As a global community, we will not end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 without increased commitment to addressing the structural barriers that heighten the vulnerability to HIV of key populations, namely men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who use drugs and prisoners and other incarcerated/detained people.

The evidence is clear: the more protective and enabling the legal and policy environment in a country, the lower the HIV prevalence for key populations, and the more people from key populations accessing healthcare services, including harm reduction, HIV testing, and HIV treatment services. Considering that, in the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS: Ending Inequalities and Getting on Track to End AIDS by 2030 (the 2021 Declaration), the international community committed to, among other targets, less than 10% of countries having punitive legal and policy frameworks that lead to denial or limitation of access to services by 2025. As of 2023, no country is meeting this obligation.