Breaking News:[Campaign] UNAIDS: Zero Discrimination Day 2026– What Just Happened

UNAIDS campaign

Zero Discrimination Day will take place on 1 March 2026 with the theme: People first.

This year, UNAIDS shines a light on the persistent discrimination faced by people living with and at risk of HIV, discrimination that undermines access to health services, violates rights, and holds back progress toward ending AIDS by 2030. This year’s Zero Discrimination Day highlights the need to put people first.

The evidence is clear: HIV-related stigma and discrimination put lives at risk. Nearly one in four people living with HIV report being stigmatized, including in healthcare settings, while 85% experience internalized stigma. Fear of rejection and judgment leads many to hide their status or interrupt treatment. HIV-related stigma is not a side issue — it is a barrier to ending AIDS.

On 1 March 2026, UNAIDS calls on governments, health care providers, employers, communities and individuals to listen to the voices of people living with and affected by HIV and act on the evidence, so no one feels “less than” because of their HIV status; health systems become spaces where people can seek testing, treatment, and care without discrimination.

​Everyone can help by sustaining what works, standing with communities, and sharing the facts.

To learn more about this year’s Zero Discrimination Day campaign:

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To mark Zero Discrimination Day on 1 March, the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) released a new viewpoint, “Zero discrimination in practice: resisting anti-trans backlash in the global HIV response”.

Ending all forms of discrimination is fundamental to an effective HIV response. Evidence consistently shows that discriminatory laws and stigma restrict access to healthcare and undermine HIV prevention, treatment and care. In recent years, troubling political shifts have contributed to a rise in discriminatory laws and a broader erosion of human rights.

The viewpoint highlights the rise in anti-transgender rhetoric and policies and their impact on key population-focused HIV programmes, and calls for the protection of affected communities.