Hiv-Sverige raises HIV with EU candidates, party leaders and MPs at Järvaveckan 2024

Järvaveckan, which this year was organized at Spånga Idrottsplats in northern Stockholm between 29 May and 1 June, attracted a large number of visitors and several influential politicians. Hiv-Sverige was present and took the opportunity to conduct a series of interviews and conversations with, among others, Magdalena Andersson (S), Jonas Sjöstedt (V), Arba Kokalari (M) and Annika Hirvonen (MP).

Watch the video and a summary of the interviews here

The conversations focused on raising the profile of HIV and creating awareness of the specific challenges faced by people living with HIV in Swedish society. Health care and stigmatization of people living with HIV were two examples of issues that were given extra space and where politicians had the chance to tell us what we can do to move forward.

Although societal issues such as national security, democracy and gang crime dominated the discussions at Järvaveckan, Hiv-Sverige used the event to highlight how HIV issues are affected by political decisions.

- It is critical that we engage decision-makers in order to create an active and up-to-date HIV policy. In addition to the HIV stigma that stubbornly persists, we face major challenges in relation to, for example, co-morbidity, where the level of ambition must be raised in Sweden, explains Emanuel Karlström, strategist at Hiv-Sverige.

The purpose of HIV Sweden's presence during Järvaveckan was to put HIV back on the political agenda and raise awareness among decision-makers.