Mizoram, a landlocked state tucked in India’s Northeastern corner and cradled by international borders, often makes headlines for reasons that inspire pride. A close-knit community, the people here share each other’s joys and sorrows, their hearts collectively breaking over tragic crimes or sudden deaths.
This sense of unity also shapes some remarkable traits: shops run without shopkeepers, streets are marked by disciplined traffic, small wonders that speak volumes about the patience and discipline ingrained in the Mizo way of life.
Yet, even as these positive stories circulate, darker realities shadow the state’s image. One of the most concerning is Mizoram’s persistent position at the top of India’s HIV/AIDS statistics, a stark contrast to its otherwise harmonious and orderly reputation.
According to the India HIV Estimates 2021 Fact Sheet prepared by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the Northeast has the country’s highest adult HIV prevalence — Mizoram at 2.70%, Nagaland at 1.36%, and Manipur at 1.05%. The national average is just 0.2%.
What is even more alarming is that in a state where 87.16% of the state’s population according to the 2011 census are Christians – a denomination which strictly teaches to abstain from sex before marriage, the highest cause of the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state is unprotected sex accounting for 68.13% while 29.25 per cent contracted the disease through sharing needles and syringe.
EastMojo spoke to HIV/AIDS activists, members of the positive community, the general public, as well as church leaders, to understand how this statistic came to be in the state.
While the youth of the community are highly active in NGO and church activities, many citizens believe that behind this visible engagement lies a darker reality.
Reuben Lalmalsawma, a professional videographer and long-time member of the Christian youth community, shared his thoughts: “When we look at the church, there are numerous activities to keep the youth engaged. However, these do not appeal to everyone, and even those who participate actively are not necessarily practicing abstinence.”
Another youth, Lalkrosmawia, suggested that high testing rates could also be a factor. “Since the Mizo population is relatively small and there are many blood donation drives across the state, a significant number of people are tested for HIV/AIDS during these drives, which may increase reported statistics. It could also be that global trends are influencing us; we want to emulate lifestyles we see on TV and social media, just like people in developed countries.”
Echoing the complexity of the issue, an HIV-positive citizen involved in community initiatives told EastMojo on the condition of anonymity, “Despite the large amounts of money being spent to fight the spread of HIV, even through MSACS and its partners, the numbers continue to rise, which could be due to many reasons.”
According to the citizen, “The first factor is the high rate of casual sex. It would be alarming to see the number of people who are not careful or not bothered about casual sex. Prostitution and lustfulness have become so rampant that the city could almost be called a sex city.” They clarified that while their view is not based on a formal data-driven study, “From new HIV-positive patients we have cared for and befriended, there are a high number of cases where people are selling themselves through social media.”
They explained, “The youth want expensive clothes and phones. Our celebrities flaunt these luxuries on social media, and the youth want to copy their lifestyles. Because of this urge, they resort to selling themselves, which increases the risk of HIV.” The citizen also pointed out, “There is a high level of adultery. While a few people are faithful, many are not, and they sleep with people they meet at parties, becoming unfaithful to their partners. There are also people who cannot control their sexual urges but feel ashamed to buy or use condoms.”
The citizen further said, “Rampant drug use and needle sharing are also major factors. Apart from direct transmission through sharing needles, drug use often leads to unprotected sex. Delayed testing and late diagnosis also contribute, as people may spread the disease before they realize they are positive. While there is general awareness, there are still misconceptions — people believe HIV/AIDS only affects those with promiscuous lifestyles, while in reality it is also rampant among the general population.”
They highlighted migration as another issue: “Many HIV-positive migrants engage in sex and drugs. There are also people who, even after beginning treatment, lose interest in continuing. Among Mizos, marriage and divorce happen easily, and this has a huge impact on the children. Many of these children are left vulnerable, without aim, and have given up hope, putting them at high risk.”
