UNAIDS | Press Statements

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In the last year, we have seen greater acceptance of diversity. A new dialogue of openness and tolerance has emerged.

UNAIDS calls on Greece to protect sex workers and their clients through comprehensive and voluntary HIV programmes

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) expresses its concern over recent actions by Greek authorities involving the arrest, detention, mandatory HIV testing, publication of photographs and personal details, and pressing of criminal charges against at least 12 sex workers. There is no evidence that punitive approaches to regulating sex work are effective in reducing HIV transmission among sex workers and their clients.

UNAIDS welcomes Global Fund announcement of US$ 1.6 billion in additional funding for 2012-2014

Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes today’s announcement by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria that an additional US$ 1.6 billion will be available for new commitments over the next three years.

Prasada Rao appointed as UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for AIDS in Asia and the Pacific

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has appointed J.V.R. Prasada Rao as his Special Envoy for AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region. Mr Rao will take over the position in July this year from Dr Nafis Sadik who served in the role since 2002.

UNAIDS welcomes Kenya High Court judgment on anti-counterfeit law

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UNAIDS commends the High Court of Kenya for a ruling today that will safeguard access to affordable and quality life-saving generic medicines. The decision by the High Court found that the definition of “anti-counterfeit” within the 2008 Anti-Counterfeit Act was too broad.

UNAIDS welcomes new guidelines which give an additional HIV prevention option to discordant couples

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

New guidelines have been issued encouraging couples to go together for HIV testing in order to know their HIV status. The guidelines, released by the World Health Organization (WHO), also recommend that in couples who are serodiscordant—where one partner is living with HIV and the other not—antiretroviral therapy is offered to the person living with HIV to prevent his or her partner from becoming infected with the virus.

UNAIDS welcomes appointment of Jim Yong Kim as new World Bank President

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the selection of Dr Jim Yong Kim as the 12th President of the World Bank Group. Dr Kim’s dedication to improving the lives of the most vulnerable, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, has enabled him to bring innovations in health and development to scale.

UNAIDS welcomes Ertharin Cousin as WFP Executive Director

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the appointment of Ms Ertharin Cousin as the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP). Ms Cousin brings more than 25 years of national and international non-profit, government, and corporate leadership experience focusing on hunger, food and resilience strategies.

World TB Day 2012

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

On World TB Day, let’s celebrate a partnership, which in just a few years is helping to transform the AIDS epidemic.

UNAIDS saddened by passing of United States Representative Donald M. Payne

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is deeply saddened by the death of United States Representative Donald M. Payne.

Women and girls are critical agents of change in the AIDS response

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

On this International Women's day the world has a lot more to do if it is to be a place where...

UNAIDS welcomes further evidence of the positive impact of antiretroviral therapy on preventing new HIV infections

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Researchers from the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies have presented results which show that in areas where antiretroviral therapy uptake is high (greater than 30%) people who do not have HIV are 38% less likely to acquire the virus than in areas of low uptake (less than 10%).

UNAIDS calls for an integrated approach to HIV and TB services

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

An estimated one in four AIDS-related deaths each year is caused by tuberculosis (TB). A majority of these deaths occur in Africa, where the mortality rate from HIV-related TB is more than 20 times higher than in other world regions. Reducing the dual burden of these twin epidemics will require the scale-up of collaborative TB-HIV activities.

Women need access to dual protection—effective contraceptives and HIV prevention options

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A stakeholder consultation convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva has reviewed recent epidemiological studies related to HIV transmission and acquisition by women using hormonal contraceptives. After careful review of all available evidence, the stakeholders found that the data were not sufficiently conclusive to change current guidance.

WHO to issue guidance on hormonal contraceptives and HIV

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The World Health Organization (WHO) will later this month issue further guidance on the reported link between hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, injectables, implants and HIV.

UNAIDS and PEPFAR welcome the launch of the Business Leadership Council to end new HIV infections among children by 2015

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UNAIDS and PEPFAR welcome the launch at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland of two new initiatives by business leaders—the Business Leadership Council for a “Generation Born HIV Free” and the Social Media Syndicate to end new HIV infections in children.

New US$ 750 million pledge by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the Global Fund is timely and will save lives

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UNAIDS welcomes the grant of US$ 750 million by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

UNAIDS commits its support to the Global Fund and calls for solidarity

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In the ten years since the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) was established, the organization has made a profound difference in saving millions of lives around the world. It has created momentum and helped countries achieve results.

UNAIDS calls for greater leadership in addressing human rights violations in the AIDS response

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

On the occasion of Human Rights Day, 10 December, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is calling on countries to protect, promote and uphold human rights for all people living with and vulnerable to HIV.

UNAIDS congratulates United States’ leadership to end AIDS

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) congratulates President Barack Obama on his bold commitment to provide AIDS treatment to 6 million people by 2013 and reach 1.5 million pregnant women living with HIV to protect their children from becoming infected with HIV. This reinforces the collaboration between UNAIDS and the United States on the global plan towards elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015—the foundation for an AIDS free generation.