‘Inequality-pandemic cycle’ must be broken to achieve health security

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, 3 November 2025 — A report by world-leading economists, public health experts, and political leaders released today ahead of G20 meetings, Breaking the inequality-pandemic cycle: building true health security in a global age, shows that inequality is making the world more vulnerable to pandemics.

In landmark findings based on two years of research and convenings around the world, the new report shows that high levels of inequality are linked to outbreaks becoming pandemics and that inequality is undermining national and global responses, making pandemics more disruptive, deadly, and longer in duration. The report also shows that pandemics increase inequality, fuelling a cycle that research shows is visible not just for COVID-19, but also for AIDS, Ebola, Influenza, Mpox and beyond.

Evidence gathered by the experts also shows that “inequality-informed” pandemic responses, alongside actions on inequality taken before pandemics hit, can protect the world from the next global disease crisis more effectively than current preparedness efforts. The report lays out the social determinants of pandemics and actions that can be taken to address them, linked also to communities and multi-sectoral governance. It provides recommendations for global economic policy, and access to affordable medicines. As well as strengthening preparedness for future pandemics, the proposals in the report can also help decisively end existing health crises, such as HIV, tuberculosis and Mpox.

Co-chaired by Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz, former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos and renowned epidemiologist Professor Sir Michael Marmot, and convened by UNAIDS, the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics report distils practical steps toward that governments can take, redefining “health security.”

The new findings arrive as G20 Health Ministers prepare to meet amidst reports of new and growing outbreaks internationally of Avian Flu and Mpox, and as breakthrough HIV prevention drugs are being approved by drug regulators.

Monica Geingos, Executive Chairperson, One Economy Foundation and Former First Lady of Namibia said: “Inequality is not inevitable. It is a political choice, and a dangerous one that threatens everyone’s health. Anyone concerned with pandemics and their impact must be concerned with inequality. Leaders can break the inequality-pandemic cycle, by applying the proven policy solutions in the Council’s recommendations.”

Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity said: “The evidence is unequivocal. If we reduce inequalities—including through decent housing, fair work, quality education and social protection—we reduce pandemic risk at its roots. Actions to tackle inequality are not ‘nice to have’; they are essential to pandemic preparedness and response.”

Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate in Economics said: “Pandemics are not only health crises; they are economic crises that can deepen inequality if leaders make the wrong policy choices. When efforts to stabilize pandemic-hit economies are paid for through high-interest on debts and through austerity measures, they starve health, education and social protection systems. Societies then become less resilient and more vulnerable to disease outbreaks. Breaking this cycle requires enabling all countries to have the fiscal space to invest in health security.”

Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director and United Nations Under-Secretary-General said: “This report shows why leaders urgently need to tackle the inequalities that drive pandemics, and it shows them how they can do this. Reducing inequalities within and between countries will enable a better, fairer and safer life for everyone.”

The report arrives as South Africa’s G20 presidency reaches its climax. In a challenging period for multilateralism, rising insecurity and faltering progress on socio-economic development, the Council’s recommendations align with South Africa’s efforts to centre this year’s G20 discussions around the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”.

The inequality–pandemic cycle 

Over the last two years, research conducted and reviewed by the Global Council has revealed an inequality-pandemic cycle: inequality drives pandemics, and pandemics deepen inequality, making future crises more likely, more deadly and more economically damaging.

The research found:

1. High levels of inequality, within and between countries, are making the world more vulnerable to pandemics, making pandemics more economically disruptive and deadly, and making them last longer; pandemics in turn increase inequality, driving the cyclical, self-reinforcing relationship.

   Within countries, intersectional inequality is clearly linked to pandemics. Research by the Global Council shows that more unequal countries have seen significantly higher COVID-19 mortality, higher rates of HIV infection, and higher AIDS mortality as they struggled to mount effective pandemic responses. Another study co-authored by Council members shows that people living in informal settlements (urban “slums”) in most African cities studied had a higher HIV prevalence than non-slum dwellers, reflecting multidimensional inequalities including wealth, education, employment and housing. By contrast, more equal contexts are more resilient to pandemics. Meanwhile, IMF data following H1N1 influenza, SARS, MERS, Ebola, and Zika show that pandemics led to a persistent increase in inequality, with a peak of about five years after.

   Social determinants of pandemics create underlying vulnerability, enabling viruses and bacteria to thrive. In Brazil, for example, people without basic education were several times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those completing elementary school. In England, living in overcrowded housing was linked to higher mortality rates from COVID-19.

