding rights, choices and resilience in a time of disruption.”
New infections have fallen 40 per cent since 2010, and groundbreaking medications have broadened HIV prevention options. To maintain the momentum, a new emphasis on the routine integration of HIV services into sexual and reproductive healthcare, including for family planning, maternal health and gender-based violence, needs to become the norm. Political leaders must steer equitable investment in HIV prevention to reach all people, accompanied by rights-based legal reforms.
Tackling gender inequality, discrimination and stigma in healthcare systems and societies reduces the factors that put people at risk of HIV. A good starting point is to expand comprehensive sexuality education for young people.
“The combined efforts of governments, international organizations, activists and communities have led to remarkable progress on HIV, saving nearly 27 million lives to date,” says UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Diene Keita. “Now, we need to come together and finish what we know works and what we know is possible – an AIDS-free future for all.”
