Indigenous women, in particular, suffer disproportionately from a number of socio-economic difficulties that increase the spread of the disease, including poverty, marginalisation, homelessness and poor access to education, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues said in a press release.

In a message to mark the day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon emphasised the vulnerability of indigenous peoples to HIV/ AIDS. 'It is essential that indigenous peoples have access to the information and infrastructure necessary for detection, treatment and protection,' he noted

The event was organised by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in cooperation with the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples.