UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, Member of the Executive Committee for Health in KwaZulu Natal met on 3 June on the side-lines of the UNAIDS/CAPRISA Symposium: Scientific advances from the ‘Mississippi baby’: Implications for public health programmes on mother to child transmission of HIV taking place in Durban, South Africa.

Mr Sidibé applauded the bold leadership that transformed the province from being the HIV epicentre in South Africa to an innovator in turning the epidemic around.

In recent years, KwaZulu Natal, through strong political commitment and effective HIV programmes, managed to ensure that more than 600 000 people in need of antiretroviral treatment had access in 2012, compared to just over 36 000 in 2005. The rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV at six weeks declined to 2.1% in 2012 compared to 22% in 2005. The life expectancy in KwaZulu Natal has increased from 56.4 years in 2009 to 60 years in 2011, which is highly attributed to a decrease in AIDS-related deaths.

Dr Dhlomo said he was humbled by the recognition and support his province has been gaining for the successful outcomes in the AIDS response. He acknowledged that the government would need to invest more on HIV prevention services including behaviour and social change programmes. In 2012, the province spent 73% of HIV funds on treatment and care services and only 5% on preventing sexual transmission of HIV.

Quotes

UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Norway talks to reporters at the HIV shelter in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Credit: UNAIDS/A.Rahim

Addressing stigma and discrimination was underlined as critical to progress on HIV by UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Crown Princess Mette Marit, during a site visit to a shelter for children living with and affected by HIV in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Visiting the shelter was part of her programme at the Women Deliver Congress (28-30 May 2013), where she spoke and participated in a number of key sessions and panels. The Crown Princess stressed that addressing HIV related stigma is crucial in ensuring key populations have access to essential HIV services as well as support from society.

"Whether in Norway or Africa, or Asia, there is still so much stigma around HIV. Combating stigma is one of the more important aspects to ensure people can protect themselves and get tested,” said the Crown Princess at the WAKE shelter. The shelter is run by the Malaysian Women and Health Association (Perubuhan Wanita Dan Kesihatan) and was set up in 2001 to support children who have been abandoned due to their or their parents’ HIV status.

“One of the biggest challenges to progress on HIV is getting information to people who need it most, who are often on the margins of society and who are discriminated against. To combat stigma we need to talk more about issues that are sometimes sensitive like sexuality and sex work for example” she added.

Arriving at the home, the Crown Princess was met by children, young people and women living with HIV staying in or involved with the shelter. Children shared their experiences with the Crown Princess, guiding her around the brightly coloured shelter and pointing out artwork and decorations they had created as part of their daily activities. Women living with HIV showcased their crafts which are made available for sale at fairs and other events as part of the WAKE income generation initiative.

Children at the shelter are provided with a home, nutritious meals and support from staff and counsellors who are on hand 24 hours a day to address children's emotional and behavioural needs. Access to comprehensive health care, including psychological support and antiretroviral treatment is provided, as is access to education, school books and uniforms and opportunities for after school activities to ensure play time is integrated in the children's daily lives.

Commending the comprehensive approach adopted at the shelter for children and young people, Crown Princess Mette-Marit stressed that support and peer education is highly important for people most at risk, and that involvement of key communities in taking responses forward is critical.

The Crown Princess was joined by the Chair of the Malaysian Aids Council, Professor Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, and the Deputy Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun. The Deputy Minister shared information with the Crown Princess about Malaysia’s AIDS response, including the significant progress made in delivering services to prevent new HIV infections among children. The coverage of such services was reported to be as high as 95% in 2012.

Dr Adeeba heralded the progress made, underlining that continued efforts are needed to ensure all people in need can access HIV services. "Our aim is to eliminate new HIV infections among children—so no babies are being born with HIV. We have the science and medicines to do that but, what is stopping us is stigma, discrimination and policies— especially against marginalized communities,” she said.

UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Norway discusses with youth leaders at the Women Deliver 2013 Young Leaders Forum. Credit: UNAIDS

Young people: the hope; the leaders of today

Concluding her visit to the shelter, The Norwegian Crown Princessthanked the children and young people who had come to meet her, underlining that their commitment and dedication to advancing social and development agendas were what drive her continued advocacy on HIV. “What gives me hope is the young people I meet,” she said. “Their passion and commitment, their fight, drives me.”

