High Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS – 2021

Abhina Aher, transgender activist of India and Technical Expert on Key Population, working with I-TECH India under Sunshine project, represented high risk groups in an important panel called ‘Ending Inequalities to End AIDS’ in the High-Level Meeting on AIDS organized on 9th June 2021. The panel comprised of several health ministers, experts, Dr. Winnie Bynanima, Executive Director UNAIDS. It was chaired by H.E. Per Ohlsson Fridh (Development Minister, Sweden). In her address, she spoke about various structural barriers that impact due to inequalities associated with gender and HIV status. She highlighted that HIV vulnerabilities are still concentrated in high-risk communities such as people who inject drugs, women in sex work, men who have sex with men, young people, people living with HIV and transgender people like her. She emphasized that sustained and successful AIDS response is incomplete without ‘inclusive’ approach and reducing inequalities through political statements and policies. She appealed strongly to all the government representatives to think of her before they put the seal on any agreed document, most of all ‘ensure strong key population friendly language in Political Declarations’. Today, Global AIDS response is in their hands, lets end the inequalities to end AIDS! In her closing statement she mentioned, if they see her and hear her pain then remember, AIDS Is Not Over Yet!