The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is “Getting to Zero,” to emphasize the long-term goals of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths, according to a World AIDS Campaign statement. The theme runs until 2015, and the World AIDS Campaign has set 10 milestones for halving or eliminating various issues relating to HIV/AIDS, including transmission rates, lack of access to treatment, tuberculosis deaths and gender-related violence. These ambitious targets are meant to call attention to setbacks in the worldwide effort to halt the spread of HIV. A few examples of current challenges: Two thirds of the 15 million people with HIV are not receiving treatment; the number of people becoming infected exceeds the number of people starting treatment; and the economic crisis is reducing funding for prevention and treatment efforts.

To read the World AIDS Campaign statement, click here.