11/25/2025
๐December 1โ7, 2025, marks Indigenous AIDS Awareness Day/Week (IAAD/W), beginning on World AIDS Day. ๐
Join us at Battleford Indian Metis Friendship Centre on Monday December 1st, 2025 from 11am-3pm for STBBI Testing. (960-103rd Street) FREE lunch provided for those who get tested! A complimentary movie admission to Capitol Theatre North Battleford will be available to the first 50 people! Doors open at 5:30pm!
This week is a time to honour the leadership, resilience, and lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Led by CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks, IAAD/W brings together Ancestral Scienceโknowledge rooted in land, water, ceremony, and interconnectionโwith contemporary health responses to foster healing, wellness, and equity.
Why IAAD/W Matters:
Indigenous Peoples have always carried wholistic approaches to health and wellness. IAAD/W is a time to:
โข Raise awareness about HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and support.
โข Establish ongoing community-led education and referral programs.
โข Address stigma, racism, and misinformation.
โข Promote harm reduction and 2SLGBTQI+ rights.
โข Honour those weโve lost and support those living with HIV.
โข Participate in ceremony and affirm spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being.
This week is also a time to commemorate, educate, and mobilize communities to take action throughout the year.
In Canada:
โข 2,434 new HIV cases were reported in 2023, a 35% increase from 2022.
โข Saskatchewanโs HIV rate is five times the national average; Manitoba saw a 40% increase in 2023.
โข In Manitoba, 73.4% of HIV program referrals in 2021 were Indigenous.
โข Indigenous Peoples represented 19.6% of new HIV diagnoses in 2023 (where race/ethnicity was reported), while comprising only ~5% of the population.
โข Indigenous women accounted for 47.3% of new HIV diagnoses among women between 1998โ2012, and are often diagnosed at later stages, limiting treatment options and quality of life.
Globally:
โข In 2023, 1.3 million new HIV infections and 630,000 AIDS-related deaths occurred worldwide.
โข Key populationsโincluding Indigenous Peoples, s*x workers, people who use drugs, and 2SLGBTQI+ individualsโface higher HIV prevalence and systemic barriers to care.
Cultural Significance:
IAAD/W affirms that health is wholisticโencompassing the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical. Indigenous teachings guide us to care for one another and build futures rooted in balance, respect, and responsibility. By honouring Indigenous knowledge systems, we strengthen community-led solutions and advance health equity.
Contact 306-480-9362 for more information!