   International inequalities between countries globalize pandemic vulnerability. When some countries can respond effectively to an outbreak, but others lack the means to do so, the world is more vulnerable. Insufficient fiscal space in some countries during Ebola and AIDS limited roll out of effective public health interventions and let the viruses spread. During COVID-19, high-income countries spent 4 times more than low-income countries to address the pandemic’s effects. Unequal access to medicines and vaccines allowed preventable infections in HIV, COVID-19, and Mpox, which has been linked to the rise of variants and resistant strains.

2. Failure to tackle key inequalities and social determinants since COVID-19 has left the world extremely vulnerable to, and unprepared for, the next pandemic.

   Since the start of the AIDS pandemic, income inequality has grown to high levels in most countries and remained. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed 165 million people into poverty while the world’s richest people increased their wealth by more than a quarter. Social inequalities on gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and key population status intersect with the economic. Women, informal workers, and ethnic minority groups for example, experienced the largest employment and income shocks in COVID-19. Choices between feeding one’s family and following advice to stay home undermined public health. Yet pandemic preparedness efforts largely do not account for this in future outbreak plans.

   Despite lower COVID-19 spending, developing countries find themselves suffocating under $3 trillion in debt, with more than half of low-income countries either in debt distress or at high risk of it. Debt repayments crowd out spending on today’s pandemics and preparation for tomorrow’s, yet recent efforts to manage debt troubles created by COVID-19 failed to deliver significant results. Meanwhile, the world still lacks clear surge funding structures to support pandemic response and address the economic impact during pandemics.

   As new breakthrough pandemic technologies like long-acting HIV prevention shots arrive in high-income countries, there remain major barriers to sharing these technologies for sustainable production and affordable access in much of the world.

3. Insufficiently rapid action on today’s pandemics and outbreaks like AIDS and TB sustains the cycle.

   As pandemics increase inequality and undermine global capacity to respond next time, it is deeply worrying that AIDS remains a pandemic; together with TB and malaria it continues to cause millions of deaths, disproportionately in low- and middle-income countries and among marginalised groups in high-income countries. Despite progress—new HIV infections fell to their lowest level since 1980 by end-2024—rapid donor withdrawal in 2025 threatens gains and leaves the most vulnerable behind.

4. There is clear evidence the cycle can be interrupted. A new approach to health security is needed that is capable of interrupting this cycle with practical and achievable actions on the social and economic determinants of pandemics at both national and global levels. The Council calls for a new PPR approach:
   • Inequality-informed responses during a pandemic, which take account of existing inequalities and respond with evidence-based polices to counter their effects.
   • Preparing for future pandemics by reducing inequality in specific, actionable areas shown to be driving vulnerability to disease.

Four recommendations to break the inequality-pandemic cycle 

1. Remove the financial barriers in the global architecture to allow all countries sufficient fiscal capacity to address the inequalities driving pandemics.

During a pandemic, including AIDS today: As a first step, call for an urgent debt repayment standstill for distressed countries to 2030. Pair that with new standby pandemic financing facilities that include automatic issuance of IMF Special Drawing Rights.

To make the world safer from future pandemics: Decisively reorient the International Financial Institutions, directing them to end approaches to financial assistance that encourage pro-cyclical austerity policies and to address the underlying structural flaws that lead to insufficient fiscal space to reverse inequalities and to stop pandemics.

2. Invest in the social determinants of pandemics. Use social protection mechanisms to reduce socioeconomic and health inequalities and build societal resilience in order to prepare for, and respond to, pandemics.

During a pandemic, including AIDS today: Surge social protection during health crises through a ready system, with particular attention to the most vulnerable, as part of a broad outbreak response going beyond just the health care sector to include, for instance, housing, nutrition, and other determinants of health.

To make the world safer from future pandemics: Make societies healthier and stronger with strategic action on the social determinants of pandemics, which cause broad health inequalities and increase vulnerability to pandemics when they occur.

3. Build local and regional production alongside a new governance of research & development capable of ensuring the sharing of technology as public goods needed to stop pandemics.

During a pandemic, including AIDS today: Put far more serious global funding behind coordinated regional production for the pandemics of today like HIV and TB to create the pull-mechanism for technology transfer and institute an immediate waiver of intellectual property on pandemic related products.

To make the world safer from future pandemics: Automatically waive global intellectual property rules on pandemic technology when a pandemic is declared. Create a R&D model for the long term that treats pandemic health technology as public goods, using innovative mechanisms like prizes instead of patents, increasing funding and expanding Southern-led efforts.

4. Build greater trust, equality, and efficiency in pandemic response by investing in multi-sectoral response and community-led pandemic infrastructure in partnership with government. 

