By Tooba Khatoon | Awaz-e-Khwateen
The world is proceeding in a milestone of global public health and taking the oath to end AIDS. Positively looking into the most urgent and meaningful goal of the world. The science to stop HIV exists. The treatment exists. The prevention tools exist. What remains uncertain is whether society can remove the social, cultural, and economic barriers that prevent the most vulnerable from accessing them.
From observing very first case of AIDS in 1988 in US to about 40.8 million people worldwide shows ignorance about the disease among people. Every year there is a question mark raise on the cause of increasing data. Whether it is the failure of health management sector, on the people who are in administration or just the lack of awareness among masses? The increasing cases of HIV brings a huge responsibility on every citizen to bring the data down. Despite scientific achievements and advancement in the field of medicine of AIDS, it continues to persist and affect millions of people because many communities are still pushed to the sidelines over that stereotype, stigma, economic disparities, discrimination, and social neglect make certain groups far more vulnerable than others.
Muslim Women & HIV: Breaking Barriers, Building Awareness”
HIV when it comes to Muslim women pose not it as a disease and put it under health domain only but bring the extends its sphere of circle to the social and cultural problems of the community. Socially women are being confined to the four walls of home and being considered as an object and put limits to be in private areas of house. Culturally the topics such as adult education, sexually transmitted disease, menstruation and menopause is being considered as taboo in the society and put a full stop in awareness of women. patriarchal society makes the situation much worsen by not only limiting women to learn about HIV, seek testing and speak openly about their concerns. Economic factors of dependence on men (on their husbands, father and son) results in pressure to prioritize family’s need over her personal wellbeing. These complex visible and countless invisible issues result in further marginalisation of Muslim women having HIV and got infected from her husbands or partners discovers the disease in a very late status. The struggle highlights pressing need for culturally sensitive programs, health camps, awareness programs, female–led home to home awareness and health initiatives and a safe place to openly discuss or ask questions without judgement and fear. Empowering them requires a huge time to be spend with them by listening, understanding and analysis and supporting them to take the charge of their wealth with dignity and respect.
HIV & Domestic Violence: When Safety at Home Becomes a Risk Factor
The negotiation inability among women regarding the safe sex with their male counterparts often resulted in domestic violence. The denial of checkup by men and sexual contacts without protection escalate the issue. On demanding the use of condoms women many a times face domestic violence. Many of the women do not even know about HIV, they only got to know about that during their pregnancy tests. The emotional and physical violence keeps them silent on the issue and fear of separation or divorce puts their health at stake. To maintain the reputation of her husband at home and in the society or labelling her husband as HIV victims or Infidelity women are being compelled to remain silent and keep the matter private or to take the blame of husband on her own. Addressing HIV among women means addressing the power imbalance and abuse that silently shape their vulnerabilities.
HIV Behind Bars: The Silent Crisis in Indian Prisons
Prisoners are having five times more possibility of HIV than normal people. In Indian prisoners because of the people having murder cases, drug use, untreated illnesses and rape case the ratio is so high in among the jail inmates and remains a worrying and often ignored or overlooked public health challenges. Additionally, the confined space, absence of preventive tools, non-availability of regular checkups of sexually transmitted disease, limited healthcare, overcrowded prisons create a situation enhance the intensity where infection can spread more quickly and quietly. Despite the need, there is a lack of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) in prisons, both of which can prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. The situation of prisoner has shown a need for recognizing their basic human rights of people who are too often ignored.
Meghalaya’s Growing HIV Challenge: A Local Crisis Surfacing
Recent cases have seen a sharp increase in HIV/AIDS POSITIVE cases in Northeast area majorly in Meghalaya which is matter of concern. Since north-east area of India is still far from development and represents the majority of tribal population. The assam tribute data shows a rise of 221% of cases placing it among the regions with the highest per-capita prevalence in India. Northeast Meghalaya report shows 10,000 people — including many children and youth under 30 — are known to be living with HIV. Initially the cases were confined to sex workers, drug users but now the area is involving people in sexual relation with multiple men and women unprotected homosexual sex and casual partnerships now accounts for a majority of new infections.
In many Indian families, discussing sex, condoms, or HIV is considered inappropriate or shameful. This cultural silence leaves people—especially women and youth—unaware of basic facts about prevention. Myths and half-truths take the place of scientific knowledge. Even when someone shows symptoms, fear of being labelled “immoral” prevents them from seeking help early. Breaking these taboos is not about challenging tradition—it is about saving lives. When conversations open, stigma fades, and communities become safer and better informed.
Today, India has made strong progress against HIV, but the epidemic is far from over. While new infections have declined over the past decade, millions still live with HIV, and many face barriers to testing, treatment, and dignity. The burden remains higher in vulnerable groups—such as migrant workers, sexual and gender minorities, people in prisons, and communities with limited healthcare access. India has one of the world’s largest treatment programs, yet stigma, late diagnosis, and social inequality continue to slow progress, reminding us that the fight against AIDS is as much about human rights as it is about medicine.
As the world approaches 2030—a milestone year in global public health—the promise to end AIDS stands as one of humanity’s most ambitious and meaningful goals. The science to stop HIV exists. The treatment exists. The prevention tools exist. What remains uncertain is whether society can remove the social, cultural, and economic barriers that prevent the most vulnerable from accessing them.
This World AIDS Day, the theme “Let Communities Lead” reminds us that the final stretch of this journey will be decided not in laboratories, but in the everyday lives of people who live closest to the epidemic. Ending AIDS by 2030 is possible—but only if no one is left behind.