Theme

What does putting people first mean? 

Putting people first means thinking of solutions from the point of view of those most affected.  

For example, rather than thinking of hard-to-reach populations, we should think of hard-to-reach health services. HIV responses must be built for the individual, especially the most vulnerable.  

Why is it important? 

Ending the HIV pandemic as a threat to public health and individual well-being will require the worlds of research, healthcare, activism and policy to agree on fundamental principles. Putting people first is one such fundamental principle and we call on all actors in the HIV response to align with this approach. 

How can we get there? 

From using inclusive language to ensuring that community voices are heard, there are many people-first approaches that we invite all of us in the HIV response to consider and, wherever possible, emulate.  

Here are some concrete examples of what people-first programmes may look like in practice: 

• Health services: Delivering health services built around people’s needs while considering the many components that constitute people’s identities, including gender, age and socioeconomic status. This approach is sometimes referred to as differentiated service delivery and person-centred care.  

• Research: Making communities part of research efforts can accelerate progress and empower key populations. As an example, this article outlines community-based participatory research and how it can be applied in practice.

• Language: Language is powerful, and we want to ensure that it is employed in the service of all those living with and affected by HIV. The harmful impact of stigmatizing language is well documented. At AIDS 2024, we insist on using people-first language. Here is a helpful resource to guide you on what language you should steer clear of and what we encourage you to use instead.