Marking the 2023 World AIDS Day, UNAIDS, Spain, as President of the Council of the European Union, and other partners have called for the elimination of all HIV-related discrimination and stigma as a necessary step towards ending the AIDS pandemic as a global public health threat by 2030.
This was made known in a press release by The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) after an event at the European Parliament in Brussels.
According to the press release, Spain’s Minister of Health, Mónica García, re-affirmed Spain’s commitment to achieving zero HIV-related stigma and discrimination. Spain had earlier officially joined the Global Partnership to eliminate all HIV stigma, becoming just the second EU member to do so, after Luxembourg.
“We hope that this leadership of Spain for the elimination of all forms of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV will be maintained over the next 7 years to meet our goals by 2030,” said Ms Garcia.
According to UNAIDS, Christine Stegling, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, thanked Spain for its leadership globally and in the European Union and stressed that eliminating biases surrounding the virus is critical for controlling its spread and realizing the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
“We’ve made impressive progress against HIV, but we have much work left to do,” said Ms Stegling, “Unless we succeed in ending AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, we will not be able to reach everyone in need. Stigma and discrimination against people most affected by HIV are the biggest barriers to accessing lifesaving HIV prevention and care. We look forward to working with European Union Member States, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, to take this agenda forward.”
UNAIDS reports that Spain will step down from its Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the end of December 2023 and Belgium will take over. Ms. Stegling also expressed hope that Belgium will follow in Spain’s footsteps and make HIV stigma a priority.
Ms. Stegling highlighted the UNAIDS’ 2023 World AIDS Day report, entitled Let Communities Lead, citing the need for governments and donors to fully empower and fund community leadership in the response to HIV.
According to the press release, other speakers at the event included: Andrea Ammon, Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; Peter Sands, the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s Regional Director for Europe and Kathleen van Brempt, MEP of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.
While lauding progress made, speakers unanimously agreed eliminating HIV stigma remains essential to reaching the diverse at-risk populations and realizing the dream of an AIDS-free generation.
UNAIDS stated that The World AIDS Day event was co-hosted and moderated by Marc Angel, MEP from Luxembourg and vice-president of the European Parliament.
He said, “Representing my country, I extend my deepest appreciation to Spain for joining the Global Partnership for action to eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination. As a UNAIDS Red Ribbon Leader for the 10-10-10 targets on societal enablers, I look forward to working closely with Spain, my own country, Luxembourg and, ideally, other EU Member States to end all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination in the EU, across Europe and beyond.”
The 10-10-10 targets are:
- Less than 10% of countries have punitive legal and policy environments that deny access to justice
- Less than 10% of people living with HIV and key populations experience stigma and discrimination
- Less than 10% of women, girls, people living with HIV and key populations experience gender inequality and violence.
SOURCE: UNAIDS
