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INTRODUCTION

More than 33 million people are living with HIV across the globe, according to UNAIDS, and more than 2 million of them are children.

Since 1988, World AIDS Day has fought to raise money and awareness about the epidemic, and the annual event continues to push for prevention and funding.

This year's theme—"Universal Access and Human Rights"—focuses on the protection of human rights as a fundamental way to fight HIV/AIDS.

AIDS IN AMERICA

The community weighs in on the state of the epidemic:

AND WE QUOTE

Key opinion leaders respond:

President Barack Obama:

"World AIDS Day serves as an important reminder that HIV/AIDS has not gone away. More than one million Americans currently live with HIV/AIDS in the United States, and more than 56,000 become infected each year. For too long, this epidemic has loomed over our Nation and our world, taking a devastating toll on some of the most vulnerable among us. On World AIDS Day, we mourn those we have lost and look to the promise of a brighter future and a world without HIV/AIDS."

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

"The Obama administration has made the fight against AIDS central to the Global Health Initiative, our commitment to strengthening global health systems and implementing sustainable solutions to improve the health of entire communities ... Through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), we are making smart investments that will ultimately help bring us closer to a world free of HIV/AIDS. We work with dedicated organizations and individuals every day to make this goal a reality."

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Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:

"The U.S. has made enormous strides in its response to the HIV epidemic this year. In March, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, improving access to care and increasing opportunities for health and well-being for people with HIV. And in July, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy released its landmark 'National HIV/AIDS Strategy,' a roadmap for addressing the epidemic on multiple levels ... In September, HHS announced that CDC allocated $30 million of the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund to expand HIV prevention efforts under that strategy."

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U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby:

"For the U.S., our World AIDS Day theme this year is 'Smart Investments, Building on Success.' The smarter we are about the prevention, treatment and care we provide, the greater the number of lives saved. Our yardstick for measuring success is not dollars invested, but lives saved. Years of experience in the field have taught us how to better use every dollar invested in battling AIDS. These smart investments mean we are getting more value for our money - allowing us to do more on HIV/AIDS and the whole range of global health issues."

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WORLD AIDS DAY EVENTS

Below are some of the happenings taking place across the globe:

POZ RAISES AWARENESS IN THE MAINSTREAM

POZ ON LOCATION

COUNTDOWN TO WORLD AIDS DAY

The community addresses key topics:

THE POZ 100

The year 2010 was a banner year for waging war on AIDS in America. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy was launched, needle exchange was approved, health care reform became law and the travel ban for HIV-positive people entering the United States was lifted.

To continue the momentum and to secure the funds required to successfully beat down AIDS, we need the bravest, most dogged and downright effective AIDS fighters we know. Meet the POZ 100.

The POZ 100 is listed in alphabetical order by last name:

Click here to read more about the POZ 100.