The citizen also spoke about policy barriers, saying, “There are no policies or programs to strengthen the HIV-positive community. Even though the church sometimes takes action, it tends to focus more on morality than on harm reduction, which negatively affects strategies such as condom promotion and the use of safe and new needles and syringes. While MSACS does take action, there is still a perception that the fight against HIV rests only in their hands, and even MSACS has much to learn in program implementation.”
They further criticized the lack of meaningful community engagement: “To take impactful initiatives, there must be involvement of HIV-positive people who have lived through the struggle and pain. Under the National AIDS Control Program (NACP), the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) has strategies and objectives that emphasize strengthening community involvement. However, in Mizoram, MSACS does not put this into practice. Instead, they select people who align with their strategies while ignoring those who are genuinely passionate about the community. This creates a major barrier.”
The citizen concluded, “It is important to have capacity building, engagement, and strengthening of the HIV-positive community in Mizoram’s fight against HIV.”
This call for empowerment resonates with the voices of those living with HIV. In a WhatsApp discussion facilitated by EastMojo, members of a group of HIV-positive individuals were asked why unprotected sex continues to drive rising HIV/AIDS cases, and their responses revealed deep frustrations, personal reflections, and strong opinions about faith, family, and society.
One member admitted, “It is hard to explain this and risky to comment, but frankly speaking, calling ourselves Christians has a huge impact. Because we are Christians, there is a hurdle in spreading awareness of condom use. Every church only preaches that premarital sex is taboo. But even if young people cannot control themselves before marriage, they must be taught to practise protected sex.”
He recalled the church youth groups he once belonged to: “When I was an active Kristian Thalai Pawl member, we did discuss this matter, but there were limits on how far we could spread awareness about protection. If possible, different church youth groups from different denominations could put up pamphlets about protected sex in every corner. It is very unfortunate that we cannot spread the importance of protected sex just because we are Christians.”
Another member took a different angle: “One of the main reasons is that people have become careless. They think HIV is less dangerous than cancer because there is good medicine. People want to enjoy sex without condoms, and they are less fearful because of medical advances. To fight this, awareness is needed in churches, schools, and every corner. People should be shouting about this from the pulpit podiums.”
Others highlighted self-control. “Sex is something where self-control is very difficult, especially for men who become crazed with it. So it is not enough to raise awareness about self-control alone. People must be encouraged to always carry a condom with them,” one member said.
Family breakdowns were also cited: “I believe it is because of the high number of broken families. So many grow up without a solid family structure, without mothers and fathers to guide them, without worship services, even though we call ourselves Christians. Families and churches should speak up more about sex and its consequences.”
Another agreed, connecting it back to faith: “Many families start without true repentance. We are a people who think God is only present in the church. We have unveiled the wrath of God.”
One member spoke more starkly: “I thought I would not comment, but I want to say this. We are a Christian state and nearing the end of the world. Satan is working hard, especially on the youth. The most rampant sin is wrongful sex, followed by drugs. Today, even people who are HIV-positive do not want to admit it and continue to engage in sex. It is not enough to say there is awareness; there must be continuous awareness according to the times.”
Finally, another member connected it to corruption and wealth: “We are taking in more money due to corruption. This leads to our children becoming lazy, roaming around, negligent in religion, and more inclined toward sex. Once this lifestyle takes hold, it is very hard to leave, and it leads to more HIV/AIDS cases.”
Building on these concerns about societal influence, a revival speaker from one of Mizoram’s largest churches added perspective on youth behavior and lifestyle choices, saying, “Our youth have become lazy. Unemployment is rampant, peer pressure is strong, and drug peddlers are working overtime to flood the market. The Mizo people crave entertainment and enjoyment at any cost. With money in hand, the first question becomes how to spend it on pleasure. When we were in survival mode, this was not our lifestyle, but now we live in enjoyment mode.”
He continued, “Among drug users, men often steal to fund their habits, but women frequently turn to prostitution, which only fuels the spread of cases. We are hypocrites: outwardly painting a good picture, but inwardly hiding our evils. We are not courageous enough to face the truth of our HIV data.”
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