Protecting the rights of people living with HIV and vulnerable groups susceptible to AIDS is key in the AIDS response. The United Nations believes that by continuously expanding access to HIV prevention and treatment services, eliminating discrimination, and protecting the rights of affected and infected people, China will be able to make significant progress in achieving Millennium Development Goal 6.

In the 25 years since the first case of AIDS was discovered in China, China's AIDS prevention and treatment efforts have been continuously strengthened and become increasingly effective - preventing many new infections and thousands of people living with HIV in China. lives were saved.

As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, it is very important for China to further strengthen its response to AIDS. China has made great achievements in AIDS prevention and control, but AIDS is still endangering people's lives and health. In 2009, an estimated 48,000 people in China were infected with HIV and 26,000 died of AIDS.

Obviously, as China’s response to HIV/AIDS becomes increasingly mature, strengthening the protection of the rights of people living with HIV and high-risk groups will become the key to a successful response. For China, as for many other countries, one of the biggest challenges is how to stop new HIV infections by strengthening prevention services among high-risk groups, especially prostitution and prostitution, injecting drug users, and men who have sex with men. Another challenge is ensuring that people living with HIV who need treatment have access to it, thereby saving lives and preventing new HIV infections, including mother-to-child transmission.

HIV infection rates among men who have sex with men are high and rapidly increasing, making this population require special attention. For example, in some areas, the HIV infection rate among men who have sex with men increased from 10.4% in 2006 to 19.2% in 2009. Furthermore, in 2009, it was estimated that nearly one-third of new infections occurred among men who have sex with men. Rapidly scaling up the HIV response among men who have sex with men is critical to curbing the HIV epidemic, and this needs to be achieved through action to eliminate stigma and discrimination. The key to strengthening this area is to prioritize efforts to protect the rights of at-risk groups and ensure that they are not discriminated against. The equal rights of people living with HIV in confidentiality, employment, education and medical services must be protected by law, and relevant policies must be fully implemented. Action must be taken to eliminate discrimination against people living with HIV from their families, the general public and public service providers. In addition, equipping young people with non-discriminatory values ​​and access to sex education is key to sustainable awareness and attitude change.

Fear of infringement, stigma and discrimination can lead to reluctance to seek or receive HIV prevention and treatment services. Therefore, the five-year action plan being drafted emphasizes the importance of protecting rights and eliminating discrimination.

Strengthening the participation of social organizations is also the key to successfully responding to AIDS. These social organizations are better able to reach hard-to-reach and discriminated against groups who are often reluctant to seek and receive government services. If social organizations are to fully play their role in China's response to AIDS, measures need to be taken to ensure that these organizations can legally register, seek financial support, and carry out their work within the legal framework. Civil society organizations can play an important role not only in service delivery but also in voicing the needs and concerns of people living with HIV and those at risk.

Further strengthening the response required to contain and reverse China's HIV epidemic will not be easy, but China has the ability and resources to do so. China is preparing the next five-year action plan for AIDS prevention and control (2011 to 2015). Now is the time to set goals, prioritize areas, and allocate resources to fulfill the Chinese government's commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The United Nations system in China will continue to support China in achieving its Millennium Development Goals commitments and encourage the Chinese government and people to work harder to realize the United Nations' vision - no new HIV infections, no AIDS-related deaths, and no AIDS-related discrimination.

About the author

The author of this article is Dr. Bernard Coquelin, chairman of the United Nations AIDS Task Force in China. The United Nations Special Task Force on AIDS in China is composed of the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Labor Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. composition.