During a pandemic, including AIDS today: Shift funding and measurement of pandemic preparedness and response to include community-based and -led organizations to reach those unreached by public and private health services. This should accompany, not replace, universal public services.

To make the world safer from future pandemics: Establish multi-sectoral governance structures for pandemic response that include multiple ministries as well as community-organizations, rights groups, and scientific leadership.

The Council will use the findings of the report to guide engagement with the G20, with international financial institutions and with health leaders.

The world needs a pandemic prevention, preparedness and response approach capable of interrupting the inequality-pandemic cycle. Failing to do so would lead to devastating consequences. Concrete actions can be taken to tackle inequality that can protect the world from the next global disease crisis and help decisively end existing ones.

/ENDS

Notes for editors

Report: Breaking the Inequality–Pandemic Cycle: building true health security in a global age
Date: 3 November 2025
Issued by: The Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, convened by UNAIDS

About the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics 

The Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics is a high-level initiative convened by UNAIDS to confront how inequalities drive pandemics—and how pandemics, in turn, deepen inequality. Announced in June 2023, the Council is co-chaired by Namibia’s former First Lady Monica Geingos, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity Professor Sir Michael Marmot, and Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz. It brings together leaders across economics, public health, human rights and finance to build a policy environment in which inequalities can be addressed so the world can end AIDS and better prepare for and respond to future pandemics.

Media enquiries: Oliver Aplin, +44 7851552441, oca10@georgetown.edu, or Robert Shivambu, +27 836081498, shivambuh@unaids.org

BERLIN/GENEVA, 13 October 2025—Parliamentarians from around the world met with policymakers and partners at the World Health Summit in Berlin to foster dialogue on how to mobilize political will, defend equal rights and build inclusive and sustainable responses to HIV.

“Parliamentarians have long been a cornerstone of international efforts to end AIDS, pushing for efforts to secure substantial funding, technical expertise, and political advocacy to ensure equitable access to life-saving HIV treatment and prevention services,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “As we work towards ending AIDS by 2030, partnerships with governments that prioritize human rights and equity remain critical.”

The event was organized by UNAIDS, UNITE - Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, the Global Equality Caucus, and STOPAIDS, under the umbrella of the Global Parliamentary Platform on HIV and AIDS. Hosted by German MP Sasha van Beek, participants focused on reinforcing global collaboration to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and advance human rights for populations most affected by HIV. Participants underscored the urgent need for renewed global commitment to HIV financing and to strengthening cooperation between North and South.

“Over the past 30 years, the HIV response has offered one of the greatest lessons in global health. Today, parliamentarians hold both the responsibility and the power to advance and revitalize that response. This dialogue reaffirms and strengthens that commitment,” emphasized UNITE’s Executive Director, Dr. Guilherme Duarte.

During the breakfast, parliamentarians reaffirmed their commitment to advancing policies that address structural inequalities and protect vulnerable populations. Discussions focused on improving access to HIV services, eliminating stigma and discrimination, and ensuring the protection of rights for women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people, who continue to face disproportionate barriers in accessing healthcare.

Parliamentarians also echoed UNAIDS’ call for long-acting injectable medicines that are effective in preventing new HIV infections to be affordable and available for all. UNAIDS estimates that if 20 million people in highest need, including men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs and young women and adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa have access to antiretroviral prevention medicines, it could dramatically reduce new infections and significantly advance progress towards ending AIDS by 2030.

“Game-changing medicines like Lenacapavir have created the very real possibility of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” said Mike Podmore, CEO of STOPAIDS. “However, overseas development aid reductions risk undermining our ability to realize this opportunity and even reverse existing progress. Parliamentarians, uniting in partnership around the world through mechanisms like The Global Parliamentary Platform for HIV, are essential voices to make sure their governments play their part and invest now to reach the incredible goal of ending AIDS.”

Parliamentarians from Germany, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, Namibia, Sweden, the United States, Uganda and Zimbabwe participated in the event which took place on the opening day of the World Health Summit.

"An equitable HIV response should remain a key priority in the actions of governments to address the disproportionate impact that HIV has on marginalised communities, such as LGBT+ people,” said Aron le Fèvre, Executive Director of the Global Equality Caucus. “Parliamentarians have an important role holding governments to account, and forums such as the Global Parliamentary Platform are crucial to developing the partnerships needed to support lawmakers in their parliamentary and policy advocacy."

As the World Health Summit continues, UNAIDS will underscore the importance of sustained political leadership, international cooperation, and human-rights-centred approaches in the fight against AIDS.

UNAIDS
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook X Instagram and YouTube.

