Remarks at the Commemoration of International Candlelight Memorial Day

Acknowledgements:

Your Excellency the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda,

The Minister in Charge of the Presidency,

Honourable Ministers,

Your Excellence Ambassador of the US Government,

Honourable Members of Parliament,

The Chair of the Board, Uganda AIDS Commission

Religious Leaders,

The School Management, Kitante Primary School

The Community of People Living with HIV

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the United Nations in Uganda, I am delighted to be with you today at the commemoration of the International Candlelight Day.

It is a time for all of us to remember the progress we have made in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and honor the heroes who dedicated their lives to help people living with and affected by HIV.  

HIV is still one of the world's most serious health and development challenges. Globally approximately 38 million people are currently living with HIV, and millions of people have died of AIDS-related causes since the beginning of the epidemic. In Uganda today, despite the immense leadership and progress, the best science, the best tools, and a well-financed response, we are still falling short. Uganda has an estimated 1.4 million People living with HIV of which 1.2 million are currently on treatment. Annually there are 17,000 AIDS related deaths and 54,000 new HIV infections. This translates into 326 AIDS related deaths and 1000 new HIV infections every week. Infections among young people (15 -24 years) accounted for 37% of all the new HIV infections in 2021, with new infections occurring three times more among the young girls compared to the boys in the same period (MOH Annual estimates 2021).

The global theme, “Spread Love and Solidarity to Build Stronger Communities” highlights stigma and self-stigma experienced by people living with HIV. And the national theme is: “Ending AIDS by 2030: Communities Leading in HIV Prevention and Care” and is a call to address factors that impede access of HIV services among affected communities. We need to do everything to continue mobilizing communities in solidarity, help those living with and affected by HIV to live stigma and discrimination free lives and access the social and economic services available for them; and we also need to equip them all with the information to prevent new infection.  We recognize this as an opportunity to come together as a community to show our support for people living with HIV and recommit to working together towards ending the HIV epidemic. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Global AIDS strategy and the 2021 HIV political declaration on AIDS by UN member states, have noted that countries and global community cannot END AIDS by 2030 unless stigma and discrimination has been addressed and calls upon countries for intensified interventions so that less than 10% of people living with HIV experience stigma and discrimination. Sadly, the goal of zero discrimination still eludes the world. In 25 of 36 countries with recent data, more than 25% of people aged 15–49 years displayed discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV. Denial of health services to people living with HIV remains distressingly common, and discrimination remains prevalent.

Reaching the societal enabler targets is crucial. We know that eliminating all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination is fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and targets by 2030, including ending AIDS. Modelling indicates that failure to reach the targets for stigma, discrimination and gender equality will prevent the world from achieving the other ambitious targets and will lead to an additional 2.5 million new HIV infections and 1.7 million AIDS-related deaths between 2020 and 2030.

Stigma, discrimination, sexual gender based violence, social exclusion, and other human rights violations and HIV-related inequalities undermine efforts to achieve SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being. Gender inequalities increase the HIV vulnerability of women and girls. Women who experience intimate partner violence in high-prevalence settings more than 50% more likely to be living with HIV. In Uganda, one in 3 females of 18-24 years’ experience sexual gender-based violence during their childhood period as opposed to 1 in 6 males. (UNAIDS, July 2021 Global update).

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I therefore call on all stakeholders to take urgent action to end stigma and the barriers it creates. Stigma prevents pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially adolescent girls, young women and people living with disability, from accessing HIV testing, prevention and treatment services for themselves and their children through differentiated support services including partner and extended family engagement; peer mentoring; socioeconomic incentives; supported disclosure, psychosocial and mental health support and sensitization by healthcare workers.

I appreciate the Government of Uganda through the critical role being played by H.E. the President, who in the earlier years openly broke the silence and led a movement that resulted in reduction of HIV.  

The UN in Uganda remains committed to supporting the people of Uganda as they seek to attain development aspirations outlined in the third National Development Plan (NDP III) and Vision 2040.

I wish you all good deliberations on the commemoration of International Candlelight Memorial Day as we remember, we must take action to live beyond HIV’ to End discrimination to End AIDS.