UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon did not refer to lack of education, the high cost of HIV anti-retroviral treatment or lack of prevention services as the most important barrier to public action of HIV/AIDS. He did not mention apathy or carelessness.

Ban-Ki Moon identfied the most important barrier to HIV/AIDS as stigma. Stigma has been associated with HIV/AIDS for the past twenty-plus years, ever since the disease was identified. In the past twenty-nine years since HIV's unfortunate appearance, there have been many achievements: better prevention services, anti-retroviral therapy, more education about the education. The stigma surrounding HIV has lessened, but not enough. Families still shun their children, brothers, and cousins after a HIV diagnosis. Those living positively may be denied housing or other social services because of their status, and may not be able to attain an education. They may lose their job (remember the movie "Philadelphia" with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington?), and may not receive quality health care. Many AIDS orphans are ostracized by their community and cannot go to school. 

Where does this stigma come from? In the US and many foreign countries, HIV/AIDS is associated with people who are "loose and easy", who participate in sex work, or who use intravenous drugs. Many still think that it is a gay man's disease. In other countries, a woman who has HIV is automatically blamed for getting the disease and giving it to her husband, even if her husband infected her. 

Stigma creates many barriers on the path to controlling the spread of HIV. In high stigma areas, people are four times less likely to get tested. In countries where there is a lack of anti-retrovirals, doctors refuse to treat HIV-positive patients for any medical condition because they figure they are going to die anyways. 

Many governments discriminate against people with HIV. It's been less than a year since the U.S. decided to finally let people living with HIV into the country for any period of time. In China, any resident who has lived outside of the country for more than a year must receive a HIV test. In the UK, a person who passes HIV to a partner, knowingly or unknowlingly, can be prosecuted. 

In the U.S., an estimated 27% of people would prefer not to work closely with a women living with HIV. What, do they think that they won't be able to control their urge to get down and have sex with her? Or are they planning on sharing a needle? 

So what to do? In this video, from Sierra Leone, a woman is ostracized by her community after receiving a positive HIV diagnosis. After a simple education class, her community accepts her. It may be just that simple. Comprehensive sex ed, including accurate and scientific information about HIV, is essential for the reduction of stigma. Governments and employers must also stop their discriminatory policies, whether or not they are written down in stone. 

We must all be courageous enough to be open and frank about our discussions about HIV, and let people know that it is not something to be afraid of. That is the only way to move forward and beat HIV.