UNITE
UNITE is a non-profit, non-partisan global network of current and former members of parliament from multinational, national, state and regional Parliaments, Congresses, and Senates committed towards the promotion of efficient, sustainable and evidence-based policies for improved global health systems in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The network currently has over 520 Parliamentarians in 119 countries. Learn more at unitenetwork.org and connect with us on LinkedIn,Facebook, X, and Instagram.

GENEVA, 11 October 2025—UNAIDS proudly presents, ‘Ghotul,’ a short film about a conversation between a daughter and her mother about how she met her father and how she navigated dating and relationships when she was younger.

The mother explains that she lived in a Ghotul. These were real institutions within the Muria and Gond tribes of India. They were youth dormitories where boys and girls lived and learned about social customs and sexuality in a culturally sanctioned setting.

In the film, the mother recalls her years in the Ghotul describing one boy as pushy while another was nervous. Her future husband, she explains, respected her and she felt listened to. The narrative highlights that what protects young women most is not silence, but safe spaces to learn, talk, and choose.

Longstanding gender inequalities, discrimination and poverty deny many women and adolescent girls' economic autonomy, depriving them of control over their sexual lives, and exposing them to the risk of emotional and bodily harm. These factors increase the risk of HIV, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV prevalence among adolescent girls and young women is more than three times higher than among their male counterparts.

More than 21 million adolescent girls aged between 15 and 19 become pregnant each year and every week 4000 adolescent girls become infected with HIV. This is why this year, on International Day of the Girl Child, UNAIDS is reiterating the importance of comprehensive sexuality education. Such education not only prevents HIV among adolescent boys and girls, it also reduces teenage pregnancy, and provides longer term benefits for young women, including better chances at decent work and economic growth.

“By knowing the facts and educating young people about their sexual health, we can help them feel safe and stay safe,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director.

The film was the brainchild of advertising executive and feminist, Swati Bhattacharya.

“In the tribal wisdom, elders spoke freely with adolescents about love, desire, and growing bodies, not to shame them, but to guide them,” she said. “Today, when young children often turn to the internet for answers, Ghotul reminds us of the need to bring those honest, caring conversations back into our homes.

Indira Tiwari, a leading Indian actress plays the mother while model and actor Puja Kulay stars as the daughter. Fascinated by her mother’s account, the daughter looks dismayed saying, ‘There are no more ghotuls.’ Her mother smiles and answers, ‘It exists, it has just shrunk in size,’ while gesturing towards a box, suggesting that a safe space for exploring choices can still be reclaimed.

The story, ‘Ghotul,’ was written by Shruti Johri, a published author who works with tribal girls and their families through education projects in India. Shashanka ‘Bob’ Chaturvedi from Good Morning Films directed the 12-minute feature.

The film has garnered early support from prominent voices in cinema, like Guneet Moga, one of India’s most acclaimed film producers. She has twice won the Academy Award for Best Short Documentary. Inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018, she has been recognized globally as a trailblazing woman in entertainment and among the top 50 Indians changing India.

“Few films dare to enter the fragile space of love, desire, and agency with such dignity,” Ms Moga said. “Ghotul reminds us that indigenous traditions once placed equality at the centre of adolescence by giving voice to girls, while also celebrating softer masculinities in boys. This is storytelling with courage, compassion, and cultural depth.”

The video can be viewed in full here

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 27 September 2025—UNAIDS has wrapped up UNGA80 week with a productive mix of high-level events, announcements and decisions. The week kicked off with a face-to-face meeting of the esteemed members of the Global Council on Inequalities AIDS and Pandemics.

The group of experts, co-chaired by Nobel prize winning economist Joe Stiglitz, former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, and Director of the Institute of Health Equity Sir Michael Marmot, met to review how inequality gaps within and between countries are impacting global health security.

Groundbreaking announcements were made on new deals to make generic versions of the long-acting injectable HIV prevention medicine, lenacapavir, available in 120 low- and middle-income countries at the price of just US$ 40 per person per year.

“This is a watershed moment in the fight to end AIDS as a public health threat. A price of $40 per person per year for a medicine which is almost 100% effective in preventing HIV with injections just twice a year is a leap forward that will help to unlock the revolutionary potential of long-acting HIV medicines,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

UNAIDS has been advocating for long-acting medicines to be affordable and available for people in most need since the studies were concluded. UNAIDS estimates that if 20 million people in highest need have access it would dramatically reduce new infections.

As part of these efforts and more, on the sidelines of UNGA80, UNAIDS and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention signed a landmark memorandum of understanding to expand community health workforces, ensure access to quality and affordability HIV commodities, and strengthen Africa’s local manufacturing capacity of essential medicines to ensure sustainable HIV responses into the future.

