GENEVA/WASHINGTON, 10 January 2014—UNAIDS and the Organization of American States (OAS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in efforts to advance the response to HIV among the OAS Member States. 

Through the MoU, UNAIDS and the OAS will increase HIV outreach activities such as information and education campaigns, policy roundtables, forums, lectures and scholarships programmes aimed at reducing new HIV infections, expanding access to antiretroviral treatment and supporting people living with HIV. UNAIDS and the OAS will also foster collaboration with regional networks of HIV positive youth to strengthen HIV awareness and prevention education, enhance social protection for young people, counter gender-based violence and challenge harmful gender norms among young people.

“HIV is more than a disease. It is an issue of security, social justice and distribution of opportunities,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “We must leverage this partnership to ensure that no one is left behind in the response to HIV in the Americas and that people most affected by HIV have access to essential HIV prevention and treatment services.”

Key populations including men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who use drugs and transgender people remain most affected by HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although new infections have stabilised, they are still not declining.  The existence and enforcement of punitive laws as well as widespread stigma and discrimination against men who have sex with men, transgender people and sex workers continue to marginalize people most in need and block access to lifesaving HIV services.

“We have managed to break the curve of growth of infection,” said Miguel Jose Insulza, OAS Secretary General. “We now need to address structural, cross-cutting issues, including gender-based violence.”

In June 2013 the OAS General Assembly passed the Resolution on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights of People Vulnerable to, Living with, of Affected by HIV/AIDS in the Americas. The Resolution urges Member States to continue their efforts in support to laws and public policies to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people living with HIV, and to increase HIV prevention and treatment for pregnant women and mothers, including preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The Resolution also promotes greater involvement of people living with HIV in decision-making and in the drafting of policies and programmes in response to the epidemic.

A major concern in the global response to HIV is how to ensure that young people take their rightful place as active participants with access to high quality HIV services and the right skills and knowledge to adopt strategies to stay safe, delivered in a supportive environment. Recognizing the critical need to urgently scale up effective HIV responses to adolescents and youth, the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board, meeting in Geneva this week, devoted a full-day thematic segment to HIV, adolescents and youth.

The situation is extremely serious. Although there has been a 32% reduction in the estimated number of new HIV infections among people aged 15-24, this key group is facing an emerging crisis. While the number of AIDS-related deaths overall fell by an estimated 30% between 2005 and 2012, estimates suggest that the number of deaths among young people increased by 50%. In addition, 15-24 year olds still accounted for 39% of all new adult infections in 2012.

“This is the time to re-imagine the HIV response among adolescents and youth. Young people are ‘the now and the future’, born in an era of HIV and antiretroviral treatment,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Without addressing their needs, there will be no AIDS-free generation and the gains made towards eliminating new HIV infections among children will be lost—their HIV risk merely deferred to the second decade of life.”

Lively and frank discussions

Under the theme of Walk in my shoes, the 19 December gathering brought together a host of young people from around the world who themselves led the main sessions on HIV prevention, testing and treatment. Young people explored ideas, experiences and solutions with the Board about the shape and scope of meaningful HIV programmes encompassing youths and adolescents at a time in their lives of great psychological, physical and social change. The discussions were lively, frank and open.

There was much emphasis on how to foster greater inclusion and ensure that young people are not simply passive recipients of programmes but play an integral role in their design, implementation and evaluation. It was found that currently their use of HIV prevention, treatment and care services is often lower than their older counterparts and that there remained a critical need for a scale-up of youth-friendly services and programmes which are fully resourced and tailored to their specific needs. Opportunities to link HIV with other sexual and reproductive health services as well as education, gender equality and social protection were also explored.

In a session on what successful HIV prevention looks like for young people, their unique prevention needs were highlighted, including those for key populations such as men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and sex workers. Young leaders shared good practices at country level. Renata Bayazitova from the Public Foundation "Ganesha" in Kyrgyzstan said that the critical elements of success for harm reduction services for young women who inject drugs, is to greater access to safe spaces, free of judgment, where young people can come at any time without the fear of being misunderstood, where they can get information and support on a range of issues.

