- About UNAIDS
- Our work
- Targets and commitments
- 2011 Political Declaration: Targets and elimination commitments
- Reducing sexual transmission
- Preventing HIV among drug users
- Eliminating new HIV infections among children
- 15 million accessing treatment
- Avoiding TB deaths
- Closing the resource gap
- Eliminating gender inequalities
- Eliminating stigma and discrimination
- Eliminating travel restrictions
- Strengthening HIV integration
- 2011 Political Declaration: Targets and elimination commitments
Feature stories
December
- Changing attitudes towards men who have sex with men and transgender people in Myanmar
- The Help Myanmar was awarded a prestigious Red Ribbon Award at the XIX International AIDS conference for its work on the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV and other STDs. The Red Ribbon Award is the world’s leading award for innovative and outstanding community work in the response to the AIDS epidemic.
- AIDS has been a wake-up call for us all – Dr Paul De Lay
- At UNAIDS the Deputy Executive Director of the Programme branch Dr Paul De Lay has been known to many as the “voice of reason”, deftly handling complex issues, generating consensus and providing clear direction.
- Sudan commits to stepping up its response to HIV
- Despite years of conflict and humanitarian emergencies, Sudan is stepping up its response to HIV. Across Sudan there are an estimated 69 000 people living with HIV and HIV prevalence is at 0.4%. Estimates also show that only 10% of the estimated number of people in need of antiretroviral treatment are receiving it.
- New campaign to stop new HIV infections among children launched in Sierra Leone
- The First Lady of Sierra Leone, Madam Sia Nyama Koroma has launched a national campaign to prevent new HIV infections among children called “Bon Pikin Wae Nor Get HIV” (Give Birth to Life without HIV).
- UNAIDS meets with the King of the Mossi
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé thanked the Mogho Naba, the King of the Mossi for encouraging traditional leaders and religious organizations to support the AIDS response in Burkina Faso. Mr Sidibé met with the King in his palace in Ouagadougou on 21 December.
- UNAIDS salutes the leadership of Burkina Faso’s President
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé congratulated the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré for his personal engagement in his country’s AIDS response during a meeting held on 20 December in the country’s capital of Ouagadougou. New HIV infections in Burkina Faso have dropped by 60% in the past ten years.
- The Third Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit opens in Burkina Faso
- Hundreds of youth leaders gathered in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on 20 December for the Third Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit. The meeting is focusing on how young people can contribute to a post-2015 development agenda and reach the UNAIDS vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
- Friends of UN Plus launched in Liberia
- The United Nations (UN) in Liberia has joined Mozambique, Swaziland, Rwanda and Ghana in launching the ‘Friends of UN Plus’ as part of its efforts to achieve a work environment that is free from stigma for all UN staff living with HIV and their families.
- UNAIDS Executive Director applauds Ethiopia on its remarkable progress in the AIDS response
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé congratulated the country on the dramatic decline in new HIV infections it has achieved during the past ten years on 17 December, while on an official visit to Ethiopia. Between 2001 and 2011, the rate of new HIV infections in Ethiopia among adults has been reduced by 90%.
- Eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive is not just about pills
- A mid-term review on the implementation of the Global Plan Towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children by 2015 and Keeping their Mothers Alive took place in Nairobi, Kenya from 6-7 December.
- UNAIDS board promotes non-discrimination of people affected by HIV
- The 31st meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) took place on the 11-13 of December and concluded with a day-long Thematic Segment focused on Non-Discrimination
- New guidelines to better prevent HIV in sex workers
- The World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with UNFPA, UNAIDS, and the Global Network of Sex Work Projects, have developed new guidelines to better protect sex workers from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
- “HIV and Sex Work Collection”: Innovative responses to sex work and HIV in Asia and the Pacific
- TOP Myanmar, VAMP Plus and Durjoy Nari Sangha are among 11 organizations whose work has been featured in The HIV and Sex Work Collection – Innovative responses in Asia and the Pacific, a compelling collection of case studies jointly produced by UNFPA, UNAIDS and the Asia-Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW).
- Women out loud: How women living with HIV will help the world end AIDS
- In a new report, entitled Women out loud, UNAIDS explores the impact of HIV on women and the instrumental role women living with the virus are playing to end AIDS. It includes the latest data and commentary from some of the leading advocates on women and HIV.
- The 31st meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board opens
- The 31st UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting is taking place in Geneva from 11-13 December.
- Interview with John Edward Greene, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for AIDS in the Caribbean
- John Edward Greene was appointed the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for AIDS in the Caribbean in November 2011, following his role as Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.
- Red Ribbon Award recognizes the work of Sri Lankan Women Living with HIV
- Princy Mangalika knows what it’s like to be ostracized. Twelve years ago when she became infected with HIV, her house was torched, she was chased out of her village and her children were banned from attending school in Sri Lanka
- Eastern Europe’s growing HIV epidemic under scrutiny
- Government officials, civil society representatives—including people living with HIV—and other experts in the AIDS response gathered in Warsaw, Poland to discuss the challenges faced by the region with the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the world.
- UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan supporting pregnant women living with HIV on World AIDS Day
- On World AIDS Day, UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan visited local hospital facilities in her hometown of Mumbai, India to learn more about the services provided to HIV positive pregnant women.
- Gaming for HIV prevention: a public-private partnership in Gabon
- According to the Ministry of Health of Gabon, only 1 out of 2 young Gabonese aged 15-24 have a comprehensive knowledge on HIV in a country where the prevalence rate among youth aged 15-24 is about 4.8%, and 15% of youth have sexual relationships before the age of 15.
- Haiti’s HIV successes and challenges acknowledged on World AIDS Day
- On one level, Haiti’s HIV response parallels its earthquake recovery. Although the task is far from over, national and international stakeholders have collaborated to confront the challenge and important gains have been made.
- UNAIDS encourages Haiti to eliminate HIV in children
- The President of Haiti ushered in World AIDS Day 2012 commemorations with a note of hope. “It would be a very beautiful success story if we could pull off an HIV-free generation,” declared President Michel Martelly, in a meeting on 30 November with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.
November
- South Africa’s savings in procurement of antiretroviral drugs to increase access to treatment for people living with HIV
- South Africa has, for the second time in a row, reduced the cost of procurement of antiretrovirals (ARVs) as announced by South African Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on 29 November.
- Peru launches campaign to increase HIV testing among men
- In the lead up to this year’s World AIDS Day, the Ministry of Health of Peru and Asociación Dignidad, in collaboration with UNAIDS and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), launched the campaign “It is better to know: Get an HIV test.” The initiative aims to increase HIV testing coverage in the country, particularly among men, by providing free HIV tests.
- UNAIDS and Italian football team up against AIDS
- To mark World AIDS Day, the Italian football league ‘Serie A’ will dedicate 2 days to UNAIDS. As part of the Together We Will End AIDS initiative, ten different football matches on the 2nd and 3rd of December will call attention to and promote action toward the UNAIDS goal of zero new infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.
- UNAIDS and Standard Bank Group partner to bring HIV awareness to the workplace
- The Standard Bank Group (SBG) and UNAIDS formalised, on 22 November, what had already been a long-term collaboration in the response to AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. They signed an official memorandum of understanding (MoU) for an initial period of two years to further collaborate on AIDS education and advocacy initiatives in the workplace.
- The International Labour Organization launches “Getting to Zero at Work” campaign
- The International Labour Organization (ILO), together with UNAIDS and the World Health Organization, launched on 27 November the “Getting to Zero at Work” campaign to promote the rights of people living with HIV in the workplace. The initiative recognizes the vital role that the world of work plays in the response to AIDS.