During her three-day programme in Kuala Lumpur, the Crown Princess met and discussed with a wide range of young people living with and affected by HIV and/or working on HIV and other health and development issues. At a session organized by UNAIDS to look at the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV within the context of the Global Plan, the Crown Princess spontaneously invited three young delegates to take the stage and give their unique feedback to the distinguished panel about the issues most important to them for continuing the HIV response.

“I believe that if we are to turn the tide on the epidemic, we must focus our efforts and energies on young people,” said the Crown Princess. “Young people are often the most vulnerable to HIV, but they are also the best agents of change. They are not leaders of tomorrow—they are leaders of today,” she added.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) receives report of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda from co-Chair President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten

The United Nations is on the cusp of entering a bold new phase in ending poverty and ensuring meaningful and sustainable development for all. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched on 30 May 2013 a momentous and eagerly awaited report that puts forward a single United Nations development agenda beyond 2015. 

Compiled by a panel of 27 top-level leaders appointed by the UN Secretary-General in 2012, A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development, provides a framework driven by five key transformative shifts. These build on and move beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which committed the world to achieving a number of targets by 2015, including eradicating poverty. 

The first shift, the new global partnership itself, involves fostering a spirit of solidarity, cooperation, and mutual accountability. There is also a call for ensuring that everyone reaps the benefits of universal human rights and basic economic opportunities; making sustainable development central; transforming economies for jobs and growth and building peace and accountable institutions. 

Launching the report Mr Ban stressed its major significance. “We are at the beginning of an historic journey,” he said. “The post-2015 process is a chance to usher in a new era in international development—one that will eradicate extreme poverty and lead us to a world of prosperity, sustainability, equity and dignity for all.”

The UN Secretary-General also maintained that in championing the need for building institutions that are “honest, accountable and responsive to people’s needs” the report is achieving a key aim of filling in key gaps in the MDG process.

A new global partnership sets out 12 tentative goals to help focus and mobilize global and national efforts, providing a “rallying cry”.  These goals are set to be “debated, discussed and improved” in the coming year and a half, the report contends.

They include empowering women and girls; providing quality education; ensuring food security and good nutrition; achieving universal access to water and sanitation; creating jobs, sustainable livelihoods and equitable growth; and ensuring healthy lives.

In terms of the last, as with the MDGs, the goals emerging from the report seek to reduce the burden of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, as well as decreasing maternal mortality and ensuring universal sexual and reproductive health rights. It is widely acknowledged that without addressing the often devastating impact of diseases such as HIV, economic and social development will stall or even regress.

According to the UN Secretary-General, the report provides a catalyst for greater discussion of these “important and ambitious concepts” and developing a new framework to build on the MDGs and really “make a difference for future generations to come.” 

The panel which compiled A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development was co-chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister David Cameron.

L-R: Alice Wellbourn, Founding Director of the Salamander Trust, First Lady of Sierre Leone Mrs Sia Nyama Koroma, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, Jan Beagle, HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Dame Carol Kidu, Former Member of Parliament, Papua New Guinea, Helena Nangombe, Namibia Women's Health Network. Credit: UNAIDS

“My power is my voice and my move to action is change.” These were the words of 29 year old Nargis Shirazi from Uganda speaking at a panel examining HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights. She captured the essence of strong messages resonating at the 3^rd Global Women Deliver Congress on the need for greater attention to the voices and rights of women living with HIV and greater engagement of young women.

Through a number of sessions featuring diverse and distinguished panellists from around the world, discussions at the Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, highlighted how achieving health and development goals will only be possible through increased focus on upholding the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV and young women. “Ending HIV is possible if we engage women in all their diversity,” said First Lady of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency, Sia Nyama Koroma during a discussion on how securing health and reproductive rights of women is critical to the attainment of the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive.

“Young women living with and affected by HIV must be actively engaged in the HIV response,” said UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. “They are best qualified to lead the way and guide health care planners and providers to deliver services that meet their needs.”

Worldwide, nearly 17 million women are living with HIV. Young women aged 15-24 are particularly vulnerable with infection rates twice as high as in young men. Women living with HIV, and young women, face particular challenges in accessing HIV services. Lack of knowledge about HIV, or lack of agency to act on knowledge—due to gender inequities and cultural norms—often prevents young women from receiving the support and services they need. Even when services are accessed, women living with HIV often face severe discrimination with regards to their sexual and reproductive health rights and choices. Across the world, women living with HIV report being advised to abstain from sexual relations and even coerced into considering abortion and sterilization, based on their HIV status.