Across all programmes a common element of success was the involvement of young people in the design of the services. The participants highlighted that only by working with young people will services be developed which are right for them, delivered in the right way, by the right providers and in the right places. Jerson See from the community organization Cebu Plus in the Philippines said, “You need to work with us, be case we know the market…we are the market.”

Creating an enabling social and legal environment in which young people feel motivated to go for HIV testing was also examined through a session which asked the question—‘Do all tests have to be hard? It was noted that current levels of HIV testing among adolescents and youth are still very low and that with treatment available it was now imperative to ensure young people living with HIV are diagnosed and linked to care and treatment.

One of the critical barriers raised repeatedly by participations was laws pertaining to the age of consent in accessing HIV testing services. “In Mexico, you are allowed to take an HIV testing when you are under 18, but according to the law a parent or guardian has to come with you to receive the test result,” said Corina Martinez Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar, A.C. “Fortunately in Mexico that rule is already under review, but it is important to take this example and monitor to ensure that in all our countries, these measures should be strengthened to ensure universal access to HIV testing.”

Participants also heard Zambia’s innovative mobile technology project, U-report, which has been able to scale up demand for HIV testing among young people, as well as Dr Nono Simelela, Special Adviser to The Deputy President, Chair of the South African National AIDS Commission, outlining the process in South Africa which led to the lowering of the age of consent in access to HIV testing to 12.

There was also an animated dialogue on challenges and solutions in relation to access to treatment and how this access can be integrated into youth-friendly services which also offer sexual and reproductive health interventions and support with adherence to drug regimens and disclosure.

After a full day of discussion and debate, youth delegates and Board members were galvanized into redoubling their efforts to ensure that young people have the tools and the space to put themselves front and centre of the AIDS response and play an active role in achieving in getting to the end of the AIDS epidemic.  

“As a youth movement, we’ve never been more organized than now,” said Pablo Aguilera, Director of the HIV Young Leaders Fund. “We’re ready to work to ensure HIV remains a priory in the post-2015 development framework”.

GENEVA, 20 December 2013—The governing body of UNAIDS––the Programme Coordinating Board—has concluded its three-day meeting in Geneva. The Board called on UNAIDS to support on-going country and international processes to set revised national targets for universal access to HIV treatment.

The Board called on Member States to expand access to antiretroviral therapy by implementing the 2013 World Health Organization guidelines on access to treatment. They also stressed the importance of ensuring that acceleration of access to HIV treatment, including addressing the barriers to treatment access, is factored into all stages of HIV and health planning. In addition to support with national treatment target setting, the Board requested support from UNAIDS in reducing the price of medicines, technical support and capacity development.

During the meeting, which took place from 17-19 December, Board members highlighted the importance of intensifying efforts in the AIDS response beyond 2015 and emphasised that ending AIDS must have a prime position in the post-2015 agenda.

In his opening address, the Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibé echoed the importance of keeping focused on ending AIDS. “Ending AIDS will be a global achievement of historic dimensions,” said Mr Sidibé. “Not only will millions of lives be saved, but ending AIDS will drive better health, poverty and equity outcomes for the entire human family.”

UNAIDS was also requested to intensify coordinated technical support to governments, civil society, and key populations, and to further support countries in the roll-out of the New Funding Model of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

The meeting concluded with a full-day thematic segment on HIV, adolescents and youth where young people led sessions on prevention, testing and treatment and explored ideas, experiences and solutions with the Board members about the shape and scope of meaningful HIV programmes for young people.

Participants and observers from UN Member States, international organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations attended the meeting, which was chaired by India. The Board elected Australia as Chair and Zimbabwe as Vice Chair for 2014.

UNAIDS Executive Director’s report to the Board, decisions, recommendations and conclusions from the meeting can be found at unaids.org.

