What we’re looking forward to at AIDS 2022

It’s that time again. AIDS 2022, the biggest global gathering of the HIV response, takes place between 29 July and 2 August in Montreal, Canada.

Controversy has hit the conference as many delegates have been denied visas or faced long delays. For those attending virtually or going in person, here’s our pick of the must-see sessions.

Our top session picks

29 July

• Save lives, decriminalize: Pathways to achieving the 10-10-10s. This session from UNAIDS examines what needs to happen to meet the 10-10-10 targets by 2025 (that’s right, in three years).
• PrEP-ing for 2030: Why optimization and scale-up of the PrEP service and product mix is critical to addressing unmet PrEP need and supporting effective use towards 2030 HIV prevention goals. How to make PrEP more convenient, comfortable and responsive to user needs.
• In the driver's seat – Redoubling our investments in the leadership and agency of adolescent and young key populations everywhere. This session will highlight the work of youth-led organisations and young innovators from key and neglected epidemics.
• Sexual and reproductive health and rights, Young People and HIV: The Need for a Comprehensive Response. This session will look at the unmet sexual health rights of adolescents and youth, particularly adolescent girls and young women.
• Telehealth innovations for HIV services. This session will look at how to use virtual and online methods to make sure communities receive HIV services and stay in HIV care.

30 July

• Prioritising the right to health and well-being: Recommendations from sectors that can make a difference. Community speakers and others debate the all-important question: how we can get authorities to prioritise health over laws that criminalise people living with HIV?
• Fun and friendship: An innovative health and psychosocial intervention. How recreational programmes can enhance clinical treatment and care for children and young people.
• VIRTUAL ONLY: Secure digital help: How to organize effective and safe online HIV services for key populations. This workshop will look at how to make HIV services accessible using online communication.

31 July

• Ending HIV stigma: we know what works, we need to do more of it. Cutting-edge research from community networks that promises to inspire stronger collective action to stamp out HIV stigma.
• VIRTUAL ONLY: How to start a low-cost texting helpline. This workshop will share how a texting helpline on sex, dating and health was set up in a simple and low-cost way.
• Catching up on the third 95 target for children and adolescents living with HIV. This session will look at viral suppression and what can be done to increase it among children and adolescents with HIV.

1 August

• VIRTUAL ONLY: Lessons learned from meaningful adolescent and youth engagement (MAYE) to scale up high-quality models and strengthen HIV prevention, care and treatment efforts. This workshop will explore how to make sure adolescents and young people are meaningfully engaged in HIV programmes.

2 August

• Report launch: Protectors or Perpetrators? The Impact of Unlawful Policing on HIV, Human Rights and Justice. Frontline AIDS shares evidence collected by people living with and most at risk of HIV on the widespread rights violations they experience at the hands of the police in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
• Youth resilience: learning from young people's leadership in tough times. This session from Y+ Global will celebrate young leaders from the HIV response, share examples of good practice on building youth-led movements and discuss the challenges – and solutions – ahead.
• Jumping through the hoops: Reaching key adolescent populations through effective community interventions. Explore what interventions, mental health and contextual factors help or hinder services for adolescents and young people.
• IN-PERSON ONLY: Sensitization workshop for healthcare providers and audience to sensitize and enhance their knowledge and awareness of trans health needs and rights. Learn tips and techniques about providing the transgender community with care, support and empathy.

Virtual access

If you’re not going in person, online registration provides access to most sessions, workshops and lots more.

Meet the team behind Be in the KNOW

If you are in Montreal, why not visit the Avert booth to meet the team behind Be in the KNOW? You'll find us in the Global Village (GVE066) where you'll be able to explore our latest free digital resources, find out about Boost (Avert's sexual health information app for peer educators and community health workers), learn how we co-create digital content, and discuss how digital can support your work and projects.

Whatever your plans, you can join discussions, ask questions and share ideas on social media – tag us in your posts!