- Kenya launches campaign to stop new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keep their mothers alive
- A national campaign to stop new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive was announced on 16 November by the Kenyan Minister for Public Health and Sanitation Beth Mugo.
- 2012 World AIDS Day Statements
- Under this year’s World AIDS Day theme of “Getting to Zero”, the United Nations Secretary General, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and UNAIDS Cosponsors and partners speak out in special World AIDS Day statements.
- New momentum in the Arab AIDS response opens doors for change
- At a meeting convened by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the League of Arab States and supported by UNAIDS, governmental and non-governmental representatives recognized the need for urgent action as MENA is one of only two regions where the epidemic continues to grow.
- UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Toumani Diabaté continues to play against stigma and discrimination
- UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Toumani Diabaté visited the UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva on 16 November where he met with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé to take stock on the current state of the AIDS epidemic.
- UNFPA report focuses on rights-based approach to family planning
- The 2012 State of World Population report places renewed focus on the need for more policy and programmatic action to ensure that all people can equally access family planning services—which is critical to individuals’ abilities to exercise their reproductive rights.
- UNAIDS and PAHO strengthen collaboration towards putting an end to AIDS in the Americas
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé met on 7 November with the recently appointed Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Dr Carissa Etienne at the UNAIDS Headquarters in Geneva to strengthen collaboration towards putting an end to AIDS in the Americas.
- New generation of fashion designers supports UNAIDS in “Getting to Zero”
- Eleven young designers joined together to create an exclusive collection of tops and t-shirts for Italian fashion retailer OVS as part of the Make Love With campaign, a new initiative launched by OVS in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The campaign aims to raise both funds and awareness towards the UNAIDS vision of “zero new infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths”.
- Costa Rica to develop HIV strategies to reach male sex workers
- The Minister of Health of Costa Rica, Dr Daisy Corrales, is strengthening the AIDS response among key populations at higher risk in her country, which is where the epidemic remains concentrated.
- Interview with J.V.R.Prasada Rao, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for AIDS in Asia and the Pacific
- The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoys for AIDS are committed individuals selected by the United Nations Secretary-General to help advance the AIDS agenda at global level and to ensure that AIDS is kept high as a political priority in their respective regions.
October
- High-Level Taskforce for women, girls and HIV calls for accelerated efforts to protect the rights and wellbeing of young women and girls in South Africa
- The High-Level Taskforce for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV for Eastern and Southern Africa concluded a week-long political advocacy mission to South Africa calling for renewed commitment and leadership to protect the health and rights of young women and girls in the country.
- Namibia’s City of Windhoek collaborates to strengthen HIV response
- An urbanization movement has challenged Namibia’s capital City of Windhoek to find new ways to reach residents with health and HIV services.
- Goodwill Ambassador Hong Myung-bo praises Thailand’s HIV efforts
- South Korean football star Hong Myung-bo —a UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador— described his HIV fact-finding visit to Thailand this week as an “eye-opening experience” and a great learning opportunity.
- Myanmar commits to reaching zero new HIV infections in children by 2015
- Myanmar’s Minister of Health, Professor Dr. Pe Thet Khin, says his ministry is committed to working towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers healthy to raise them. Minister Pe Thet Khin jointly announced this commitment with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé in a meeting on 27 October in Mandalay.
- Myanmar overcomes major challenges to push forward its response to HIV
- The Vice-President of Myanmar, Dr Sai Mauk Kham, reconfirmed his government’s commitment to carrying out effective HIV programmes during a meeting with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. The two leaders met in Nay Pyi Taw, the country’s capital, where they discussed the progress made by Myanmar in responding to HIV despite the enormous challenges faced by the country.
- Benin’s Head of State calls for shared responsibility in the national AIDS response
- At an extraordinary session of Benin’s National AIDS Committee on 23 October, President Boni Yayi called for a series of measures to accelerate progress in the country’s AIDS response. Held at the Palais des Congrès in Cotonou, the session was attended by more than 350 participants, including ministers, ambassadors and representatives from the private sector, civil society, networks of people living with HIV, and United Nations agencies.
- Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi calls for zero discrimination of people living with HIV
- Nobel peace prize winner and Member of Parliament Aung San Suu Kyi calls on her fellow citizens and people around the globe to eliminate stigma and discrimination, which people living with HIV often face. On Friday, the leader of the National League for Democracy welcomed UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé to her residence in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar. The two leaders spoke at length about how to overcome stigma and discrimination of all marginalized groups.
- United Nations Deputy Secretary-General visits UNAIDS
- UNAIDS welcomed the visit from the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson to its headquarters in Geneva on 25 October.
- Indonesia to push for social inclusiveness as a global development goal
- Indonesia’s Head of the President’s Delivery Unit for Development Monitoring and Oversight and advisor to Indonesia’s President on the post 2015 development agenda, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto committed to not only maintaining but expanding key global development goals during a meeting with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé in Jakarta on Wednesday.
- HIV-positive Kami and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon promote women and children’s health
- Kami, a muppet from Takalani Sesame (South Africa's Sesame Street), who is openly living with HIV, joined the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in promoting children’s health. During a public service announcement Kami and Mr Ban talk about what they do to stay healthy including washing their hands before they eat, drinking plenty of clean water and exercising.
- Indonesia’s Minister of Health promises to transform the national response to AIDS
- Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Nafsiah Mboi, pledged to scale up HIV testing and treatment programmes, leading to zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS-related deaths. Minister Mboi met with UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé on Tuesday, on the first day of his two day trip to Indonesia.
- Scaling up and integrating palliative care for people living with HIV in Kenya
- Since its establishment, KEHPCA has been working to scale up palliative care to reach every terminally-ill patient in the country in need of care with high quality and accessible services. At the XIX International AIDS Conference that took place in Washington D.C. in July 2012, the organization received the Red Ribbon Award for their outstanding community work in the response to AIDS.
- Young people living with HIV in Latin America make their voices heard
- The Network of Positive Youth for Latin America and the Caribbean has launched a regional consultation for young people living with HIV. The aim of the consultation is to obtain information on the realities that young people living with HIV face in their everyday lives in order to develop new and more effective HIV strategies focused on their specific needs.
- Zambia learns from Kenya’s experience in developing HIV programmes for key populations at higher risk
- From 24 - 28 September 2012, members of the National AIDS Council of Zambia, with support from the country’s United Nations Joint Team on AIDS, visited to Kenya to learn about their HIV programmes to reach key populations including sex workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men and transgender people.
- Senegal commits to reducing AIDS dependency
- Meeting on 15 October with the Prime Minister of Senegal, Mr Abdoul Mbaye, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé commended the leadership of Senegal for its success in keeping national HIV prevalence low, at approximately 0.7%.
- Spotlight on the role of the EU in achieving universal health coverage in Africa
- A two-day conference to discuss the European Union’s role in supporting countries to reach universal health coverage explores Africa’s efforts in this direction.
- First Lady of the Democratic Republic of the Congo calls for the elimination of new HIV infections among children
- On the sidelines of the 14th Summit of the Francophonie, the First Lady of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Marie Olive Lembé Kabila, launched the initiative “Rolling back malaria and eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.”
- AIDS response remains a priority for La Francophonie
- At the end of the XIV Summit of La Francophonie, held from 12-14 October 2012 in Kinshasa, Heads of State and Government issued the Declaration of Kinshasa, a compilation of decisions taken by the International Organization of La Francophonie (IOF) that will serve as a roadmap in the coming years.
- 14th Francophonie Summit: Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity on the Agenda of UNAIDS and Heads of State
- At the opening of the XIV Francophonie Summit, held from 12 to 14 October 2012 in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, French President François Hollande confirmed the commitment of France to continue the development of innovative financing through taxes, like the tax on airline tickets, and those on financial transactions which are already in place.
