On 7 March 2022, H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, gave welcoming remarks at a High-Level Seminar on “Ending AIDS: Zero Discrimination, One World”, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in observance of the Zero Discrimination Day (1 March each year). The Vice Minister pointed out the importance of access to health services, strong political commitments, technology sharing and community engagement in fighting HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. This hybrid seminar was attended by over 100 participants from the diplomatic community, international organizations, civil society and academia.

H.E. Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, delivered his opening speech. He raised the issue related to the consequences of stigma and discrimination that prevent people at risks from having HIV testing and treatments. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that we need to create better understanding and upgrade relevant laws to promote more access to essential health services. Thailand as the chair of UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) for 2022 is determined to address this challenge and stands ready to work with all countries and stakeholders to achieve the SDG targets in reducing inequalities and ending AIDS by 2030.

Moreover, Mr. Eamonnn Murphy, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS a.i., Programme Branch, mentioned in his keynote statement on behalf of Ms. Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director that it was the first time that the international community adopted a tangible target on reducing stigma and discrimination in 2021. Therefore, the theme of this year’s Zero Discrimination Day focuses on creating enabling laws that support actions to eliminate discrimination and inequalities. The UNAIDS commended Thailand for joining the Partnership Action Plan to End HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination and urged countries to consider doing so in order to advance actions to end HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in all forms.

During the panel discussion, Kenyan Ambassador to Thailand, Deputy Ambassador of British Embassy, UNAIDS Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, a representative from Asia Pacific Network of people living with HIV/AIDS and youth from Asia Pacific Network of Young Key Populations shared their countrie’s and personal experiences, views and challenges arisen from HIV/AIDS-related discrimination and inequalities. They agreed on the urgent need for accelerated actions to increase access to essential health services and foster multi-sectoral participation in promoting understanding in various setting including family, school, work place, and community, as well as developing indiscriminatory policies and laws that truly leave no one behind.

At the closing session, Dr. Preecha Prempree, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Disease Control presented a brief summary of the discussion and Director-General Eksiri Pintaruchi of the Department on International Organizations gave closing remarks by stressing a whole-of-society approach and international cooperation to end HIV/AIDS-related discrimination and to translate the Global AIDS Strategies (2021-2016) and the 2021 United Nations Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS into concrete actions as we work to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.