UNAIDS is continuing to support countries including through active engagement in the Accra Reset, a pivotal initiative, launched by Ghanian President John Dramani Mahama at UNGA80, which introduces a bold framework that affirms Africa’s resolve to lead, own and sustain health systems. Ms Byanyima spoke at the launch saying, “We are here for health sovereignty, economic growth and a new era of African leadership. Getting there will require a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach, empowering communities to lead.”

UNAIDS also launched a new short film featuring prominent global HIV advocates including Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Magic Johnson and Charlize Theron. In the film the advocates call on governments and donors to sustain life-saving investments to end AIDS, warning that hard-won progress against HIV is at risk of being reversed due to sudden and drastic funding cuts by donors.

UNAIDS participated in a number of events organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) as part of their High-level meeting on ‘Multilateralism on a Crossroads: Challenges and Pathways to Peace’.

“We may be in crisis, but we are not powerless,” said Ms Byanyima at the NGIC event on global health and pandemic preparedness. “We can break the inequality-pandemic-cycle. We can prepare for – and even prevent – the next pandemic. And we can take action to bring an end to ongoing pandemics like AIDS. As governments and leaders, there are tools you can use. I hope that you will.”

Just ahead of UNGA, two important reports were released, both with significant implications for the future of the AIDS response.

The first, a new US Strategy on Global Health, set out a tailored focus for the US to work closely with countries most affected by HIV and reaffirms the leadership from the US in the AIDS response and its continued commitment to saving lives through the US President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief.

The second, a progress report from the United Nations Secretary-General on structural reforms and programme realignments in which the Secretary-General puts forward a proposal to advance UNAIDS’ transformation timeline.

There was an outpouring of support for UNAIDS with around 900 organizations signing on to reaffirm UNAIDS current transformation plans. UNAIDS’ Board issued a statement reiterating that the governing bodies have the responsibility to determine the way forward.

UNAIDS has been working within the Secretary-General’s UN80 vision and has been advancing on its two-phase transition path, leading the way as the UN system reforms.

The first phase of transformation, currently underway, includes a 55% reduction in UNAIDS Secretariat staffing (from 661 to 294 staff). UNAIDS’ country presence is being consolidated from 85 to 54 countries, with a lighter footprint in 40 countries. Programmatic expertise is being relocated to regional hubs in Nairobi, Johannesburg and Bangkok and UNAIDS’ Geneva presence has been reduced by over 80%.

UNAIDS’ priority is to continue to support inclusive, multisectoral, and sustainable national HIV responses, led by governments and communities, and increasingly funded by domestic resources. AIDS is not over; the global AIDS response has been upended in recent months and much more needs to be done to achieve the SDG target of ending AIDS by 2030.  

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The deals represent a massive price reduction from USD 28 000 to just USD 40 per person per year for medicine that is almost 100% effective in preventing HIV.

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 24 September 2025—UNAIDS strongly welcomes the announcement of two new agreements to advance progress in stopping new HIV infections. UNAIDS estimates show that 1.3 million people were infected with HIV in 2024 far higher than the target of 370,000 by 2025. Lenacapavir, produced by US company Gilead, is a revolutionary new medicine that prevents HIV infection with injections just twice a year.

The current price of lenacapavir for HIV treatment in the US is USD 28 000 per person per year. These new agreements, crafted with generic producers, would bring the price for HIV prevention down to just USD 40 per person per year.

“This is a watershed moment. A price of USD 40 per person per year is a leap forward that will help to unlock the revolutionary potential of long-acting HIV medicines,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

The agreements were announced today during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. UNITAID, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and Wits RHI are providing financial, technical, and regulatory support to Indian generic manufacturer Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, enabling the annual cost of injections to come to just USD 40. An initial oral dose required alongside the first injections will cost no more than USD 17 under the agreement.

The Gates Foundation will support Indian generic manufacturer Hetero Drugs with upfront funding and volume guarantees to ensure a cost of around USD 40 per patient per year following the short pre-treatment oral regimen.

The new long-acting medicines will make preventing HIV easier and more accessible for people most in need. Lenacapavir will add to the suite of HIV prevention options currently available including condoms, vaginal rings and daily prevention pills.

PURPOSE 2 Trial results published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that lenacapavir was between 96% and100% effective in preventing new HIV infections.

Research published in The Lancet HIV earlier this year, experts estimated that, if purchased at scale, the cost of generic lenacapavir could range from USD 35 to USD 46 per person-year. Falling to USD 25 with high demand, making the medicine affordable even for low-income countries.

