World AIDS Day 2023: What is it and how can you get involved?

World Aids Day 2023 is now just days away. Observed on December 1, it aims to stop new cases of HIV, secure the rights of people living with HIV, and fight HIV stigma and discrimination.

To centre people living with HIV this year’s World AIDS Day campaign is themed around community — in particular, about letting communities lead in the battle against HIV.

Despite the large number of people living with HIV, research from the National AIDS Trust found that 63 per cent of the public does not remember seeing or hearing about HIV in the past six months.

What’s more, just a third said they have sympathy for people living with HIV, regardless of how they acquired it.

There is a lot of misinformation about HIV, with one in five people wrongly believing that you can acquire HIV through kissing. Only 16 per cent knew if someone is on effective treatment, they can’t pass HIV on and can expect to live a long and healthy life.

World AIDS Day is the perfect time to raise much-needed awareness about HIV. Here’s what you need to know about the disease and the day itself.

What is HIV/AIDS?

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that affects the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and diseases.

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the name used to describe several potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when HIV has severely damaged your immune system. The two are often confused, but AIDS always comes after HIV.

While AIDS cannot be transmitted between people, HIV can. However, some treatments can stop people from passing the virus on.

While there’s currently no official cure for HIV, in July, it was reported that the fourth person in history has been cured of HIV after the patient was given a remedy for leukemia and went into remission.

Additionally, very effective treatments enable most people with the virus to live a long and healthy life.

In fact, with an early diagnosis and effective treatment, most people with HIV will not develop any AIDS-related illnesses and will live a near-normal lifespan, according to the NHS.

How to get involved with World Aids Day 2023

There are many ways to get involved and support World Aids Day this year.

As in previous years, the National AIDS Trust is asking the public this year to #RockTheRibbon and be an HIV ally. Wearing a Red Ribbon and sharing it on social media can raise awareness about World Aids Day.

The organization is also encouraging people to write to their MPs to protect health data, especially those who have HIV and have had their status unlawfully shared. Elsewhere, the National AIDS Trust also encourages people to launch fundraising projects to further support the important organization.

What’s more, getting tested for HIV is a crucial step in reducing transmissions and getting appropriate care. You can order free HIV tests in some parts of the UK here.

What is this year’s World Aids Day 2023 theme?

This year, the theme is “Let Communities Lead.” The aim of this is to support grassroots organizations around the world that are on the frontlines of the AIDS battle. This means supporting those working on the ground in communities most affected by AIDs and making sure they have all the necessary tools to do their work.

"Communities across the world have shown that they are ready, willing, and able to lead the way,”  Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS said.

“But they need the barriers obstructing their work to be pulled down, and they need to be properly resourced," said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "Too often, communities are treated by decision-makers as problems to be managed, instead of being recognised and supported as leaders. Communities are not* in* the way, they light the way to the end of AIDS," Byanyima added.