South Asia has marked World AIDS Day with vows to fight harder to stop the spread of the deadly disease.
In India, where over five million people are already HIV positive, the government promised to better promote awareness about the pandemic, especially in rural areas and among young people.
India's AIDS Control Organization said the government plans to set up special trains containing an exhibition on AIDS, and clinics to provide medical facilities.
In Bangladesh, nearly 10,000 anti-AIDS activists marched through streets of the capital, Dhaka, to create public awareness about the disease. Similar rallies were held in Sri Lanka and Nepal.
In Pakistan, aid workers from around the world attended a conference that focused on empowering women to fight HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region, where men usually have a dominant role in society.