The United Nations Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean issued a statement ahead of International World AIDS Day on December 1st, citing continuing concern for HIV infection among young people in the Caribbean.  According to the statement young people represent a significant portion of new HIV infections in the region, with the youth accounting for 1 in 4 new HIV cases in Saint Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis, and 1 in 3 in Barbados.

This year’s World AIDS Day is being observed under the theme, “Take the Rights Path,” to bring attention to other important dimensions in the fight against HIV and AIDS from a predominantly public health challenge, for interventions focusing on social justice and the protection of human rights.

The joint authors of the statement Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and Dr. Richard Amenyah UNAIDS Multi-Country Director, Caribbean Region say, “to make further inroads in this fight, we must address rights-related barriers, such as stigma and discrimination, to promote early diagnosis and provide access to timely care and treatment. Community-based testing for key populations, including self-testing and network testing,  should  also be expanded as part of a differentiated approach.

The United Nations is making a call to Caribbean governments, policymakers, and civil society in the to take decisive steps to end AIDS by 2030, by creating an enabling legal environment,  strengthening community systems, and integrating HIV services into primary health care. 

UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres says, "Ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is achievable. But reaching this goal requires breaking down the barriers keeping people from vital services."