- UNAIDS Executive Director meets Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of the Congo
- In a meeting on 12 October with the Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Matata Ponyo Mapon, UNAIDS Executive Director praised DRC’s leadership for organizing the 14th Summit of La Francophonie, which will be held in Kinshasa from 13-14 October.
- UNAIDS Executive Director calls for shared responsibility to address AIDS-related gaps in Congo
- In a meeting on 11 October at the Presidential Palace in Brazzaville, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé praised Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso for gains in the national AIDS response and called for shared responsibility to close remaining gaps.
- Senegal: a success story of AIDS investments and impact
- With new leadership and bold commitments, the Senegal has continued the success of its national AIDS response, keeping HIV prevalence low and earning the recognition of global partners for its progress and achievements.
- The hopes and dreams of young women growing up with HIV
- A group of nine inspirational young women born with HIV recently came together at UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva to share their experiences and to build a foundation for work in the future. The gathering was part of a broader agenda to promote and protect the human rights, especially the sexual and reproduction health and rights, of all women living with HIV. This is their message to the world which they would like to share on the first ever International Day of the Girl Child.
- Increased country ownership to ensure long term sustainability of HIV services in Ukraine
- Representatives from the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) visited Ukraine from 4-5 October to learn about its National AIDS Programme and to experience first-hand the progress made and the challenges remaining in the country’s AIDS response. This was the first visit of the UNAIDS governing body to the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region.
- FIGO 2012 discusses role of professional organisations in upholding patients’ rights
- The 2012 World Congress of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) brought to Rome, Italy, thousands of participants to discuss ways to improve women's health, reduce infant and maternal mortality and promote the right to sexual health.
- UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Naomi Watts advocates for an HIV-free generation
- Mozambique is one of the settings of a new film about the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. It’s also where UNAIDS.org caught up with actress and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Naomi Watts. She talked about her work in support of UNAIDS efforts towards an AIDS free generation—ensuring no new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive.
- Alternative action on compulsory detention: Innovative responses in Asia
- The National Assembly of Viet Nam passed a new Law on the Handling of Administrative Sanctions which effectively ends the practice of detaining sex workers in ‘05’ centres. The Law also allows drug users who are subject to compulsory treatment in drug detoxification centres to have court hearings on their cases and legal representation at the court.
- Ecuadorian government implements social protection policy for children living with HIV
- The government of Ecuador, under the leadership of President Rafael Correa, recently approved a new public policy aimed at the protection of children living with HIV. The new policy will also complement efforts to eliminate new HIV infections among children in the country.
- New handbook to improve design of HIV programmes focusing on men who have sex with men in the Middle East and North Africa region
- A new handbook to help design and implement HIV programmes focusing on men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) was released on 27 September by UNAIDS in Cairo, Egypt.
- A Future without AIDS: Dream or Reality?
- The World Leaders Forum and the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) co-hosted a special event at Columbia University entitled “A Future without HIV/AIDS: Dream or Reality?” on 28 September.
September
- Cricket players go out to bat for HIV awareness at ICC WT20
- World cricket players have united in a call to young fans to ‘get the facts’ about HIV prevention and to help eliminate AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. The call is part of a United Nations and International Cricket Council (ICC) HIV awareness-raising campaign taking place alongside the ICC World Twenty20 (WT20) tournament in Sri Lanka, which runs until 7 October.
- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon launches “Education First” to send every child to school
- The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon launched a new initiative “Education First” to ensure that every child goes to school, receives quality education and imbibes values of global citizenship.
- UN Secretary-General takes stock of the progress made in the implementation of the Every Woman Every Child initiative
- The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon brought together on 25 September in New York, leaders from government, civil society, the private sector and international organizations during a reception to draw attention to the progress made on the Every Woman Every Child initiative.
- Leaders review progress made on the implementation of the UN Resolution on HIV and Security
- The President of Gabon H.E. Ali Bongo held a discussion with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and Head of the United Nations Department of Peace Keeping Operations Hervè Lasdous on AIDS and security during the 67th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
- UNAIDS Executive Director rings the New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown in support of Education
- Joining the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown, Sarah Brown and school students from New York, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé visited the New York Stock Exchange to ring the Opening Bell to highlight the need for access to education.
- Empowering women for better results in development
- First Ladies of several African countries, government officials and representatives from international and civil society organizations working on development and women’s issues gathered in New York on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting to discuss ways to empower women and youth especially through digital technologies.
- UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director commends Government of Namibia for progress in its national HIV response
- UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Jan Beagle met with Honourable Nahas Angula, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia, as part of her official visit to the country this week. Ms Beagle also met with the First Lady Madame Pohamba in her capacity as Chair of OAFLA, the Minister of Health, development partners and civil society, the UN country team and conducted a field visit to the high prevalence regions in the north.
- Cricket and HIV campaign hits the road aboard the “Let’s talk” bus in Sri Lanka
- A bus embossed with HIV messages, red ribbons and the faces of world cricketing stars is making a whistle stop tour through more than a hundred sites in Sri Lanka. Carrying young volunteers, the bus is part of the HIV awareness-raising campaign “Let’s talk” taking place around the world Twenty20 cricket tournament that runs from 18 September to 7 October in Sri Lanka.
- UNAIDS publication highly commended by British Medical Association
- The British Medical Association (BMA) highly commended the UNAIDS publication AIDS at 30: Nations at the crossroads (AIDS at 30) at their annual Book Awards ceremony held in London on 13 September 2012. AIDS at 30 had been selected among more than 800 books and other documents and was competing in the public health category.
- UNAIDS joins with Luxembourg to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel
- The humanitarian crisis in the Sahel is affecting the lives of millions of people across the region. In eight countries stretching from Chad in the East to Senegal in the West, countries, communities and families are faced with a combination of political instability, drought, poverty, high grain prices, environmental degradation and chronic underdevelopment which has resulted in high levels of malnutrition and insecurity.
- Finding an AIDS Vaccine in the Context of Combination Prevention
- From 9-12 September, more than a thousand HIV researchers and advocates, meeting in Boston for the AIDS Vaccine 2012 Conference, discussed the contribution of vaccine science to achieving the goal of zero new HIV infections in an increasingly complex HIV prevention landscape.
- UNICEF report: AIDS remains a leading cause of under-five deaths despite progress
- A new progress report released by UNICEF titled "Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed" is showing a sharp drop in the estimated number of deaths among children under the age of five worldwide. This number fell from nearly 12 million in 1990 to an estimated 6.9 million in 2011.
- Ukraine to lead the AIDS response in Eastern Europe
- A senior delegation from Ukraine led by the Vice-Prime-Minister and Minister of Health, Raisa Bogatyrova met with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé at the UNAIDS Headquarters in Geneva on 12 September 2012. During the meeting, they discussed the existing challenges and opportunities for an effective HIV response in the country.
- Breaking the cycle of stigma and discrimination in rural Uganda
- Justine, a 38-year-old Ugandan woman, tested positive for HIV during an antenatal visit at the local health centre when she was pregnant with her fourth child. After disclosing her HIV status to her husband, he left home and never came back.
August
- Regional forum highlights achievements and gaps in HIV responses across Latin America
- More than 4000 delegates—including government officials, health experts, community leaders, scientists, indigenous populations, youth and people living with HIV—convened from 28-31 August in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for the 6th Latin American and Caribbean Forum on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
- Homophobia and punitive laws continue to threaten HIV responses and human rights
- In many regions of the world, punitive laws and practices against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals continue to block effective responses to HIV. A range of human rights violations have been documented, from denial of health services and freedom of association to harassment, violence and murder.
