For those working on the HIV response in Zimbabwe, recent wins are worth celebrating.
Young key population activist Sunflower mentions several developments that signal a move in the right direction. Zimbabwe recently repealed Section 79 of the Criminal Law Code, which had criminalized HIV transmission, and the Ministry of Health has been introducing various policy reforms for key population inclusion.
“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Sunflower says. “Sex work still remains criminalized, same-sex intimacy still remains criminalized…[and] there is still a gap in the law in terms of transgender persons.”
More than 40 years into the HIV epidemic, inequalities continue to hold us back.
Countries around the world continue to criminalize, penalize and discriminate against people living with HIV and other key populations – gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people who inject drugs, and prisoners and other incarcerated people – which leads to worse HIV outcomes.
“Decriminalization is important to me because I am transgender and a sex worker, and everyone thinks that this is not real work. So when COVID-19 hit, we received no assistance from the government. I want people to see sex work as work.” – Anna, Transgender Sex Worker and Staff at SWING Foundation, Thailand
Gay men and other men who have sex with men who live in countries that criminalize same-sex relations, for instance, are more than twice as likely to be living with HIV compared with those living in countries without such criminal penalties. Transgender people who have experienced stigma in health care are three times more likely to avoid health care than transgender people who have not.
Conversely, laws and policies based on public health evidence and human rights create enabling environments that help improve access to services and HIV outcomes.
“Laws that criminalize and discriminate against key populations affect our work on a daily basis. We see people being arrested for accessing HIV services. We see people who are advocating for improved services also being arrested. What we want to do as a community is to see some of these laws change so that it can help key populations boldly work to facilitate where services are being provided so that they can access those services. – Mac-Darling Cobbinah, Executive National Director, Center for Popular Education and Human Rights (CEPEHRG), Ghana
Countries with non-discrimination laws have significantly better knowledge of HIV status and viral suppression rates among people living with HIV. New HIV infections also drop sharply when drug use and possession for personal use are decriminalized and people who inject drugs have access to harm reduction programmes.
“Changing laws doesn’t change everything, but it provides a foot in the door toward equality.”- Valery Wichman, President, Te Tiare Association Inc., Cook Islands
Nobody knows how to overcome the barriers that key populations face better than key populations themselves. The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day, Equalize, presents a critical call to action in this regard. It reminds us that proven, practical solutions exist to reduce inequalities – and that must include listening to communities on the ground and supporting their ongoing efforts to remove the legal and policy barriers standing in the way of progress.
“I have been working side-by-side with other trans activists in Panama to create more visibility of our existence, and the hardships and struggles that we face due to the lack of laws that recognize, protect and guarantee our existence. We have sent letters and attended meetings with the civil registry and the Ministry of Health. We have created programmes with the help of allies like UNDP to strengthen our work with data collection.” – Pau Gonzalez, Co-Founder, Hombres Trans Panama, Panama
“As a human rights defender and an activist, I joined UNDP Pakistan in the process of passing the Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Act 2018 and I am providing technical support to the government of Pakistan for the implementation of this unprecedented legislation.” – Reem Sharif, Transgender Rights Expert, Ministry of Human Rights, Pakistan
UNDP is committed to regaining lost ground on HIV and advancing an equitable response that leaves no one behind. UNDP’s new partnership with the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) aims to do just that by working in close collaboration with key populations, civil society, governments and other multilateral organizations and partners to drive progress on the global 10-10-10 HIV targets. By recognizing, strengthening and scaling key population-led efforts to counter discriminatory laws and HIV-related criminalization, the partnership will help accelerate action to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
In the face of adversity, it is imperative to unleash the power of hope and coming together.
As Pau Gonzales puts it: “I hope to see a change in laws to make them more inclusive and human rights based. It is important to end AIDS by 2030 because this will show us that collectively, civil society, governments, scientists, United Nations and all partners can turn things around to benefit all of us – ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages, everywhere without discrimination.”
© 2026 United Nations Development Programme
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