World Aids Day – 1 December 2025

It is true that here in Aotearoa, HIV rates are relatively low by global standards, with 95 new diagnoses in 2024, compared to 1.3 million globally. Furthermore, numbers here are small compared to many other serious health conditions, such as cancer. However, it is important to remember that the impact is not small for the people affected.

New Zealand has made strong progress over the past decade, driven by effective treatment, community, advocacy and better access to prevention. The peak in diagnoses was around 2016, and for the five-year period 2016–2020 the annual average was about 138 diagnoses per year. Since 2010, locally acquired HIV infections have dropped by about 31%.

Important challenges remain:

• Late diagnosis is still common – many people only learn their status when their health is already compromised
• Stigma persists – and it’s often stigma, not the virus, that harms people’s wellbeing and limits their opportunities
• Certain communities carry a disproportionate burden, including gay and bisexual men, migrants and some trans communities
• Several babies were born with HIV last year – showing that gaps in information and access still exist.

In a workplace context, this is directly connected to equity, dignity and safety. HIV is both a health issue and a social-justice issue. People living with HIV in NZ today can live long, healthy lives, especially when supported – but they can still face misunderstanding or discrimination at work.

What inclusive workplaces can do:

• Ensure confidentiality and wellbeing policies explicitly protect people living with HIV
• Challenge myths with science-based information and respectful language
• Promote a culture where health differences are not judged, hidden or stigmatised
• Practice allyship: small actions, everyday consistency

Why this matters

New Zealand’s low numbers give us a unique opportunity: to lead not just in public health, but in inclusion. World AIDS Day is a reminder that progress shouldn’t lead to complacency – it should inspire us to create workplaces where everyone, regardless of health status, feels safe, seen and supported.

Let’s use this day to reaffirm a simple commitment: stigma, complacency and discrimination have no place in Aotearoa’s workplaces.

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