The Commission on Human Rights joins everyone particularly advocacy and support groups, government agencies, and civil society organizations in commemorating World AIDS Day 2021. This year’s theme of “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice” highlights one of the key strategies to ensure sustainable and efficient intervention to overcome the epidemic and that is equitable access – equitable access means access to testing, prevention, and treatment. It is through early detection and treatment that we can save more lives and put more people living with HIV in the treatment course.

World AIDS Day is commemorated and celebrated to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS and spread accurate and scientific-based knowledge and information about the epidemic and also to speak out against discrimination and stigma on people living with HIV/AIDS. With the enactment of the Philippine HIV/AIDS Policy Act of 2018, our country has taken a step forward towards achieving the goal of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is considered a landmark legislation as it focuses on human rights-based policies that will address the long-standing issue of discrimination while also seeking more effective policies in terms of treatment and prevention. Discrimination and stigma has been a barrier for people’s access to testing, diagnosing of HIV/AIDS and proper intervention.

The Commission will continue to partner with the Philippine National AIDS Council, civil society organizations, and government agencies in advocating for accurate and human rights-based policies and strategies to #EndtheStigma and ensure that rights-holders are empowered in seeking redress for violation of their rights. We also call on duty-bearers, the government, treatment hubs, and medical care services to ensure that those seeking their services are afforded equal conduct in the services we offer.

Again, we wish you a successful and productive year ahead in combatting HIV/AIDS!