World AIDS Day: Advocating for Universal Healthcare and Ending HIV Transmission

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10th December 1948, in the aftermath of World War II. This was a world where there had been significant pain and suffering, and where access to basic human needs was ignored. Article 25 of that Declaration outlines:

‘Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.’

On December 1st, communities around the world will commemorate World AIDS Day 2024 under the theme ‘Take the right path: My health, my right!’

Now more than ever, we have a duty to advocate for the right of all people to high-quality healthcare. Healthcare for groups whose rights are so often diminished; ethnic minorities, women, children, asylum seekers, people who inject drugs and LGBTQIA+ persons amongst many others. There is a need for healthcare which is defined by principles of inclusion and equity. Healthcare is person-first, systems-focused and can build on human, social, cultural and environmental resources within communities.

During 2023, 1.3 million additional people acquired HIV. This is on a backdrop of nearly 40 million diagnoses globally. We are fortunate that this is a reduction in new diagnoses by 39% since 2010. However, there is still a significant amount to achieve. An estimated 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes, including 76,000 children that same year. The substantial progress that has been realised is directly related to the progress made in human rights advocacy.

As we reflect on 2024, there are still many ongoing challenges, which might make it almost impossible to think of a world beyond HIV transmission. This World AIDS Day we call on you to action. We call on you to test. We call on you to advocate. We call on you to urge political leaders for global protection of everyone’s right to healthcare.

We call on you to take the right path and end HIV transmission.

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