In a strong demonstration of commitment to the global response to HIV and to UNAIDS, the President of Côte d’Ivoire Alassane Ouattara has announced that Côte d’Ivoire will donate US$ 1 million to support UNAIDS work in helping countries to achieve the targets set out in the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS.

"I have decided to donate US$ 1 million to UNAIDS because I believe in a society with zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths," said President Ouattara during the meeting of Côte d’Ivoire’s National AIDS Council.

The contribution was confirmed by the Minister of Health Côte d’Ivoire Raymonde Goudou Coffie who was representing Côte d’Ivoire at UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board meeting in Geneva. "I am delighted to be at the UNAIDS Board and to announce our contribution of US$ 1 million for its essential work and as a sign of shared responsibility," said Ms Coffie.

“This contribution to UNAIDS makes Côte d’Ivoire the first African country to become one of UNAIDS 20 most important donors,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

Côte d’Ivoire joins the Republic of the Congo and Senegal in becoming the first African countries to financially contribute to UNAIDS.

The campaign, ‘Where history is made,’ invites guests to make history and make a pledge for an AIDS-free generation

GENEVA, 16 December 2013—UNAIDS and the hotel InterContinental Genève have come together in a public-private partnership to advance efforts to ensure that all children can be born free from HIV, that their mothers have access to life-saving medicines and that all children living with HIV can lead healthy lives.

Countries have committed to eliminating new HIV infections among children by 2015. Although great progress has been made—with new HIV infections among children having been reduced by 53% since 2001—there is still a major push needed to help countries reach their goals. In 2013, just 28% of children in need of treatment had access.

“By keeping children free from HIV we are not only saving lives, we are investing in a healthier future for generations to come,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “I am honoured that the hotel InterContinental Genève is partnering with us to provide more people with the opportunity to join our efforts in making an AIDS-free generation possible.”  

One of the first initiatives of the joint partnership is the launch of a campaign to raise both awareness and funds for an AIDS-free generation. The campaign, Where history is made, launched at a special event held at the hotel on 16 December, invites guests to make history and a pledge for an AIDS-free generation. Hotel staff will play an integral role with AIDS-awareness training and will be able to share information with guests about the importance of keeping children free from HIV. Hotel guests will be able to join the campaign by making a donation as they check out or when they visit the hotel restaurant or bar.

“The hotel has a longstanding history and relationship with the UN in Geneva, and we are excited to have formed this partnership with UNAIDS,” said the General Manager of the hotel InterContinental Genève, Jürgen Baumhoff.

The hotel InterContinental Genève is an important landmark in Geneva, standing at the intersection of the city and the United Nations. In 2014 the hotel will mark its 50th anniversary over which time it has welcomed world leaders and played host to the historic brokering of deals and forging of partnerships. The campaign between UNAIDS and the hotel InterContinental Genève is part of the hotel’s 50-year celebrations and captures the essence of this major milestone by joining efforts to achieve an AIDS-free generation.  

“Building healthier societies begins with children,” said UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador and internationally acclaimed musician Toumani Diabaté who performed at the special launch event. “We can all be part of history by making sure that women living with HIV and their children have access to HIV, prevention, treatment and care services.”

Report includes new information from 40 funders based outside the U.S. and Europe

WASHINGTON D.C., CAPE TOWN, GENEVA, 10 December 2013—A new report by Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA), supported by UNAIDS, showed that 5.4% or US$ 0.5 billion of total international funding available for HIV in low- and middle-income countries was from philanthropic sources. Globally in 2012, US$ 636 million came from private donors. The report, which was launched today at the FCAA 2013 AIDS Philanthropy Summit and the 17th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, also shows that philanthropic funding has remained essentially flat (a less than 1% increase) since 2011.

This slight growth is largely due to the addition of 40 funders, new to the report, based outside of the U.S. and Western and Central Europe. Excluding funding from these organizations, philanthropy from U.S.- and E.U.-based organizations decreased by US$33 million, or 5% from 2011. Overall total philanthropic funding has remained at roughly the same level since 2007, and continues to be strongly influenced by the world’s largest HIV/AIDS philanthropic donor, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Gates Foundation). Forecasts in both the U.S. and Europe suggest that private AIDS funding is unlikely to increase in 2013.

