Feature story

UN Plus meets with UN Secretary-General to discuss issues affecting staff members living with HIV

13 June 2013

UN Plus—the United Nations advocacy group of employees living with HIV—met with the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss issues affecting staff members living with HIV including access to HIV treatment and travel restrictions. They also delivered messages from their key partners, namely people living with HIV and networks of key population such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who use drugs and transgender people regarding their criminalization in some countries.

Mr Ban stressed his personal commitment to working for and with the most vulnerable and marginalized people in society—including people living with HIV. He noted the critical work of the UN plus members in transforming the UN from within around critical issues such as the elimination of stigma and discrimination in the workplace and pushing for affordable health coverage for all staff.

The meeting, held on the side-lines of the 67th United Nations General Assembly taking place in New York from 10-11 June 2013, was also an opportunity for UN Plus to give an update on their work as a UN system-wide advocacy group as well as to provide their views on the post-2015 development agenda.

Quotes

I am very proud of you, the work you are doing and to have you as a part of the organization. I am personally committed and very actively working for people who are marginalized and excluded—including people living with HIV and the LGBT community.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

We stand together with the Secretary-General not only to improve our UN workplace for all UN staff regardless of HIV status, but also to achieve an enabling environment for all people living with HIV around the globe.

UN Plus coordinator John Oshima