UNAIDS has been advocating for the long-acting medicines to be affordable and available for people in most need since the studies were concluded. UNAIDS estimates that if 20 million people in highest need, including men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs and young women and adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa have access, this could dramatically reduce new infections and significantly advance progress in ending AIDS by 2030.

“UNITAID, Gates, CHAI, Witts RHI, Reddy, and Hetero have shown today what is possible when companies prioritize equitable access to lifesaving medicines. Gilead now needs to match that ambition by reducing its price for lenacapavir, being completely transparent on cost and pricing, expanding its generics license to include all low and middle-income countries, and allowing more people in developing countries to rapidly access these life-saving medicines,” said Ms Byanyima.

Note: The agreement falls under Gilead’s voluntary license enabling six generic manufacturers to produce lenacapavir for use in 120 primarily low and lower-middle-income countries.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 22 September 2025—Prominent global HIV advocates are joining forces in a new short film to call on governments and donors to sustain life-saving investments to end AIDS. They warn that hard-won progress against HIV is at risk of being reversed due to sudden and drastic funding cuts by donors.

The impact of the funding cuts is already being felt in countries with high burdens of HIV, including Eswatini, Mozambique, and South Africa, which are now facing shortages of community health workers and data collectors. UNAIDS has warned that if funding is not fully restored, as many as 6 million people could become newly infected with HIV and 4 million people could die from AIDS-related deaths between 2025 and 2029.

The film will premiere at the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September, showing world leaders the devastating impact of recent funding cuts and urging them to recommit to ending AIDS by 2030.

Produced by acclaimed Hollywood writer and producer Ron Nyswaner, the film features high-profile advocates in the global fight against HIV, including Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Charlize Theron, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and actress Thuso Mbedu. Together they highlight the need for global solidarity and sustained support to end AIDS. It also includes Fabian Quezada, a Mexican-born HIV activist and Andiswa Cindi, a 22-year-old South African social media influencer who uses Tiktok to create awareness about HIV.

“The global HIV response has saved millions of lives for over two decades, bringing countries together in international solidarity to end the AIDS crisis,” said Mr. Nyswaner. “We hope the film captures that success while serving as a call to action for continued funding for this essential work.”

Mr Nyswaner’s deep connection to HIV was demonstrated in the 1993 film Philadelphia, that earned Tom Hanks an Oscar for his portrayal of a young lawyer fighting HIV discrimination. Mr Nyswaner continued this work in the acclaimed 2023 television series, Fellow Travelers, that brought the story of the AIDS crisis to a new generation.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who features prominently in the film, has long championed global efforts to end AIDS, supporting initiatives in countries including Botswana and Lesotho. "Right now, babies are being born with HIV due to interruptions in antiretroviral treatment for their mothers. Without urgent action to reverse these crippling funding cuts, 6 million more people will become infected with HIV while 4 million will die from AIDS-related causes within the next four years,” he said. “It is not just the at-risk communities that will be affected. We've proven that sustained investment saves lives and builds stronger communities. Abandoning this life-saving work now would be a devastating betrayal of progress for the millions who depend on these essential services."

Academy Award-winning actress and philanthropist Charlize Theron and HIV advocate and basketball legend and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Magic Johnson Enterprises Earvin “Magic” Johnson are not new to global HIV campaigns. Ms Theron is a longstanding leader in advocating for young people and tackling the systemic inequalities that drive HIV infections among young women and girls through founding the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), while Mr Johnson has lived openly with HIV for many years, helping to fight the stigma against the disease.

The film also highlights recent scientific innovations which could save lives, alluding to the groundbreaking new medicine lenacapavir, which is almost 100% effective in preventing HIV with injections just twice a year which could be a game-changer in stopping new HIV infections if it is made available and affordable to all in need.

"The end of AIDS is not a distant dream—it is within our grasp, built on decades of relentless activism, advocacy, and shared commitment. From groundbreaking treatments to global solidarity, we’ve built a path to epidemic control,” said Ms Theron. “And now, as world leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly, we have the power to finish what we’ve started. The time to end AIDS is now, and we must have the courage to see it through."

South African Hollywood actress, Thuso Mbedu, has been working with UNAIDS, encouraging world leaders to embrace human rights in the global HIV response and working with the Elton John AIDS Foundation to shine a light on critical lifesaving HIV work. “Ending AIDS requires collective action and support of humanity to ensure that no one who needs the lifesaving antiretroviral treatment in Uganda or Mozambique is left behind, she said. “World leaders must continue to invest in the global HIV response to save lives.”