- The Dominican Republic to confront its HIV treatment gap
- The Dominican Republic is one step closer to ensuring that all people living with HIV access treatment. The country’s National Social Security Council has established a commission to look into the technical, financial and operational implications of including antiretroviral treatment in the Basic Health Plan.
- UNAIDS welcomes the '(RED) RUSH TO ZERO' campaign
- Delivering an AIDS-free generation is the goal of a new (RED) campaign unveiled this summer. In partnership with America Móvil, a leading wireless provider in Latin America, the (RED) RUSH TO ZERO campaign aims to raise awareness and mobilize resources to end new HIV infections among children by 2015.
- World Humanitarian Day: celebrating those who face danger and adversity to help others
- World Humanitarian Day, observed on August 19, is an opportunity to celebrate the spirit of people helping people. The day is dedicated to recognizing those who face danger and adversity to help others, regardless of who they are and where they are.
- Angolan women say ‘no’ to discrimination and ‘yes’ to gender equality
- High-level women decision makers recently came together in the National Assembly of Angola to endorse the “Harare Call to Action” and discuss how the country will address HIV and gender-based violence. They engaged on issues related to domestic and sexual violence and the inclusion of women in decisions concerning their families, economic development, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
- Kenyan President commits more resources to the AIDS response
- Kenya’s government, under the leadership of President Mwai Kibaki, has allocated additional funding to its national AIDS response. The announcement came last Friday during a high level advocacy meeting in Nairobi with four members of the non-profit organization Champions for an HIV-Free Generation.
- Young volunteers in Honduras strengthen UNAIDS efforts in the response to HIV
- UNAIDS provides volunteers with technical support for the planning and implementation of community mobilization and outreach activities, as well as a physical space where volunteers can work independently. About 40 young people have taken part in this initiative since 2007, and through their work they have been able to reach young people at a national level.
- Empowering marginalized and vulnerable communities in Namibia
- The Khaibasen Community Project in Namibia has been engaged in raising awareness, providing education and giving voice to vulnerable communities, especially girls who are engaging in transactional sex to make ends meet.
- Putting young people at the centre of the response to HIV
- Young people between the ages of 15-24 are the group most affected by AIDS, accounting for 40% of all adult HIV infections. About 5 million are living with HIV worldwide, with over 2400 15-24 year olds infected every day in 2011. Although these numbers show a decrease in HIV prevalence among young people in the last decade, there clearly remains a lot of work to be done.
- Empowering people with hearing impairments: a step towards three zeros
- When Marwei (24) became pregnant she could not disclose her condition due to cultural taboos associated with pregnancy out of wedlock in Zimbabwe. To make her situation worse she was born with a speech and hearing impairment. Marwei died at age 25 neglected at her mother’s rural homestead. She never disclosed who had made her pregnant. Negative traditional beliefs leave people with disabilities unprotected from abuse by family members, relatives and other sexual predators. To make the situation worse people with hearing and speech impairments are often left out in HIV programmes.
- Women everywhere have the right to informed consent
- Since 2008, cases of forced sterilisation have been reported, among others, in Chile, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Venezuela and Zambia.
- Jamaica’s new HIV strategy: “Making Human Rights Real”
- Jamaica’s new National HIV Strategic Plan 2012-2017 focuses on an enabling environment and human rights. The plan was developed in 2011 through a highly consultative process involving the government, private sector, faith-based organizations, youth, people living with HIV and international development partners.
- Investing into the future- Ending AIDS through eliminating new HIV infections among children in Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe’s government through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (MoHCW) and the National AIDS Council (NAC) is working with various partners at the community level to prevent mother- to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). The Zimbabwe National AIDS Strategic Plan II (2011-2015) prioritises PMTCT and aims to reduce the rate of mother to child transmission from 14% in 2010 to 7% in 2013 and less than 5% by 2015.
July
- AIDS 2012 ends with push towards 2015 global AIDS targets
- The XIX International AIDS Conference concluded in Washington, DC on Friday after five days of hundreds of sessions, programme activities, workshops, poster presentations and side-events aimed at bringing forward the latest thinking and developments in the global HIV response.
- African leaders highlight progress and challenges in HIV responses
- How have countries across sub-Saharan Africa fared in responding to the HIV epidemic? What further actions are needed to reach the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support in the region? These were among the key questions addressed by a high-level panel of African leaders at the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington DC.
- President Obama pledges US support to end AIDS
- President of the United States of America Barack Obama hosted a reception for the leaders of the AIDS response attending the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington DC on Thursday 26 July.
- Mogadishu – HIV in a time of unrest
- Despite relative improvement of security in Mogadisu conditions exist in the city and throughout Somalia for a growing epidemic as trade increases, internally displaced persons move into cities in search of better livelihood and sex work sprouts at borders and ports.
- Sex workers demand respect for their fundamental rights in a parallel summit to the AIDS 2012
- As thousands of delegates gather for the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) in Washington, D.C. this week, a parallel satellite hub, the Sex Worker Freedom Festival, is taking place in Kolkata, India, from 22-26 July.
- SEROvie’s evolving MSM strategy
- After 22 years of absence, the International AIDS Conference is again taking place in the United States of America. This is a direct consequence of the government’s decision in 2009 to lift restrictions of entry into the country for people living with HIV. And precisely, the public health and human rights impacts of HIV travel restrictions were discussed at a satellite session on the first day of the conference.
- CONDOMIZE! Campaign hits AIDS 2012
- There is a renewed emphasis on condoms at the XIX International AIDS Conference being held in Washington, DC from 22-27 July as a campaign promoting their use and availability. At the conference the CONODOMIZE! Campaign has been re-launched with the distribution of 850 000 condoms. The Campaign aims to highlight the effectiveness of this prevention commodity and calls for greater access to quality condoms as a primary defence against HIV.
- “Abandon the concepts of dependency and charity and explore new possibilities for collaboration, activism and financing”
- At the plenary session titled What will it take to turn the tide? UNAIDS Director, Evidence, Innovation and Policy, Dr Bernhard Schwartländer, highlighted the many new possibilities for collaboration, activism and financing for the AIDS response as economic growth is rapidly changing the global order.
- Ways to improve women's health in the HIV context
- Investing in HIV responses that address the needs and rights of women and girls was the main focus of a High-Level Panel meeting held at the 19th International AIDS Conference titled "Securing Investment in HIV and Gender Equality for Social Change".
- AIDS 2012: Making sure countries really own their national response to AIDS
- During the International AIDS Conference a high-level series of panel discussions explored how countries can play a more central leadership and ownership role and how partners can provide support to increase effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of national AIDS responses.
- Secretary Clinton calls for shared responsibility at AIDS 2012
- The 19th AIDS Conference Opening Plenary was highlighted with a call to “restore our faith to reach an AIDS free generation,” by United States Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton. “America in this for the long haul,” she said to wide applause from the thousands of delegates attending the conference.
- “To end AIDS, we need innovation, shared responsibility, mutual accountability and global solidarity”
- At the plenary session titled Turning the Tide in Affected Countries (leadership, accountability and targets), UNAIDS Director, Regional Support Team, Eastern and Southern Africa, Professor Sheila Tlou, took stock of the progress made in the AIDS response to date and pointed out the challenges remaining to overcome the AIDS epidemic.
- No one should be left behind: Innovations in partnerships for a more equitable AIDS response
- While the AIDS response has been one of the most successful global health campaigns in history and a fearless proponent of social transformation, access to progress has not been equal.
- Workshop to include people with disabilities in HIV policy
- Skills-building workshop discusses the importance of integrating the needs of people with disabilities into the AIDS response
- HIV Travel Restrictions: Latest Developments
- Co-hosted by UNAIDS and the Government of the Republic of Korea, the satellite session on HIV Travel Restrictions: Latest Developments aimed to hear new developments in Korea about their own restrictions as well as to take stock of where the global situation of travel restrictions stands some 30 years into the epidemic.
