Many strides have been made over the last thirty years to control the spread of HIV. In the 1980s, HIV was a death sentence for people right across the world. People, at least those who were compassionate and empathetic not to stigmatize and scorn people living with the disease, could do nothing but sit and watch their loved ones die in agony.

Thankfully this is no longer the situation. Financial commitments made by several developed countries, political leadership by many governments and the passion and dedication of many people, there are effective methods to preventing infection and there is life saving drugs to keep people living with HIV alive. In fact, HIV and AIDS research have advanced, so much so that this year the National Institute of Health announced that antiretroviral drugs used to treat people living with HIV is also effective in preventing HIV infection.

As I pen this blog, I am forced to reflect on the first time I knowingly met someone living with HIV in 2002 at my church. I too had my fears, like many persons I knew. I was astounded that I sat in a workshop with a man, whose name I have forgotten, and couldn’t tell he was “one of them”. He looked just as healthy as the rest of us, despite being diagnosed for more than 10 years at the time. I am forever grateful to him for having disclosed his HIV status, sharing his experience and knowledge and being so patient with my hesitation to hug him after this revelation.

The AIDS response has enabled many people infected and affected by HIV to speak out about their realities - hardships, successes, you name it. It has challenged us in so many ways to care for people as people and not put a veil over our faces because of who they are or what they do. Personally, I never imagined that I would have known so many sex workers and love them so dearly. I never imagined that I would have been so comfortable with people living with HIV. I never imagined that I would have become a human rights advocate for these people. 7,000 people worldwide become infected with HIV daily. 3000 of them are young people. These 7000 people often put themselves at risk because of our prejudices. Our prejudices deny them information, access to prevention commodities such as condoms and lubricants, services and even lifesaving treatment.

The stark realities of HIV show us, in so many ways, the harmful effects of stigma and discrimination, laws, violence, etc against minorities and vulnerable people. Across the Caribbean young people, men who have sex with men (MSM) and sex workers are among the most vulnerable to HIV infection. Arguably, MSM have the strongest representation in our response. Sex workers are becoming more organized and young people continue to challenge the status quo and mainstream their issues. Sadly, despite many campaigns, people living with HIV can hardly be found and as a result, we still have to be talking with and for them.

What will happen now that the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria (GFATM), which has put over 3 million people on treatment in the last ten years or so, has announced the postponement of its next round of funding? Regrettably, this has happened despite commitments made at the High Level Meeting on HIV in June 2011 by member countries of the UN to increase funding and sustain the gains made over the last 30 years. Now, the progress we have all made together may begin to reverse in the coming years because of a lack of funding. This postponement will have the most devastating impact on people living with HIV. People who are not already on treatment may have to pay, but many of them cannot afford this. Can we continue to speak for people living with HIV? Can they continue to hide in the shadows others who are coming out and fighting for their own needs?

So will the people who are most affected stand up?