Indigenous people make up an estimated 4.5% of the total global population. They are often overrepresented in HIV data and are particularly vulnerable to HIV. There are an estimated 5,000 groups of indigenous people worldwide, but accurate HIV data exists for very few distinct groups. In countries where data does exist, there are often major gaps. Data invisibility equates to disparity and inequity and ultimately increases the risk of escalated epidemics. Such epidemics have major implications for indigenous cultures, given that many tribes or clans have only a few hundred to a thousand members remaining. If HIV were to enter these communities, the world's ancient cultures, customs and custodians of lands would be lost forever. On top of this, indigenous communities are often marginalized and report having less access to health services. 
Being indigenous is not a risk factor for poorer health outcomes or for HIV. However, the social determinants of health - income, education, emplyoment and working conditions, physical environments, healthy childhoods and access to healthcare - all impact heavily on the health status of indigenous peoples. These factors not only add to HIV vulnerability for indigenous people; they also exponentially increase the risk with each additional determinant. The aim of this session is to discuss the status of the epidemic among indigenous people from diverse regions and the major gaps to be overcome for better HIV prevention and care among these populations.

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