Commemorating World AIDS Day at the Duke CFAR
Every year on December 1st, the world unites to commemorate World AIDS Day. This annual event serves as a reminder of the global struggle to end HIV-related stigma, an opportunity to honor those we have lost, and a rallying cry to continue working toward a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat.
D3C hosts a powerful World AIDS Day Commemoration
On December 6, 2024, the Duke Collaborative Community Council (D3C) hosted a heartfelt evening of reflection, connection, and advocacy in honor of World AIDS Day. Held in downtown Durham, the event brought together community members, CFAR researchers, and advocates to share stories, art, and insights that amplify the lived experiences of those affected by HIV.
The evening began with a moving poem written and read aloud by one of our D3C members, setting the tone for the evening and calling everyone to action with the words, “Can we stand together? Can we help each other?”
Many of the talks focused on the theme of stigma, reminding us why fighting stigma is just as important as making progress in technology and medicine. The speakers emphasized the need for compassion, care, and support for people living with HIV and their loved ones. They also highlighted the personal connections many of us at the CFAR have to this work, and the heart we bring to our research and care.
The evening also centered art and creative outlets. One speaker shared her painting and explained the powerful symbolism it holds in her journey. We were also inspired by a video message from a former Youth Advisory Board member in Tanzania, who uses his creativity and music production skills to connect with others and support youth living with HIV (as seen in this video from DGHI).
A highlight of the evening was a collaborative quilt-making activity, where attendees contributed meaningful messages to create a tapestry representing our shared commitment to resilience, hope, and solidarity. The activity symbolized our togetherness and paid homage to the powerful legacy of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which was created to honor lives lost to HIV/AIDS and to spark action (now available in a digitized collection from the Library of Congress).
Guests had the opportunity to engage with resources, enjoy delicious food, and access free HIV and STI testing. The event was enriched by the participation of organizations such as the Duke PrEP Clinic, Durham County Department of Public Health, El Centro Hispano, Fast Track Cities Durham, the LGBTQ Center of Durham, LILA Latinx LGBTQI+ Initiative, NC AIDS Action Network, Rainbow Collective for Change, the RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research, and Viiv Healthcare - who also brought with them a fun photobooth.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us, shared their stories and talents, or hosted a table to provide resources. This World AIDS Day, we were reminded of the power of creativity, community, and collaboration in advancing equity and working toward a future free from HIV stigma and discrimination.
Join CFAR Researchers in giving back on World AIDS Day!
As we approach World AIDS Day, we invite you to join CFAR colleagues in a community volunteering effort. By centering human rights and addressing the social determinants of health, we can create a stronger, more equitable community for all—especially individuals living with HIV. Whether through housing support, access to food, or promoting health resources, your time and energy can make an impact in addition to the important work you do as a researcher.
Consider organizing your colleagues to volunteer with a local organization, such as:
- Habitat for Humanity – helping build or repair homes for families in need
- The Williams Lab volunteered with Habitat for Humanity of Durham last year in honor of World AIDS Day. We would love to follow their lead and take this community volunteering effort CFAR-wide!
- Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC – supporting food access for individuals and families facing food insecurity
- Urban Ministries of Durham – assisting with meals or distributing essential resources to those experiencing homelessness
- Communities in Partnership – supporting grassroots organizations that serve East Durham and the surrounding community
Let’s take this opportunity to stand together and show our commitment to community wellbeing. We encourage all CFAR labs and teams to identify an opportunity and participate together.
Please let us know if you:
- have a recommendation for another organization/volunteer opportunity
- are organizing a volunteer day and would like to extend an invite to other CFAR researchers
- have photos or information to share from your outing for our website and newsletter
The UNAIDS theme for World AIDS Day 2024 is Take the rights path.
The world can end AIDS – if everyone’s rights are protected.
With human rights at the centre, with communities in the lead, the world can end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The substantial progress that has been made in the HIV response is directly linked to progress in protecting human rights. In turn, the progress made through the HIV response has galvanized broader progress in realizing the right to health and strengthening health systems.
But gaps in the realization of human rights for all are keeping the world from getting on the path that ends AIDS and are hurting public health, and now a surge in attacks on rights is threatening to undermine the progress that has been made.
Ending AIDS requires that we reach and engage everyone who is living with, at risk for or affected by HIV – especially including people who have been most excluded and marginalized. Gender equality is an essential element of an approach to AIDS that is grounded in human rights. Acceptance, respect and care are vital. Laws, policies and practices that punish, discriminate against or stigmatize people – because they are women or girls, or from key populations, or from other marginalized communities – obstruct access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care. So do laws, policies and practices that hinder the work of people who are providing vital HIV services for affected communities or who are advocating for reforms.
The upholding of everyone’s human rights is an essential underpinning of an effective HIV response. This World AIDS Day is a call to action to protect everyone’s health by protecting everyone’s rights. Leaders need to take the rights path.
Centering Human Rights
Released for World AIDS Day, a new report by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) highlights the critical role of human rights in ending the AIDS pandemic as a public health threat by 2030. Titled “Take the rights path to end AIDS,” the report outlines how stigma, discrimination, and punitive laws hinder progress in the fight against HIV.
Despite significant advancements in HIV treatment and prevention, human rights violations continue to block access to essential services. In 2023, 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses, and 1.3 million people acquired HIV.
Marginalised communities, including women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and others), remain disproportionately affected.
Read a summary and access the full report.
Listen to an interview about the report with Dr. Angeli Achrekar of UNAIDS.
Further reading
From the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD): Stigma Topics: Modernization of HIV Laws and Policies
- Includes a video about the amendment of North Carolina’s HIV Control Measures in 2018, the result of a task force of people living with HIV, medical providers, and advocates
From Human Rights Campaign: How HIV Impacts LGBTQ+ People
- Includes a discussion of how discrimination and harmful legislation contribute to increased vulnerability to HIV
From Latinos in the South: Resources and Publications
- Includes a variety of resources and an option to sign up for their newsletter, a guide for those working to create an equitable health system for both Latinx people living with HIV, and the medical personnel who serve them
From The Well Project: Why Race Matters: Women and HIV
- Includes a discussion of intersectionality and how discrimination and social inequalities lead to health disparities in HIV
From the Duke Global Health Institute: Can Global Health Regain a Human Rights Focus?
- Includes a discussion of the findings of the IAS-Lancet Commission on Health and Human Rights, including a recording of a DGHI event
World AIDS Day at the White House
