The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has warned that reductions to international funding and cuts to HIV prevention and community services are likely to trigger a resurgence of the epidemic, according to a special report released by UNAIDS for the 26th International AIDS Conference, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 27 to 31 July 2026. In 2025, 1.2 million people acquired HIV and 570,000 died of AIDS-related illnesses, as the world fell short of global targets. Without urgent action to meet the 2030 goals, more than 3 million could become infected with HIV by 2030. Although new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are at their lowest levels in more than 30 years, the current response remains extremely fragile. Efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 are at risk unless global solidarity is restored and inequalities are addressed.
Progress across regions is uneven, with new HIV infections rising in three regions and 21 countries in 2025. Around 9 million of the 41 million people living with HIV were not on treatment, and almost half of all children living with HIV did not have access to antiretroviral therapy in 2025. On a positive note, seven countries—Benin, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nepal, Rwanda and Zimbabwe—achieved an almost 80% reduction in new infections since 2010. Eleven countries reached the 95-95-95 treatment targets, demonstrating that progress remains possible. The findings show sharp contrasts between advancing and lagging responses worldwide.
Overseas development assistance has collapsed, falling by 23% in 2025—the sharpest drop on record—with global health and HIV programs hit hard. International financing for HIV declined by more than US$ 1.5 billion, from US$ 8.8 billion in 2024 to US$ 7.3 billion in 2025, an 18% reduction and the lowest level in nearly two decades. In sub-Saharan Africa, 80% of prevention funding came from international aid, while community-led organizations received up to 25% of foreign HIV assistance in 2024. Funding for condoms has been cut by more than 90% in some countries. A 2026 study across 47 countries recorded reductions of 85% for services for gay men and other men who have sex with men, 82% for sex workers, and 72% for survivors of gender-based violence.
Human rights are also under attack, with criminalization of marginalized populations increasing for the first time since UNAIDS began tracking these trends. In 2025, Burkina Faso and Niger introduced criminalization of same-sex sexual activity, and Senegal increased penalties for same-sex sexual activity in 2026. In 2026, 168 countries criminalized sex work, 152 countries criminalized possession of small amounts of drugs, 66 countries criminalized same-sex sexual relations, and 14 countries criminalized transgender people.
“You cannot end AIDS while criminalizing people living with and most at risk of HIV,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “When people fear arrest, violence or discrimination, they stay away from HIV services. Human rights are not separate from the HIV response—they are essential to its success.”
In June 2026, 149 Member States adopted a progressive Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS aligned with the UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy 2026–2031 and its 2030 targets. The new targets include 40 million people on life-saving treatment and 20 million with access to antiretroviral-based prevention. If fully achieved, the commitments would avert an additional 3.2 million new HIV infections and 1.3 million AIDS-related deaths by 2030.
“Despite enormous challenges ending AIDS is still within reach,” said Ms Byanyima, urging partners and governments at AIDS 2026 to remobilize and push forward. She stressed that the choice is clear: “retreat and risk resurgence, or rethink, rebuild and rise to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”