The global HIV response has been transformative. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa the roll out of medicine to treat HIV, among other advances, has led to a rebound in life expectancy from 56.5 years in 2010 to 62.3 years in 2024. New HIV infections have been brought down by 40%, while AIDS-related deaths decreased by 56% since 2010.

The film highlights that no single country can end AIDS alone, and that the world must stand together in global solidarity to end AIDS.

Please click here to donate to UNAIDS.

For broadcasters: Please click here to download the film (Courtesy of UNAIDS and Ron Nyswaner)

NOTE TO EDITORS: The film was made possible through the generous contributions of Mr. Nyswaner and the film colleagues he brought on board, including cinematographer Jonathon Narducci, Otto Senault, Frits De Jong and editor Eric Martin, and Johannesburg-based agency Lobengula Advertising contributing their valuable time and resources to bring it to life. Paul Leonard Morgan kindly donated the soundtrack Touch of Sanity to the film. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and the Archewell Foundation and Thuso Mbedu generously gave their time while Charlize Theron and Magic “Earvin” Johnson contributed to the success of the film, both personally and through their foundations The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) and the Magic Johnson Foundation respectively. The film is a product of collaboration that transcends different countries, including both filming and production, in South Africa, United States of America and the United Kingdom.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The United States has launched a new ‘America First Global Health Strategy’ which sets out a new and tailored focus for PEPFAR, working closely with countries most affected by HIV

GENEVA, 18 September 2025—UNAIDS welcomes reaffirmed leadership from the United States in the AIDS response and its continued commitment to saving lives through the United States President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In its new strategy, released today, the US is placing emphasis on global HIV targets, country partnerships and resilient and durable health systems. It stresses that national self-reliance is critical to achieving and sustaining the shared global objective of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

The new strategy highlights several of UNAIDS’ global HIV targets as key benchmarks for US foreign health assistance, including:

• Ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV are aware of their HIV status, 95% of those who know their status are receiving lifesaving HIV treatment, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression
• Achieving a 90% reduction in new HIV infections by 2030 (compared to 2010 levels)
• Achieving a 90% reduction in AIDS-related deaths by 2030 (compared to 2010 levels)
• Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV in high-burden countries

This timely initiative underscores the continued support of the American people and the US Government in the historic effort to end AIDS—one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. By prioritizing results-driven targets like the UNAIDS 95-95-95 and 90% reduction in new infections by 2030, the US Government will help save millions more lives and accelerate progress to end AIDS.

UNAIDS remains firmly committed to advance and strengthen its long-standing, strategic partnership with the US Government and will continue to work hand-in-hand with PEPFAR to support countries to sustain durable, country-led HIV responses. UNAIDS will work closely together with the US Government in this historic effort to end AIDS—one that saves lives, strengthens global partnerships, makes the world safer and stronger, and brings us all closer to a world without AIDS.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 5 September 2025—UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the US State Department that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will be supporting an initiative by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to provide lenacapavir to up to 2 million people in countries with high burdens of HIV.

Lenacapavir, an American-based innovation, is one of the most promising new HIV prevention tools that has emerged in the HIV response, offering protection against HIV with just twice-yearly injections. The breakthrough medicine will save thousands of lives if made widely available for all people and populations at risk of HIV including young women and adolescent girls as well as sex workers, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men in high burden countries and geographies.

"This deal offers hope that many more people around the world who are at risk of HIV will have access to this revolutionary HIV medicine. More global work will be needed to increase scale and rapidly make lenacapavir available, affordable and accessible in all low and middle-income countries. But at this critical moment, the United States’ backing of this breakthrough medicine is an important signal to the world that by investing in the HIV response we can stop new infections,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

An initial roll-out of 2 million is an important start toward a broader ambition and i t is important that lenacapavir be available to all people in need, not only to some. UNAIDS estimates that 20 million people will need to be reached with antiretroviral-based prevention such as lenacapavir as part of efforts to achieve the 2030 global HIV prevention targets. UNAIDS also estimates that for every US$ 1 invested in HIV prevention, US$ 7 will be saved in treatment and care costs later.

The price for lenacapavir in France, Norway, Spain and the United States in late 2024 exceeded US$ 28 000 per person per year. For this initiative, manufacturer Gilead has pledged to supply the medicine at no profit. Research published earlier this year showed that lenacapavir can be made and sold for just US$ 40 per person per year, falling to US$ 25 with sufficient scale.

To successfully expand access to lenacapavir, community engagement will be essential. To advance progress in the roll-out, populations most impacted by HIV must play a central role in its delivery and people most at risk of HIV must have access.

