Please read the statement below from Elizabeth May, MP for Saanich–Gulf Islands and Leader of the Green Party of Canada, recognising World AIDS Day and the start of Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week:
I am honoured to recognise both World AIDS Day and the start of Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week.
The first case of AIDS was reported in 1982. Despite advancements in treatments, AIDS continues to impact millions worldwide. Certain groups are at a heightened risk of transmission, like incarcerated populations. Indigenous peoples are nearly 3x more likely to contract HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS diagnoses can contribute to stigma, isolation and loneliness. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) clearly state that the AIDS epidemic is not over while communities around the world continue to be vulnerable. While public education has improved, there remains much work to do to achieve the SDGs and eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030.