“We’re thrilled to highlight the work and impact of 40 new potential partners in the philanthropic response to HIV/AIDS,” said John Barnes, Executive Director, FCAA. “However, the inclusion of these new funding sources in the report masks a troubling decline among U.S.- and E.U.-based organizations. A ‘slow and steady’ approach will not bring the needed resources to bear to meet the current challenges of the AIDS response.”

Other Key Findings:

• Funding from U.S.-based philanthropies totaled US$ 467 million in 2012, decreasing 3% from 2011. Seven top funders – including the Gates Foundation (which represented half of total U.S.-based disbursements), experienced significant decreases (US$ 1m-US$ 18mil) due to reported yearly fluctuations in grantmaking cycles and shifts in funding to other health areas.
• Among E.U-based philanthropies, the 2012 total reached $147 million, decreasing 6% from 2011. This continues a now 3-year gradual decline since 2009. While the majority of E.U.-based funders decreased funding between 2011 and 2012, some of this was the result of yearly fluctuations in the grantmaking cycles, or a strategy review process, rather than a shift away from funding for HIV.
• New for 2013, FCAA conducted research to identify HIV philanthropic funders based outside of the U.S. and the Western and Central Europe. Surveys and additional research generated data from 40 funders in 13 countries, totaling approximately $38 million in AIDS philanthropy in 2012. 

“There is a strong sentiment of global solidarity around advancing the AIDS response to reach an AIDS-free generation,” said Luiz Loures, Deputy Executive Director, Programme, UNAIDS. “UNAIDS continues to urge all partners to look for innovative ways of ensuring increased and sustainable sources of funding to allow us to reach everyone in need with lifesaving HIV services.” 

The report was released amidst news that funding for the AIDS response in low- and middle-income countries from donor governments totaled $7.86 billion in 2012, remaining essentially unchanged since 2008. According to UNAIDS the total resources available for HIV reached US$ 18.9 billion in 2012, $3-5 billion short of what is needed to meet the global target of $22-24 billion. UNAIDS’ Investment Framework to guide more efficient use of resources shows that 4.2 million new HIV infections and 1.9 million HIV-related deaths could be averted, and 15 million people could access HIV treatment, if funding is scaled up to US$ 24 billion by 2015.

While philanthropic aid provided to low- and middle-income countries only represents approximately 5% of all international funding for the AIDS response, FCAA and UNAIDS emphasize that, in its independence, philanthropy has a catalytic role to play in the AIDS response. Philanthropic funding is often committed to addressing critical issues through advocacy and to supporting key populations such as men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and sex workers, that are often not covered by other sources of funding.

The FCAA annual resource tracking report, produced with support from UNAIDS, intends to inform stakeholders about the overall distribution and trends of global AIDS philanthropy. The financial data is largely sourced from surveys completed by funders, with supplemental review of grants databases and funders’ grants lists. Data was obtained for close to 300 organizations that are believed to represent the substantial majority of global private HIV/AIDS philanthropy.

Download Global Philanthropic Support to Address HIV/AIDS in 2012 at http://www.fcaaids.org/resourcetracking

Delegates from across the world gathered in Cape Town, South Africa on 6 December for the start of the XVII International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA). The five-day conference is being held on a sombre note as the world mourns the death of Nelson Mandela, who is considered Africa’s greatest statesman.

The Deputy President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe welcomed participants to his country and paid tribute to Former President Nelson Mandela, saying “We will miss his larger than life figure, his statesmanship, his common touch, contagious humour and unbending resolve to see through a dream of a better life for all humanity.” He then went on to talk about the huge progress made in the AIDS response and said, “Investment in good health should be considered as a development imperative in and of itself.”