UNAIDS will continue to support countries and partners in driving the response to HIV forward to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to the HIV services they need and that AIDS is ended as a public health threat by 2030.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 2 September 2025—From 1 to 30 September, a series of UNAIDS posters is on exhibit in Geneva along the Lac Leman. The posters dispel many of the mistruths about HIV and AIDS. While many people think they may be well-informed about the virus, in reality many misconceptions continue to circulate. Forty years after the first cases of HIV were identified, misinformation, stigma and discrimination still persist. Worse still, the information gap is widening, particularly among young people who are often most affected by HIV.

“Today, people often find themselves drowning in information, but many are still not necessarily better informed about HIV,” said Christine Stegling, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director. “This exhibit is designed to enlighten viewers about the current realities of HIV in the hope that they will learn how to protect themselves and be willing to support people living with HIV with more compassion.”

In 2024, UNAIDS estimates that there were 1.3 million new HIV infections - that’s 3 500 people newly infected with the virus every day. And although more than three quarters of the 40.8 million people living with HIV are on treatment, every minute, a person died of AIDS-related causes in 2024. In addition, people living with HIV still experience stigma and discrimination which prevents them from accessing HIV services. This includes treatment which stops transmission of the virus and keeps people alive and well. By knowing the facts and dispelling the myths, we can help break down the stigma and ensure that everyone feels safe to access HIV services, free from discrimination.

“HIV is preventable and, with treatment, people living with HIV stay healthy and cannot transmit the virus yet new infections still occur,” said Professor Alexandra Calmy, head of the infectious disease HIV unit at Hôpital de Genève (HUG.) “Campaigns like this remain essential, here and everywhere, to raise awareness and fight stigma.”

UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, has put together this exhibition to dispel some of the myths around HIV and encourage people to know the facts, get tested and protect themselves against HIV.

"Sadly, there are still cases of discrimination against people living with HIV in Geneva and Switzerland," said Rocco Senatore, Director of the People living with HIV (PVA) network. “Many still ignore some of the basic facts about HIV thus the importance of such awareness campaigns."

The poster exhibit supported by the Ville de Genève will run until the end of the month in Geneva at the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

A milestone for human rights which accelerates access to HIV services, free from discrimination in the Caribbean which will advance efforts to end AIDS by 2030

Kingston/Geneva 30 July 2025—UNAIDS celebrates the groundbreaking decision by the High Court of Justice in Saint Lucia declaring sections 132 and 133 of the Criminal Code unconstitutional for criminalizing consensual adult sexual acts in private. This triumph upholds LGBTQ+ people’s rights to protection of the law, privacy, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, and equal protection under the law, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

"This landmark decision underscores the transformative power of the law in protecting human rights and public health," said Luisa Cabal, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. "In a region where punitive laws hindered progress towards ending AIDS, Saint Lucia's High Court has set a powerful precedent. UNAIDS stands ready to support all governments and communities in ensuring everyone can live free from discrimination and access the services they need to thrive healthily and safely," said Ms Cabal.

The case is one of the five country strategic litigation initiatives of the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) which has been working closely with LGBTQ+ organizations, individuals and allies to protect and promote the community’s basic human rights. The case removes out-dated, colonial-era barriers that fuel stigma, discrimination and violence. The Court modified the laws relating to exclude private consensual acts between adults (section 132) and those aged 16+ (section 133), paving the way for dignity and equality to be respected.

Saint Lucia now joins Belize (2016), Antigua and Barbuda (2022), St. Kitts and Nevis (2022), Barbados (2022), and Dominica (2024), which decriminalised same-sex intimacy in recent years. This chronology reflects a surging momentum against outdated laws, fostering more inclusive, rights-based societies across the region.

"The ruling in Saint Lucia gives us hope, demonstrating that justice and equality can prevail and that our courts are advancing public health initiatives by protecting human rights," said Richard Amenyah, UNAIDS Country Director for the Caribbean. "By removing these outdated criminal provisions, we open doors for LGBTQ+ individuals to seek HIV prevention and care without fear, ultimately strengthening our regional fight against HIV and saving lives."

UNAIDS champions this move as a key stride toward zero discrimination and ending AIDS by 2030. By erasing these discriminatory provisions, the ruling removes an obstacle to HIV prevention, testing, and treatment, vital in a region where gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and transgender women have disproportionately high rates of HIV and often are kept away from health services for fear of stigma, discrimination and criminalization.

UNAIDS urges remaining countries where these discriminatory laws remain on the books to repeal such laws and prioritize rights-based HIV strategies for healthier futures and more equitable societies.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.