Today is World AIDS Day and on this day, we commemorate the millions of lives lost to AIDS-related illnesses and loudly call on international donors to reinstate and prioritise funding that is driving life-saving innovations for people living with HIV. This year, Share-Net is joining the rest of the global community in celebrating perseverance under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”
Gender-Based Violence and HIV/AIDS
While the political climate around HIV/AIDS advocacy continues to shift, the under-addressed prevalence of GBV complicating prevention and care efforts remains prevalent. Gender inequalities, taboos, and increased vulnerability to physical violence continue to fuel disproportionate rates of infection amongst women and girls compared to their male counterparts. According to a 2024 UN study, in eastern and southern Africa, adolescent girls and young women account for 28% of new infections among all age groups and 77% of new infections among young people aged 15–24 years.
Furthermore, as discussed on the first day of activism, technology is a double edge sword responsible for disseminating information but also a conduit of GBV, subjecting people living with HIV/AIDS to new avenues of discrimination to face. Online bans of topics like HIV/AIDS outreach creates an awareness gap for the population most in need. Additionally, digital surveillance of people with HIV facilitates threats and unauthorized information disclosure leads to harassment that deter people from going to receive the treatment they need.
Funding
The recent funding cuts have built new obstacles to crucial care. Over 156.164 different beneficiaries have lost money. The harsh reality of today’s shrinking donor landscape are not just numbers on a spreadsheet – they translate directly into lives placed at greater risk. As vital clinics reduce hours, community educators lose support, and prevention programs disappear from the regions that need them most, the progress hard-won over decades begins to erode. These cuts create silent gaps where innovation once thrived, allowing stigma to deepen and marginalized communities to slip further from life-saving care. The most devastating part of this story is not only the services lost, but the voices muted: young women, LGBTQ+ people, sex workers, migrants, and countless others whose path to treatment becomes increasingly obstructed.
All Hope is Not Lost!
“In a time of crisis, the world must choose transformation over retreat… Together, we can still end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030—if we act with urgency, unity, and unwavering commitment.” – Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director
Yes, the international funding reductions over the past year have been difficult, but the fight will never stop. Work done by persistent organizations around the world are great examples of staying grounded in the message for a better tomorrow, even when it feels impossible. Thanks to the dedication and advocacy, “Globally, new HIV infections have declined by 40%, from 2.1 million in 2010 to 1.3 million in 2024” (Global Fund, 2025). If we continue to call for sustained political leadership, international cooperation, and human-rights-centred approaches, the UNAIDS goal to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 is still achievable.
Read more about exciting innovations to HIV/AIDS treatments here that are saving lives and marching us into a brighter tomorrow.
Written by: Adley Zalewski
https://www.ghspjournal.org/content/13/1/e2400177
https://data.unaids.org/topics/gender/genderbasedviolence_en.pdf
https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/2019_women-and-hiv_en.pdf