The theme of the five-day conference is “Now more than ever: targeting zero” and it was selected to stress the progress that has been made across Africa in scaling up HIV treatment but also the need to redouble efforts to prevent new HIV infections. More than 5 000 representatives of political, multilateral and civil society groups, as well as scientists, young people and activists are attending the conference.

Speakers at the opening ceremony included: UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, the First Lady of Zambia Christine Kaseba-Sata, the celebrated singer and activist and UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador, Annie Lennox, the Acting Global AIDS Coordinator of the President’s Emergency Plan for the AIDS Relief, Deborah von Zinkselnagel, Professor Robert Soudré, President of the Society for AIDS in Africa, Professor Ian Sanne, CEO of Right to Care and Cyriaque Ako, Health Specialist for African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR).  

The inauguration ceremony also featured cultural performances by African stars including the first prominent transgender artist from Angola; Titica who is UNAIDS National Goodwill Ambassador. Earlier, Ms Lennox and Mr Sidibé opened the cultural community village which features information booths, handicrafts made by people living with HIV and community groups.

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UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Annie Lennox is in South Africa to highlight the progress and challenges in the AIDS response. During her site visits, she paid tribute to Former President Nelson Mandela.

Ms Lennox learned about the benefits of early HIV treatment in preventing paediatric AIDS during a visit to the Children’s Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit (KID CRU) at the Tygerberg Children’s Hospital. She met with patients and their families and watched a performance by a community group singing a eulogy dedicated to President Mandela.

At the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation Youth Centre in the Masiphumelele community, Ms Lennox witnessed how a safe environment tailored to the needs of young people can change lives. The centre provides youth-friendly health services as well as education and entertainment. Ms Lennox spoke with young mothers about their challenges and dreams and listened to a rousing recording by a group of teenagers.

The field visits were particularly significant and symbolic to Ms Lennox because almost exactly ten years ago she resolved to bring attention to the HIV epidemic after her first very moving encounter with President Mandela.

In her role as UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador, Ms Lennox will attend the 17th International conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) and speak at several high level events. The five day conference, which opens on 7 December, will be attended by UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé along with around 7 000 of the world’s leading scientists, policy makers, activists and people living with HIV.

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The significant role that China’s private sector can play in the AIDS response was emphasized during a recent visit to UNAIDS Geneva headquarters by Li Hejun, Chairman of Hanergy Holding Group, a leading multinational clean energy company.

Mr Li, who is also the Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce, was hosted by UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé on 12 November. The two leaders had a wide-ranging discussion about how best to reinforce and extend the involvement of the private sector in an effective response to HIV. They also spoke about the future of global social responsibility.

Hanergy also hosts the China Red Ribbon Foundation. In addition, Mr Li expressed his willingness to actively enhance his company’s commitment to the AIDS response and cooperate with UNAIDS in the field of international health and development.

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A consultation on the future of HIV, health and development took place during the European Development Days held from 27-28 November in Brussels. The consultation was part of the regional dialogues series organized by The UNAIDS and Lancet Commission: Defeating AIDS – Advancing global health.

The main message emerging from the meeting was the need to leverage the experience of the AIDS response as a transformative force for social justice, equity and global health post-2015. Participants stressed the importance of putting marginalized and vulnerable communities at the centre of the HIV responses and integrate HIV, health and human rights in development responses after 2015.

Participants

Moderated by Member of the European Parliament Michael Cashman, the panel comprised Jacquelyne Alesi, Programmes Director, Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda; Ann-Sofie Nilsson, Director-General for International Development Cooperation, Sweden; Siddharth Chatterjee, Chief Diplomat at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; MacDonald Sembereka, Special Adviser to the President of Malawi and Baba Gumbala, International HIV/AIDS Alliance. The session was attended by members of parliament from Africa, European development actors, civil society, academics, government representatives and others.

Outcomes

The main issues discussed will be conveyed to the Chairs of the Commission’s three Working Groups, whose final papers will form the recommendation of the UNAIDS-Lancet Commission, to be published in The Lancet in 2014.

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