Solidarity in the face of crisis: A statement from participants of the Heart of Stigma Forum

Weⁱ gathered at the Heart of Stigma Forum, convened by IAS – the International AIDS Society – in Nairobi from 4 to 6 February to strengthen efforts to end HIV-related stigma, discrimination and criminalization. Despite the crises our communities, organizations and governments face due to recent actions by the United States government, we remain steadfast in this work. It is essential to the HIV response and broader global health efforts, and we refuse to be distracted from our mission: ensuring that all people living with and affected by HIV are treated with dignity, compassion and respect.

To our fellow activists, communities, organizations and governments grappling with fear, uncertainty and loss following the United States government’s recent decisions to freeze foreign aid, we say: we stand with you; we stand together.

We recognize the deep anxiety and pain in this moment of crisis as the future of life-saving HIV medicines, services and programmes – including community-led harm reduction, care and support – is under threat. Many of us wonder whether we will continue to have access to prevention and treatment, whether our organizations will survive, and whether the progress we have fought so hard for will be undone. We see you. We hear you. We will not turn away. Our collective survival depends on it.

For over 40 years, our movement has faced adversity – stigma, discrimination, criminalization, funding cuts and political backlash. This moment is no different. We have built expertise in crisis response, and we will share, adapt and apply these lessons once again.

To people living with and affected by HIV and key populations – men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, sex workers and trans people – who fear for your health, well-being, human rights and future, we say: your lives have value beyond measure. We will not stand by while systems fail you. We will use our voices, strategies and collective power to ensure that no one is left behind.

To the organizations struggling to keep their doors open, we say: your work matters; you are not alone. We will stand with you, demand accountability, and build new ways forward.

To all of us, this is not the end; it is another step in our journey. Our work continues. This moment demands that we reaffirm our commitment to justice, dignity and health equity, and re-strategize to end the HIV pandemic. We will respond with love, compassion and the wealth of experience that has carried us this far. This crisis will not silence or defeat us. We will rise together, as we always have.

In solidarity,
 

The Participants of the Heart of Stigma Forum
February 2025