- TB and HIV integration discussed at AIDS 2012
- To give voice to TB and HIV affected communities around the world by sharing their experience and views on the way forward in the fight against the two diseases, a live web casted talk show took place at the Newseum during the International AIDS Conference entitled “Tuberculosis + HIV: Protecting the Vulnerable”.
- The HIV experience and other chronic diseases
- Taking HIV out of isolation, a satellite session at the 19th International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC, examined ways in which service delivery systems have evolved in addressing HIV as a chronic health issue.
- More effective AIDS coordination at country level discussed at AIDS 2012
- To review lessons learned and establish key principles for more effective coordination of the AIDS response, a meeting took place during the International AIDS Conference entitled Fit for purpose: striving for more effective AIDS coordination at country level.
- AIDS 2012 opens in Washington, DC with call for renewed political will and commitment to get to zero
- After more than two decades, the International AIDS Conference has returned to the United States, representing the renewed commitment for the global HIV response. The XIX International AIDS Conference opened on 22 July in Washington, DC, under the theme “Turning the Tide Together.”
- UNAIDS and partners launch ‘Youth Score’ ahead of International AIDS Conference
- On the eve of the first International AIDS Conference in the United States in two decades, Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), joined US Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and others to launch Youth Score—a series of events to mobilize young people to lead the way to an AIDS-free generation.
- The importance of remembering: The AIDS Memorial Quilt unveils at AIDS 2012
- As thousands of delegates from around the world gather for the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington, the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, one of the key symbols of the global response past and present, was unveiled across the metropolitan DC area.
- Pre-conference focuses on HIV and human rights concerns of gay and other men who have sex with men and transgender people
- The Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) organised a fifth biennial gathering of activists, researchers, global donors and other key stakeholders to focus on HIV and human rights concerns of gay, other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people.
- People living with HIV meet for strengthened AIDS response
- People living with HIV from around the globe met in Washington, DC to identify the advocacy and policy positions that will re-define the global advocacy agenda for people living with HIV in response to a changing epidemic.
- Faith community take action on health, dignity and justice in the context of HIV
- What is the added value of faith communities taking action on health, dignity and justice in the context of HIV? This was the fundamental question addressed by participants at the interfaith event held in Washington DC on 20 July 2012. Taking Action for Health, Dignity and Justice explored ways in which faith communities can use both advocacy and on-the-ground responses to address the root causes of vulnerability to HIV and promote a more just, equitable and inclusive societies.
- Young people to put themselves at the heart of AIDS 2012
- Every day 2 400 young people aged 15 to 24 are infected with HIV around the globe, which represents 40% of all new infections among adults. With this age group bearing a significant burden of the epidemic, they must be central to the AIDS response. An event on the eve of AIDS 2012 is bringing together around 200 young people to ensure that youth participation in the major international AIDS gathering of the year is meaningful and effective.
- UNAIDS to launch new report –Together we will end AIDS
- The new 2012 UNAIDS report Together we will end AIDS will be launched ahead of the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC, which is taking place from 22-27 July.
- UNAIDS commends leadership of AIDS Watch Africa ahead of African Union Summit
- Addressing more than African high-level officials at a meeting today in Addis Ababa, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé praised AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) as a leader in HIV responses across the African continent. The meeting, hosted by AWA’s action committee, was held on the eve of the 19th African Union (AU) Summit.
- People who use drugs talk about HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
- The community of people who use drugs called for an urgent shift from prohibitive policies to public health and humane approaches towards people who use drugs in Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the International AIDS Forum held on 9-10 July, 2012 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
- Women speak out about HIV in the Middle East and North Africa
- In “Standing Up, Speaking Out”, a new UNAIDS report launched today in Cairo, Egypt, 140 women living with HIV from 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) express the realities that shape the hopes and grievances of their lives.
- Summit on Family Planning stresses on linkages with HIV services
- Putting the spotlight back on family planning, the UK Government along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation organised a summit in London to support the right of women and girls to decide, freely and for themselves, whether, when and how many children they have.
- Global Commission on Law urges countries to make the law work for HIV, not against it
- The Global Commission on HIV and the Law launched its landmark report on 9 July 2012 at UN Headquarters in New York. The new report denounces the detrimental impact that punitive laws have on human rights and the HIV response and makes bold recommendations for addressing them.
- First meeting of the UNAIDS Executive Director with top officials in France’s new government
- Meeting for the first time with high-level authorities in President Francois Hollande’s new government, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé said that he looked forward to a continued and fruitful partnership between UNAIDS and France. He congratulated French leaders—past and present—for the country’s longstanding commitment to the global HIV response and its support to key areas such as access to treatment, human rights and addressing social inequalities.
- Value for money in health programming a key theme at African ministerial conference in Tunisia
- Addressing 60 Ministers of Finance and Health at a conference in Tunis on 4 July, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé praised African leaders for their increased engagement and partnership in HIV responses across the region.
- UNAIDS Executive Director meets with the new leadership of Tunisia
- Meeting on 2-3 July with top officials of Tunisia’s new tripartite coalition government, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé praised the country’s leadership for its strong commitment to reducing stigma and discrimination—a key barrier to progress in HIV responses across the region.
- Dr Nafis Sadik: A decade as UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Asia and the Pacific
- Dr Nafis Sadik, a national of Pakistan, was appointed Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for AIDS in Asia and the Pacific in 2002. In ten years as Special Envoy, she has travelled extensively across the region to promote key issues and advocate for an expanded, multisectoral response to HIV in Asia and the Pacific at the highest levels.
- An HIV test in the privacy of your own home
- One option to radically shift test access is self-testing at home. The option for self-testing at a time and place of a person’s own choosing creates the potential to overcome some of the barriers of stigma, lack of confidentiality and difficulty in access that often apply to testing in test centres or clinics.
- Youth to play a key role in the AIDS response in Eastern Europe and Central Asia as EURO 2012 ends
- EURO 2012 provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the AIDS epidemic among a large audience across Europe as millions of fans, communities and nations watched the games, listened to football players and engaged in social activism.
June
- Panama to sort out challenges in delivering antiretroviral medicines
- The National AIDS Authority of Panama (CONAVIH) held its quarterly session on 26 June 2012. The meeting reviewed the stock out of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines that has been affecting the country in the past months.
- HIV in Libya: New evidence and evolving response
- The HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs in the Libyan capital Tripoli is at an alarming 87% according to the results from bio-behavioral surveys conducted by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine with the support of the European Union.
- Award-winning youth drama Shuga: Love, Sex, Money to reach new audiences in radio format
- Young audiences in six African countries will be able to share the experiences of a vivid cast of characters in a dramatic new radio show: Shuga: Love, Sex, Money. The programme hit the airwaves on 27 June in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Tanzania across 65 stations.
- UNAIDS Executive Director commends Chinese government for its bold leadership on AIDS
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé met with Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing as part of a two-day official visit to the country. Mr Sidibé acknowledged the significant progress achieved by the Chinese government since his last visit in December 2011 and highlighted the importance of sustained commitment to the AIDS response during, and following China’s upcoming leadership transition.
- Thailand launches new AIDS strategy to ‘Get to Zero’
- Thailand has become the latest country in the Asia and the Pacific region to align its national AIDS strategy with the UNAIDS vision of getting to zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
- Global AIDS community explores vital need for the next generation of National Strategic Plans for AIDS
- In Nairobi this week, the World Bank in collaboration with UNAIDS, its cosponsors and the Global Fund brought together representatives of National authorities, civil society organisations including people living with HIV and development partners to build consensus on the role and nature of the next generation of National Strategic Plans (so called NSP-3G).
