World Aids Day – in pictures

Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia: a woman has her face painted during a World Aids Day campaign. World Aids Day is celebrated on 1 December each year around the world Photograph: Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images

Jakarta, Indonesia: hundreds of youths participate in the 'Dance 4 Life' HIV and Aids awareness campaign. Indonesia's incidence of HIV infection increased by more than 25% in adults aged 15 to 49 from 2001 to 2011, according to the UNAids 2012 global report Photograph: Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images

Beijing, China: a man walks through an arch decorated with illustrations of Aids awareness ribbons during an Aids awareness event at a subway station on World Aids Day. The number of people living with HIV rose slightly last year to 34 million, up from 33.5 million in 2010, according to UNAids Photograph: Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images

Brussels, Belgium: the Belgian prime minister, Elio Di Rupo, attends an Aids awareness campaign event to promote the use of condoms at the central station Photograph: Olivier Hoslet/EPA

Dhaka, Bangladesh: a sex worker appears scared as an elephant tries to touch her with its trunk after the end of a procession to mark World Aids Day Photograph: Abir Abdullah/EPA

Jimbaran, Bali: a woman displays inflated condoms and pamphlets during a World Aids Day campaign. The World Health Organisation's theme for World Aids Day 2012 is Getting to Zero. Meaning zero new HIV infections; zero deaths from Aids-related illness; zero discrimination Photograph: Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP/Getty Images

Manila, Philippines: Filipinos light candles which are shaped into an AIDS symbol to mark World AIDS Day at the Heroes Shrine in suburban Quezon City. The activists are calling for increased awareness to the rising number of HIV infections and AIDS-related cases and called on the government and other sectors to help break the social stigma brought about by the disease Photograph: Bullit Marquez/AP

Mumbai, India: a child suffering from HIV/Aids wears a mask during an awareness campaign to mark World Aids Day. Children at the event wore masks in order to protect their identities, as Aids still carries strong social stigmas in India, organisers said Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Paris, France: volunteers hold hands on the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge to create a human chain as part of World Aids Day Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: a visitor reads postcards showing support for HIV-positive people during a World Aids Day campaign Photograph: Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images

San Salvador, El Salvador: activists participate in a march to help raise awareness of Aids Photograph: Jose Cabezas/AFP/Getty Images

Manila, Philippines: a man waves a rainbow flag during a parade to mark the day in Quezon City Photograph: Rouelle Umali/Xinhua Press/Corbis

Kathmandu, Nepal: candles are placed around the image of a red ribbon to mark World Aids Day Photograph: Sunil Pradhan/Xinhua Press/Corbis

Copenhagen, Denmark: candles are lit to mark the day, and in memory of those who have died of Aids at Nytorv Square in the city centre Photograph: Lars Krabbe/AP

Agra, India: students form the shape of an Aids ribbon near the Taj Mahal Photograph: Brijesh Singh/Reuters