World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day Parliamentary Breakfast

World AIDS Day falls on 1 December each year and is a day to show our support for people with HIV and to commemorate people who we have lost to the epidemic. World AIDS Day is recognised internationally with many countries marking the day with events to raise public awareness of HIV and AIDS care, treatment, research and prevention.

The World AIDS Day Parliamentary Breakfast, which began in 2010, is held in Parliament House, Canberra. In 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19, it was held online via Zoom. The event is an annual opportunity to:

  • update Ministers, Members and Senators on HIV and AIDS, in Australia, and in international settings where Australia makes a contribution to the response;
  • allow parliamentarians to demonstrate their continuing interest in, and support for HIV and AIDS; and
  • re-affirm the multi-partisanship that has been at the heart of Australia’s response to HIV.

Through the generous support of the Commonwealth Department of Health, Health Equity Matters administers the event in collaboration with the National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) and the Pacific Friends of Global Health. The event is hosted by the Parliamentary Friends for Action on HIV/AIDS, Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmitted Infections.

A primary focus of each World AIDS Day event has been to promote the international dimensions of the HIV and AIDS pandemic and to profile Australia’s continuing support for HIV programs especially within our region.

WORLD AIDS DAY BOOKLETS