- Rio+20: The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
- The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20 will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 20-22 June. The high-level meeting brings together more than 100 Heads of State and government, along with UN officials and representatives of the private sector and civil society to shape new policies to promote prosperity, reduce poverty and advance social equity and environmental protection.
- World Refugee Day: ‘What would you do?’
- How does it feel to become a refugee? How do people fleeing their homes cope with the life and death choices confronting them? To mark World Refugee Day, observed on June 20 every year, stark questions like these are posed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in a new campaign.
- Football World Cup for lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual people gives AIDS the Red Card
- The game of football has once again scored a goal against HIV at the 2012 International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) World Championship Cup, held in Mexico from 1st to 9th June 2012.
- President of the International AIDS Society speaks on the strategic importance of the upcoming International AIDS Conference
- Professor Elly Katabira, President of the International AIDS Society (IAS), visited UNAIDS on June 15 to speak on the strategic importance of the upcoming International AIDS Conference for the global AIDS response. The XIX International AIDS Conference will take place in Washington DC from July 22-27.
- “No Time to Lose” an exceptional journey through global health
- The new book No Time to Lose by Peter Piot, the Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, is garnering praise as a candid and passionate account of a lifetime pursuing and outsmarting deadly viruses.
- Achieving 2015 Targets through Strategic AIDS Financing
- Coinciding with the 2012 General Assembly AIDS review, the Permanent Missions of Malawi and Luxembourg to the United Nations and UNAIDS organized a panel discussion to further understand the strategic investments needed for the AIDS response. The discussion brought together representatives of member states, UN organizations and civil society.
- UN Secretary-General presents progress report on AIDS response
- At the 66th session of the General Assembly held on 11 June in New York, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon introduced the 2012 report on the progress made in the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the Political Declarations on HIV/AIDS.
- UNAIDS promotes “play safe” message during Euro 2012
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé arrived in Warsaw, Poland, on 8 June for a day-long mission to meet with national stakeholders in the AIDS response and participate in the inauguration of UEFA Euro 2012, the European football championship.
- UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board discusses the need for a renewed focus on combination HIV prevention
- If the vision of zero new HIV infections is to be achieved, a reinvigoration of HIV prevention is urgently needed. This will be most effective if a combination prevention approach is adopted, where multi-faceted and tailored programmes are implemented. An in-depth exploration of how such an approach can be implemented took place during the thematic session of the 30th UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting in Geneva on 6 June.
- UNAIDS Executive Director calls on African leaders to reduce the ‘triple dependency’ on external aid
- Delivering a speech at today’s opening session of the 16th Conference of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé congratulated leaders across the region for their personal commitment to the HIV response, specifically with regard to upholding human rights and protecting human capital.
- UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board meeting opens
- UNAIDS governing body, the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) is holding its 30th Board meeting from 5-7 June in Geneva.
- Getting to zero AIDS-related deaths: TRIPS and the potential impact of free trade agreements
- Antiretroviral drugs have changed the way in which HIV is viewed—from a death sentence to a chronic illness. That achievement was propelled by a surge in donor funding and by the drastic reduction of the cost of first-line antiretroviral regimens from around US$ 10 000 to under US$ 100 per person per year over the past decade, due in part to the increased availability of low-cost generic medicines.
May
- UNAIDS Executive Director highlights progress in Chad’s AIDS response
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé concluded his official visit to Chad on 31 May after meeting with President Idriss Deby Itno, First Lady Hinda Deby Itno, senior government officials and civil society to highlight the country’s progress in the AIDS response.
- Sex workers learn business skills in new community-based ILO project
- Sex workers in Bangkok are being trained to set up their own businesses in a new project spearheaded by the International Labour Organisation. The intervention is designed to challenge the economic vulnerability of sex workers and help them create additional forms of income generation.
- UNAIDS highlights Zimbabwe’s progress in responding to AIDS
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé concluded his first official visit to Zimbabwe on 25 May after meeting with President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan R. Tsvangirai to highlight the country’s progress in the AIDS response.
- Launch of African women’s leadership network aims to advance gender equality and AIDS response
- Leading African women from national ministries and parliaments, the business community, networks of women living with HIV, and civil society and development organizations are in Zimbabwe’s capital to attend the inaugural meeting of the GlobalPOWER Women Network Africa. This women-led initiative will provide a strategic political platform to accelerate HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health and rights responses for women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa.
- UNAIDS saddened by the death of Abel Shinana
- Abel Shinana, the late Coordinator of African Sex Workers Alliance in Namibia, was a courageous and vocal advocate for the rights of sex workers, people living with HIV and the LGBTI population. He was also a critical partner for both UNFPA and UNAIDS on efforts to address HIV among sex workers at both country and global levels.
- UNAIDS and PEPFAR bring together Health Ministers and partners to advance progress in ending new HIV infections in children
- Ministers of Health and representatives from the 22* countries with the most new HIV infections in children have come together to report on progress towards achieving zero new HIV infections in children by 2015 and find ways of stepping up action.
- UNAIDS and Luxembourg foster joint action on AIDS
- The Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has been a long-standing champion of the AIDS response both in its domestic approach to the epidemic and through its support to countries most affected by HIV. It has also been committed to supporting UNAIDS in terms of sustained funding as well as political support.
- UNAIDS joins 20th Anniversary Life Ball in Vienna
- Europe’s biggest AIDS charity event was held on 19 May in the Austrian city of Vienna. Organized by AIDS LIFE, the Life Ball 2012 brought together celebrities and influential leaders in the global AIDS response to celebrate the 20th anniversary of what has become one of the largest AIDS fundraising events worldwide since it was first held in 1993.
- Cross-political support for accelerated HIV response in Myanmar
- A high-level United Nations delegation led by Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on AIDS in Asia, Dr Nafis Sadik visited Myanmar to take stock of the progress made and challenges remaining in the AIDS response.
- The quest for an HIV vaccine
- There is broad scientific consensus that getting to zero new HIV infections will require an HIV vaccine. Modelling shows that even a partially effective HIV vaccine can save many lives and dollars over time.
- “Making Rights a Reality”: The experiences of organizations of transgender people in the AIDS response
- In Latin America, transgender people face stigma and discrimination based on their gender identity every day. Such situations limit their access to the education system, job opportunities and health services which, in turn, increase their vulnerability to HIV.
- HIV programmes for MSM and transgendered people gradually being scaled up in India
- Rupali always felt she was different. Born as a boy in India, she liked wearing girls’ clothes and finally at the age of 20, decided to disclose to her family her gender orientation. She declared she wanted to live as a woman.
- Influential leaders champion the role of the private sector in challenging HIV and global health threats
- Taking stock of the successes, challenges and future of the global AIDS response after three decades was at the core of the Global Business Coalition annual conference on Health (GBCHealth) held from 14-15 May in New York.
- UNITAID: Five years of health innovation brings new approach and new medicines to developing country markets
- Through spearheading innovative initiatives and providing financing for global health over the past five years, UNITAID has had a dramatic impact on millions of lives, using creative market approaches to increase access to treatment and diagnostics for HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. In its latest progress report UNITAID highlights a series of successes that have led to more focused and effective health interventions.
- Sweden and UNAIDS stress the importance of youth engagement in shaping global health agenda
- An official delegation from Sweden led by the Minister of International Cooperation, Gunilla Carlsson met with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé at the UNAIDS Headquarters in Geneva. Young people features high on the agenda.
- South Africa launches campaign to reduce maternal mortality
- South Africa struggles with a high rate of maternal and child mortality. To reduce this, the campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) was launched at Osindisweni Hospital in Ethekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal Province on Friday 4 May.
- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon leads a high-level mission to India in support of the Every Woman Every Child initiative
- On 28 April, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led a high-level mission to Mumbai, India in support of the Every Woman Every Child initiative. During the visit, the Secretary-General commended Indian officials for the progress made in the AIDS response. Mr Ban also encouraged the Government of India to continue efforts to eliminate new paediatric HIV infections by 2015—one of the objectives of the Secretary-General’s five-year action plan.
- “See to understand”: Human rights, zero discrimination and improved AIDS response
- In Guatemala, wearing a pair of red glasses has transcended from being a fashion statement to a symbol against stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV. UNAIDS, in partnership with the National Red Cross, launched “See to understand”, a campaign that challenges people to look at the world through red glasses for a new perspective on what it can mean to live with HIV.
- Thailand and neighbouring countries get together to help provide HIV treatment for thousands of migrants in need
- Migration plays an integral role in Thailand’s economic development and the country hosts more than five million migrants from Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Myanmar. Many find themselves in situations that heighten their risk of HIV and have difficulty accessing key services such as antiretroviral therapy (ART). Partners in the region are exploring ways of ensuring better provision of ART to this potentially vulnerable group.
April
- Innovative WFP electronic voucher programme in Zimbabwe brings relief to many living with HIV
- Thousands of people living with HIV in Zimbabwe are no longer going hungry thanks to a creative intervention spearheaded by the World Food Programme. The project, which involves households receiving electronic vouchers that can be used to buy highly nutritious food, is proving a lifeline to people living with HIV.
- Joint PEPFAR-UNAIDS mission spotlights progress and challenges in preventing new HIV infections among children in Nigeria
- Preventing new HIV infections among children and saving mothers’ lives were high on the agenda in a two-day mission to Nigeria by Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, and Ambassador Eric Goosby, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.
- Nigerian governors commit to stopping new HIV infections in children
- In a round-table discussion, high-level representatives from six Nigerian states committed to working with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to eliminate new HIV infections in children. The meeting came at the start of a joint two-day mission to Abuja by UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Sidibé and Ambassador Goosby, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.
- ACT UP turns 25—marking a quarter century of AIDS activism
- AIDS activism had its start with groups like ACT UP—the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power. Twenty-five years ago this month, Larry Kramer was speaking from his heart in New York and galvanizing what would become the first group to use political advocacy to change the course of the AIDS epidemic.
- Landmark report on HIV among Zambia’s young people highlights challenges and charts the way forward
- For Zambia’s young people the AIDS response has seen a number of important successes, with a significant 25% decline in HIV incidence over the last decade. However, according to a groundbreaking new report, the AIDS epidemic continues to have a huge effect on the country’s youth, especially young women, and much more needs to be done to achieve an HIV-free generation.
- World Bank: Greatly intensified HIV prevention in Africa vital to managing long-term financial impact of AIDS
- Without a dramatic reduction in HIV infections in Africa existing national AIDS treatment programmes could become unsustainable in the future, warns a new World Bank Report. African governments, development partners and donors are urged to actively intensify their HIV prevention efforts to stop this becoming a reality.
- Prioritising gender equality in response to AIDS in Liberia
- Cynthia Quaqua is a mother, wife, the president of the Liberian Women’s Empowerment Network (LIWEN), and, perhaps most importantly, a survivor. Raped by soldiers during the Liberian civil war, she became pregnant as a young woman. Years later she fell ill and was diagnosed with HIV. Suddenly, she found herself abandoned by her relatives even began discussing where to bury her.
- UNAIDS requests Pope Benedict XVI for support in efforts to stop new HIV infections in children
- The Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibé has asked for Pope Benedict XVI’s personal engagement in ending new HIV infections in children. During an audience with the Pope, Mr Sidibé spoke to him about how keeping children free from HIV was an achievable goal and, with concerted efforts, one which can be reached by 2015.
- West Indies cricketers support UNAIDS vision of eliminating new HIV infections among children
- Hosting a group of students on 6 April at the Kensington Oval stadium in Bridgetown, Barbados, the West Indies Cricket Team expressed solidarity with the UNAIDS vision of zero new HIV infections among children. The event was held as part of the Think Wise Campaign—a global partnership that uses the power and reach of cricket to address key issues around AIDS.
- UNAIDS Executive Director urges young people in Morocco to drive a revolution in HIV prevention
- Speaking with a group of young Moroccans on 4 April, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé urged youth across the country—and region—to break the silence on AIDS and lead a revolution in HIV prevention.
- Morocco launches new national AIDS strategy
- Focusing resources on populations at high risk of HIV infection is at the core of a new national AIDS strategy in Morocco. Launched in Rabat on 3 April by the Minister of Health, El Hossaine Louardi, Morocco’s five-year strategy is closely aligned with the targets of the 2011 Political Declaration on AIDS.
- UNAIDS Executive Director praises Algeria as a regional leader and pioneer in the HIV response
- In a meeting on 2 April with the President of the Algerian Senate, Abdelkader Bensalah, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé commended Algeria as a champion in the AIDS response—both at home and across the region.
- New initiative launched to deliver better, cheaper medicines to Africa
- The need to ensure that people in Africa have access to essential, high quality, safe and affordable medicines has just received a major boost with the launch of the East African Community (EAC) Medicines Registration Harmonization Project in Arusha, Tanzania, on 30 March 2012.
March
- UNAIDS and African Development Bank convene high-level meeting on AIDS financing
- How can African countries ensure a financially sustainable response to HIV? UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé explored this topical issue in a breakfast briefing on 27 March with African Ministers of Finance and other high-level participants from the region. Co-convened by UNAIDS and the African Development Bank, the round-table discussion was held on the sidelines of the African Union Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance.
- Integration of HIV/TB services (Infographic)
- The goal of integrating HIV and TB services is to decrease the burden of TB and HIV in people at risk of or affected by both diseases.
- World TB Day: Children with tuberculosis being failed
- Much more needs to be done to prevent tuberculosis (TB) which affects at least half a million of the world’s children every year, with as many as 70 000 losing their lives. According to WHO and the Stop TB Partnership, most children can be saved from this curable illness with better diagnosis of the condition, greater access to health services and improved coordination of healthcare programmes.
- Men playing a role in eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping mothers alive
- Sitting on a traditional stool at a Dare—a special meeting platform—Chief Chiveso of Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe speaks to men about the possibility of having babies born HIV free and keeping their mothers alive. For that to happen, stresses the Chief, there is a need to challenge harmful cultural and religious practices that can affect community responses to HIV.
- Arab countries to develop a unified AIDS Strategy to reach targets set in the 2011 Political Declaration on AIDS
- The Council of the Arab Ministers of Health, representing the member countries of the League of Arab States, officially launched the Arab AIDS Initiative. This initiative aims at accelerating national and regional AIDS responses to achieve the targets set in the 2011 Political Declaration on AIDS
- Inter-American Commission on Human Rights creates a specialized unit to address human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual, trans and intersex people
- The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has created a specialized technical unit to strengthen its capacity to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex (LGBTI) people in the Americas.
- UNAIDS and UNDP commend New Zealand’s leadership in the HIV response
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark praised New Zealand as a model for the AIDS response in a joint meeting on 6 March with the country’s Prime Minister, John Key.
- HIV increasingly threatens women in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
- The glamorous world of pop music and the grim realities of the HIV epidemic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia may seem like strange bedfellows. However, Russian singer and AIDS activist, Julia Lasker, engages in both with full commitment.
