Statement from Dr. Chelsea Gabel and Dr. Charu Kaushic on World AIDS Day and Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week

Strengthening Communities and Empowering Change

World AIDS Day is celebrated globally on December 1st each year^{Footnote 1}. From December 1 to December 7, we also observe Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week, which serves to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in Indigenous communities across Canada^{Footnote 2}.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2024 is "take the rights path: my Health, my right^{Footnote 3}", which calls on global leaders and citizens to champion the right to health by addressing inequities that hinder process in ending AIDS. Aligned with this theme, CIHR’s HIV/STBBI Research initiative prioritizes equitable health outcomes and a community centred approach that prioritizes key populations disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs). The pan-Canadian framework for STBBIs^{Footnote 4} aims to reduce new infections and reinfections by focusing on prevention, testing, treatment, and support, particularly in key populations. The current CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Initiative Strategic Plan^{Footnote 5} emphasizes intersectionality, acknowledging that individuals may belong to multiple, overlapping groups. Grounded in epidemiological, social, and clinical sciences, as well as Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and sharing, research projects from coast to coast to coast are working towards impactful solutions.

Indigenous Peoples in Canada have long faced significant health disparities, including higher rates of HIV/AIDS compared to the general population. These disparities have been exacerbated by the ongoing legacies of colonization, residential schools and continuing racism, leading to a disproportionate burden of STBBIs among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. However, many Indigenous communities across Canada are taking the lead to address HIV/AIDS by developing health initiatives that integrate culture, traditional knowledge, and health research. These initiatives include the Waniska Indigenous Centre^{Footnote 6} at the University of Saskatchewan and the Feast Centre for Indigenous STBBI Research^{Footnote 7} at McMaster University, where communities are creating health programs that reflect their unique needs, strengths, and traditions.

For nearly 20 years, CIHR’s Community-Based Research (CBR) Program^{Footnote 8} has supported research, knowledge mobilization and capacity-building initiatives in HIV/AIDS through catalyst and operating grants, as well as the Collaborative Centres for HIV/AIDS CBR Grants. Each of these funding opportunities incorporated dedicated funding for an Indigenous stream. While building on the past success of the CBR Program, CIHR revamped the program to achieve greater health equity for all key populations and foster community-led approaches to research that will better support the rights and needs for a wider range of populations. As part of the new CBR program, CIHR launched Team Grants for HIV/AIDS and STBBI Community-Based Research^{Footnote 9} in December 2023. The funding opportunity included dedicated funding pools for specific key populations disproportionately affected by STBBIs, as well distinction-based approaches for research led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. This funding opportunity also provided funding at the Letter of Intent (LOI) stage to specifically support community engagement.

At the heart of culturally relevant and respectful research programs lies community involvement – bringing together Indigenous researchers, healthcare providers, and community members, and others to co-develop solutions that encompass not only medical care but also the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of well-being central to Indigenous worldviews. Through education, outreach, and peer support, these programs and initiatives are working diligently to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, feels empowered to seek support and care, and finds healing.

In unity,

Dr. Chelsea Gabel,
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health (IIPH)

Dr. Charu Kaushic,
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)

Date modified:

2024-12-03