HIV Ireland Highlights 41 Percent Rise in HIV Cases Among Women and Calls for Action on Stigma This World AIDS Day
Charity warns that persistent stigma is undermining progress in prevention, testing and treatment ahead of World AIDS Day
Dublin, 1st December – To mark World AIDS Day today (December 1st), HIV Ireland is calling for a focus on tackling persistent HIV-related stigma, warning that it continues to undermine critical progress in HIV prevention, testing and treatment. The call comes as new national figures released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) shows a 41% rise in first-time HIV diagnoses among women in 2024, compared to the previous year. The sharpest increase has been observed in women aged 45-49, a rate that is now equal to that of men in the same age group.
More than forty landmark buildings and businesses across Ireland will be illuminated in red on Monday as part of HIV Ireland’s annual Glow Red campaign, aimed at confronting HIV-related stigma on World AIDS Day. Ireland has committed to the UNAIDS goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030. HIV Ireland is a national non governmental organisation committed to meeting this goal, while also supporting and campaigning for those living with and impacted by HIV.
Stephen O’Hare, Chief Executive Officer of HIV Ireland, said: “Less than five years out from our goal of ending new HIV transmissions, the rate of diagnosis is rising. This is not a good sign. There’s a persistent misconception that HIV is a men’s issue, but these figures tell a different story. More women are being diagnosed each year and the age trends show they are presenting later, which can lead to worsened health outcomes.
“The vast majority of people living with HIV in Ireland are on effective treatment so they cannot pass it on to a sexual partner. But it’s the persistent stigma surrounding HIV that stops them from accessing testing and treatment.
“We’re at a pivotal juncture, as a nation, we’ve got to address this. The Government must follow through on its Programme for Government commitment to enact a HIV Action Plan and it must include targeted actions to combat stigma and help people access the services they need. We can’t afford another year of rising cases.” concluded Mr O’Hare.
Glow Red Campaign spokesperson Rebecca Tallon de Havilland is an activist living with HIV. She explains how outdated perceptions remain one of the biggest obstacles to achieving this goal.
Rebecca said “Stigma silences people – it did when I first got my diagnoses in the 1980s. It tells them to hide, it tells them not to ask questions and it tells them not to test. We now have treatments that allow people to live full lives and to reach an undetectable viral load which means they cannot pass on HIV, yet stigma still stops people at the very first step.”
Ann Ndovi Piercy, a support worker with HIV Ireland, highlighted how compounding stigmas affect women, people of colour and migrant communities. She said “Stigma doesn’t affect everyone equally. Women living with HIV often face more judgement. People of colour and migrants can experience additional barriers, including language and cultural differences which can make accessing testing, treatment and support for HIV even harder. These overlapping stigmas mean many people are left struggling in silence.”
HIV Ireland is calling for expanded access to free and confidential HIV testing, wider promotion of testing options and for the Government to follow through on its Programme for Government commitment National HIV Action Plan to support the community of people living with HIV.
As part of its World AIDS Day programme, HIV Ireland hosted its annual Red Ball on Friday, a flagship fundraising event that brings together businesses, community groups and supporters to raise money for HIV prevention, education and outreach services. This year, the Red Ball’s chief sponsor was Google Ireland, which is also lighting its headquarters in Dublin red in support of the campaign.