World AIDS Day offers a chance for communities around the world to join forces in an effort to end the HIV epidemic…
December 1 is World AIDS Day – a day that brings global attention to the fight against HIV and AIDS, offering a chance to remember the lives lost while galvanizing efforts to confront the ongoing epidemic. In Canada, despite breakthroughs with HIV treatments, prevention efforts have fallen short. In 2022, new HIV diagnoses surged by 25 per cent, marking the most significant rise in over a decade, according to reports from the Public Health Agency of Canada. As the epidemic continues, communities across the country continue to face barriers that limit access to both HIV prevention and care.
“The reality is that HIV is still very prevalent here in Canada,” notes Alex Filiatrault, CANFAR’s Chief Executive Officer. With 28 per cent of those living with HIV not receiving the care they need, efforts to close these gaps are more pressing than ever. Provincial discrepancies in new diagnoses—most notably in Saskatchewan and Manitoba— underscore the importance of World AIDS Day in driving awareness and collective action to combat this ongoing public health challenge.
History and significance
The first case of HIV was reported in 1981 and since then the virus has killed more than 40 million people, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. Today close to 40 million people live with HIV.
World AIDS Day was first designated in August 1988 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, to get some semblance of control over the pandemic that had claimed the lives of so many people, especially from the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Both Bunn and Netter were public information officers for the AIDS Global Program of the World Health Organization, and they conveyed their idea for the observation of this day to the director of the AIDS Global Program, Dr. Jonathan Mann, who approved it for December 1. It was the first-ever international global health day.
The theme of the first World AIDS Day focused on children, to steer away from stereotypes and discrimination, and to raise awareness of how HIV and AIDS affect families. As World AIDS Day grew, its organization was taken over by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) from 1996, and it became a year-round education campaign rather than a single awareness day.
Now, on December 1 each year, the United Nations, agencies, global governments and the public join together for the campaign, with awareness and fundraising efforts taking place all over the world. The reason? There is still a critical need for funds to support people living with HIV and AIDS, to raise awareness about what it’s like to live with the virus and to end the discrimination they face.
Return of the red ribbon campaign
This year, CANFAR brings us back to the roots of HIV/AIDS advocacy with a renewed vision of the grassroots red ribbon campaign.
“This year, in collaboration with Gilead Sciences Canada, CANFAR is leading a national campaign that centres on bringing back the red ribbon,” says Roxanne Ma, CANFAR’s Vice President of National Awareness Programs. “The red ribbon was the first awareness ribbon designated for a public health cause, and we’re excited to reintroduce it in the fight against HIV/AIDS.”
The red ribbon became an international symbol for the epidemic in 1991. CANFAR was heavily involved in the original campaign and donation drives to help raise money for the cause.
“We want to bring the red ribbon back into the spotlight to remind people that HIV/AIDS is still a significant issue here in Canada,” says Ma. “In 2022, new HIV cases rose by 25 per cent compared to 2021 – the largest increase we’ve seen in decades. Our goal is not only to raise public awareness but also to highlight the progress made in HIV care over the past 40 years while continuing to address the stigma that persists.”
Ma hopes this symbolic public awareness campaign and the return to a grassroots direction in Canada will better equip community organizations to use World AIDS Day as a vehicle to raise much- needed funds.
“Funding for community organizations in the HIV sector has been on the decline,” says Ma. “In recent years, several HIV/ AIDS community-based organizations across Canada have had to close due to a lack of renewed or sustained funding. A key part of this campaign is to engage these agencies and empower them to activate their communities in fundraising efforts, ensuring local support for HIV/AIDS services.”
The return of the red ribbon campaign, with its iconic fundraising cans and activism posters, is made possible by the support of Gilead Sciences Canada, the presenting sponsor and a long-standing partner in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“This marks our third year partnering with CANFAR on the national campaign, and we’re incredibly proud to support the many frontline organizations across Canada bringing attention to HIV and driving action,” said Paul Petrelli, Vice President and General Manager at Gilead Sciences Canada. “Our commitment remains focused on the people most affected by this epidemic – ensuring that every individual has access to the care and support they need. By staying true to this mission, we aim to help end the HIV epidemic for everyone, everywhere.”
Show your support
You can show your solidarity with the millions of people affected by donating to a non-profit that works for HIV/AIDS awareness or by wearing a red ribbon to honour the millions of people who have been affected by the disease. CANFAR recommends using the following hashtags on social media to spread awareness: #WorldAIDSDay, #WAD2024 and #myredribbon.
TO GET INVOLVED
Get more information or learn more about the fight against HIV/AIDS at www.canfar.com, or follow CANFAR on Instagram at @canfa1987.
POST A COMMENT