On World AIDS Day 2025, the Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) stands in solidarity with government, partners and communities under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.” This theme is a reminder that, while Botswana has made remarkable progress against HIV, growing economic pressures, funding uncertainties and persistent inequalities threaten to undermine hard-won gains.

Botswana has been recognised for surpassing the UNAIDS 95-95-95 treatment targets and for its leadership in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. These achievements show what is possible when science, political will and community action align. Yet stigma, discrimination and violence against people living with HIV and key populations including LGBTIQ persons, sex workers, people who use drugs, prisoners and migrants continue to drive people away from services. At the same time, access to new HIV prevention and treatment innovations remains uneven, especially for those most at risk.

BONELA calls for urgent, concrete measures to protect and transform the AIDS response. This includes safeguarding and increasing HIV financing, centring human rights in all laws and policies, and meaningfully involving communities and key populations in the design and monitoring of programmes. Community-led and rights-based initiatives must be recognised and funded as essential pillars of the health system, not as add-ons.

On this World AIDS Day, BONELA honours all those lost to AIDS, salutes the resilience of people living with HIV and key populations, and reaffirms its commitment to a Botswana where everyone can enjoy their right to health, dignity and equality, free from stigma and discrimination.

For more information, contact BONELA on:

Cindy Kelemi at cindyk@bonela.org  or 72385054 Katlego Sechele at ksechele@bonela.org  or 72282025