World AIDS Day 2025: No One Left Behind
World AIDS Day always arrives with a sense of reflection, but this year the theme No one left behind feels sharper than usual. Across Australia people are attending vigils, pinning on red ribbons and remembering the names of those we lost. It is a day that asks us to take an honest look at how far we have come, and who we may still be leaving behind.
Australia has made enormous progress in HIV prevention and treatment. PrEP is widely available, treatment is fast and effective, and people living with HIV who are on treatment can lead long and healthy lives. But the picture is not equal everywhere.
At Alfred Health, HIV Prevention Nurse Practitioner Jude Armishaw said the rise in new diagnoses is a reminder that Australia cannot assume the work is done. She described World AIDS Day as a moment to mark where we are and where we need to go next. In her words, “We are doing a good job overall, but the increase in new diagnoses shows that some people are still missing out on prevention and support.”
Jude also said that while HIV is now considered a manageable condition, stigma remains the heaviest burden. Many people fear how partners, family members or employers might react to a diagnosis. That emotional weight can be far more confronting than the medical reality.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong used World AIDS Day to reaffirm Australia’s commitment to supporting HIV responses in the Pacific. She linked this work to both public health and human rights. “Ending HIV is not only a health objective. It is a human rights obligation,” she said, emphasising that access to prevention and care should never depend on geography or identity. She also reminded Australians that progress only matters when it reaches everyone, including our neighbours.
Across the country, long-time advocates spoke about memory and the importance of keeping the stories alive. At the Names Project memorial in Sydney, organiser Janet Hardy said the annual reading of names is not simply a ritual, but a reminder of what silence and stigma once cost. “Every year we read out names that should not have been lost,” she said. “Memory matters.” Her words echo the broader theme of the day. Ending HIV requires more than medicine. It requires visibility, courage and political will.
Independent Australia reported today that the Trump campaign in the United States cancelled all official recognition of World AIDS Day. LGBTQIA+ organisations described it as a step backwards that disregards decades of activism and loss. Actions like this, even from overseas, shape global attitudes and underline why visibility still matters.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners used World AIDS Day to call for proper funding for longer GP consultations. For many people, especially in regional areas, the time cost and out of pocket fees can be barriers to PrEP, testing and follow up care. Australia has the tools to prevent HIV. The challenge is ensuring equal access and removing the stigma that still surrounds both testing and diagnosis.
We can take simple, meaningful steps today. Wear a red ribbon, talk openly about HIV, support people living with HIV, encourage testing and challenge stigma whenever it appears.
World AIDS Day is shaped by community strength. It holds grief and hope in equal measure. If Australia believes in the idea of No one left behind, then today must be about more than symbols. It must be about compassion, access and the commitment to ensure that every person receives the care and respect they deserve.