- Sex workers advocate for access to health care and legal services
- More than 150 male and female sex workers marched through the Central Business District (CBD) of Nairobi, Kenya on 3 March claiming respect for their rights. Participants wearing masks signifying the hidden nature of their work walked from Koinange Street—Nairobi’s leading venue for sex work—to the Mayor’s office at City Hall.
- United States Congressional Staff first-hand view of Zambia’s AIDS response
- A delegation of nine United States Congressional staff members travelled to Zambia from 18 – 24 February. The aim of the visit was to have a first-hand understanding of the progress made and challenges remaining in scaling up HIV treatment, care and prevention programs in one of the most heavily impacted countries Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Joint UN Statement calls for the closure of compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers
- Twelve United Nations entities have issued a joined statement calling for the closure of compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers. The existence of such centers—which have been operating in many countries for the last 20 years—raises human rights issues and threatens the health of detainees, including through increased vulnerability to HIV and tuberculosis (TB) infection.
- President of Fiji commits to easing HIV burden for women in the Pacific region
- Speaking at a meeting on International Women’s Day in Suva, capital city of Fiji, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé praised President Ratu Epeli Nailitikau for his “remarkable leadership” and personal engagement in the AIDS response at country, regional and global levels.
- UNDP and UNAIDS Leaders Begin High Level Joint Mission in New Zealand
- The Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Helen Clark, and the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibé, began a three day mission in New Zealand—the first joint mission by the two UN leaders in this Pacific country.
- UNICEF: Children in cities facing neglect
- Many of the hundreds of millions of young people living in towns and cities across the globe are facing poverty, social exclusion, health inequity and lack of access to vital services. This is the key finding in UNICEF’s latest flag ship report, The state of the world’s children 2012: Children in an urban world.
- Archbishop of Canterbury: “AIDS is not just a question of epidemiology but a question of social life”
- The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Douglas Williams made an official visit to UNAIDS Headquarters in Geneva on 29 February 2012. The aim of the visit was to build on the collaborative partnership established last year between the Anglican Communion and UNAIDS around a number of issues including sexual violence, human rights and HIV.
February
- Increased domestic funding for AIDS is a ‘national priority,’ says the President of Côte d’Ivoire
- Meeting on 27 February with President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé noted with concern that the country relies heavily on external aid to finance its national AIDS response—a trend seen in many countries across Africa.
- UNAIDS Executive Director calls for greater local production of HIV medicines in Ghana
- Meeting today with John Evans Atta Mills, President of the Republic of Ghana, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé sounded a theme from his recent missions in Bénin and Togo: sustainability of the AIDS response in Africa.
- Q&A with Ambrose Rachier, Chair of the HIV Equity Tribunal in Kenya
- At the June 2011 High Level Meeting on AIDS, world leaders pledged to eliminate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV by promoting laws and policies that advance human rights and fundamental freedoms. The recent creation of an HIV Equity Tribunal in Kenya—the first of its kind globally—represents a bold step towards achieving this goal.
- UNAIDS Executive Director calls for increased national spending on AIDS in Togo
- Sustainable financing for the AIDS response was a key topic of discussion in a meeting on 21 February between UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo of Togo.
- UNAIDS Executive Director meets with Bénin’s Head of State
- In an official meeting with President Boni Yayi of Bénin on 20 February, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé called on the country’s Head of State to use his position and influence as President of the African Union to accelerate the HIV response across the continent.
- Zimbabwe: AIDS levy generates new resources for treatment
- An additional 70 000 Zimbabweans living with HIV will get access to anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment by the end of 2012, using the country’s National AIDS Trust Fund. This announcement by the Zimbabwe National AIDS Council is a welcome sign for a country that has some 1.2 million adults and children living with HIV in 2009.
- Libya: UNAIDS works with National Transitional Council to rebuild the country’s AIDS response
- As Libya celebrates the first anniversary of the 17 February revolution, UNAIDS together with the governing National Transitional Council are putting the building blocks for rejuvenate the country’s AIDS response.
- HRH Crown Princess of Norway Mette-Marit in CrowdOutAIDS Online Town Hall
- UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador HRH Crown Princess of Norway, Mette-Marit met with young people at a CrowdOutAIDS Online Town Hall held at UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva. CrowdOutAIDS is the UNAIDS Secretariat’s online project to crowdsource the development of a new UNAIDS strategy on young people. The strategy aims to outline a new approach to working young people.
- Brazilian football legend Pelé joined Gabon’s “CAN without AIDS” Campaign
- On 10 February 2012, Brazilian football legend Pelé took thousands of young people by storm during a beach soccer tournament organized in Gabon alongside the 2012 Coupe d’Afrique des Nations (or “CAN”). After the tournament, “O Rei” Pelé joined President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon and the First Lady at a beach event organized as part of the “CAN without AIDS” campaign.
- Nordic countries continue to back the AIDS response
- The Nordic countries have reiterated their commitment to HIV and to doing their part to help countries reach the ambitious targets set out by United Nations Member States in the 2011 Political Declaration on AIDS.
- Asia-pacific nations pledge equal partnership with communities for accelerated regional AIDS action
- The active involvement of communities most affected by HIV in the design and implementation of HIV policy and programmes has been heralded as “critical” by nations across Asia and the Pacific. Through a new Asia-Pacific HIV action plan, governments in the region have pledged to work in partnership with civil society to reach global AIDS commitments and targets.
- UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador James Chau receives award for outstanding journalistic reporting
- For a second consecutive year, China Central Television has awarded its annual prize to CCTV News anchor and UNAIDS national Goodwill Ambassador James Chau for his outstanding journalistic reporting in 2011.
- “Hear our voice” say young people from key affected populations in Asia-Pacific
- In Asia and the Pacific, data indicates that 95% of all new infections in young people in the region are among young people from key affected populations. But programmes focusing specifically on young people most at risk are often scarce.
January
- Stopping new HIV infections among children a key priority for new OAFLA chair
- Speaking at the 11th General Assembly of the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) on 30 January, Madame Penehupifo Pohamba, First Lady of Namibia, identified the prevention of new HIV infections among children as a key objective for her new term as President of OAFLA.
- UN Secretary-General speaks against discrimination based on sexual orientation
- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the need to anchor Africa’s development to the respect for human rights. “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a promise to all people in all places at all times,” said Mr Ban at the 18th annual meeting of the African Union.
- Global Fund marks 10th anniversary
- This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). Through all these years, the Global Fund has made a profound difference in saving millions of lives around the world. It has created momentum and helped countries achieve results.
- Improving women and children’s health a priority in Davos
- Under the theme The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models, the World Economic Forum brings together a unique multi-stakeholder audience of global decision-makers, thought leaders and representatives of the world's biggest companies to shape the future of the world economy.
- “CAN without AIDS”: reaching youth with HIV prevention messages at the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament
- UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé travelled to the West African nation of Gabon on 23 January to lend his support to an innovative campaign launched by the Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Foundation—a charitable organization run by Gabon’s First Lady.
- New government of Libya identifies AIDS as a priority
- A Libyan delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Adel M. Abushoffa met with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé on 24 January at UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The aim of the meeting was to set up the short-term priorities for the country’s response to AIDS as well as to establish the basis for the development of a strong national AIDS plan.
- Elena Pinchuk AntiAIDS Foundation and UNAIDS award interactive responses to AIDS
- Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation announced the winners of the “Social Media and Mobile Phones for HIV Prevention” competition on 18 January 2012. The project entries by South African non-profit organization Cell-Life and by Chinese internet portal Danlan were declared winners. More than 50 teams from 19 countries took part in the competition.
- CrowdOutAIDS: the next phase!
- In October 2011, UNAIDS launched CrowdOutAIDS, an online/offline collaborative project to ‘crowdsource’ the organization’s new youth strategy. The project is now moving into its final phases.