“So many young women are suffering not knowing what their rights are. The empowerment of young women matters,” said Helena Nangombe, Namibia Women's Health Network and Advisory Group member of the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS.

“All women have the right to choice when it comes to exercising their sexual and reproductive health and rights and protecting themselves from risk of HIV infection,” said UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, Jan Beagle. “AIDS is much more than a health issue, it is a development issue, a rights issue, and it is clear that gender equality and human rights are non-negotiable elements to ensure effective HIV and health responses as well as social justice for all.”

Delegates underlined that language and approach is critical when addressing and involving women living with HIV. Alice Wellbourn, Founding Director of the Salamander Trust and long-time advocate for rights of women living with HIV stressed: “Mind your language please! When talking about women’s sexual and reproductive health needs and rights within the context of HIV, we need to get away from using very negative language: stigma, fear, death, etc.” Speaking at a session exploring issues of women’s rights within health and development initiatives, Ms Wellbourn suggested that language emphasizing “compassion, love, support, respect and dignity” should be prioritized. “We need to turn the language towards possibilities, particularly in the healthcare settings,” she added.

Within the context of post-2015 development discussions, greater integration of HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights services was underlined across sessions as a critical stepping stone towards enabling improved services for women and girls.

“HIV needs to be part of a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda, but it needs to be normalized, personalised beyond figures, and then we need to take the personalization to the political leaders– it needs to really reflect women and girls voices,” said Dame Carol Kidu, Former Member of Parliament, Papua New Guinea and member of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law. “To address this, and to have impact on the HIV-related stigma and discrimination often experienced by women and girls, we need work with mothers and sisters. We need community conversations,” she added.

The issues of HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights were discussed in a number of panels including the high-level panel ‘More than Mothers: Upholding the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women in the Global Plan’; a session under the ‘Every Woman Every Child’ umbrella on continuous improvement for women and children’s health, co-organized by the H4+ and the Inter-agency Task Team on the Prevention and Treatment of HIV among Pregnant Women, Mothers and Children; and the Plenary Lunch ‘The Challenges and Benefits of Partnership on MDG5’. The 3rd global Women Deliver Congress ran in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 28-30 May 2012.

Children with disabilities are too often denied access to health and education and this has a detrimental effect on society as a whole. Credit: UNICEF/Marco Dormino

The marginalization of children with disabilities in critical areas like health and education not only has damaging consequences for the young people themselves but also the wider  community, according to a landmark UNICEF report released today on 30 May.  

The State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities contends that children with disabilities are the least likely to receive health care or go to school. They are also more likely to face exploitation and neglect. This is because, the report suggests, children with disabilities are too often reduced to that disability and not seen as valuable individuals who should be given the same opportunities to flourish as everyone else. 

"When you see the disability before the child, it is not only wrong for the child, but it deprives society of all that child has to offer," said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “Their loss is society's loss; their gain is society's gain.”

HIV provides a salient example of how young people with physical, sensory, intellectual or psychosocial disabilities can be marginalized, overlooked and excluded from programmes. The report argues that, if the burden of the virus is increased in any one group this has negative implications for society as a whole, not least in terms of slowed development and increased expenditure.

Children with disabilities are often considered to be sexually inactive and thus not in need of HIV prevention services. Many receive no information about puberty and how their bodies change and develop. There may also be issues with a greater inability to set sexual contact boundaries for others.  

In addition, a significant percentage of people with disabilities of all ages experience sexual assault or abuse during their lifetimes, especially women and girls and those in specialized institutions, schools and hospitals. Their vulnerability to HIV in these circumstances is therefore substantially increased.

HIV treatment, testing and counselling services can be physically difficult to access for those with disabilities or may not provide information in user-friendly formats such as Braille. Health care professionals are rarely trained to deal with such children and adolescents and may even demonstrate stigmatizing attitudes.

The State of the World’s Children sets out a number of recommendations to try to ensure that children with disabilities are included across a broad range of social, economic and cultural spheres so that they are involved in overall development.   

One major recommendation involves filling the considerable information gap relating to children with disabilities. Few countries know how many such citizens there are, what disabilities they have and what level of service provision they need, making it very difficult for those needs to be met.

The report also highlights the need to remove barriers to inclusion so that environments like schools, health facilities and public transport encourage the participation of children with disabilities alongside their peers, free from discrimination. Families can also be supported to meet the higher costs of living and lost income-earning opportunities often associated with caring for affected children. It is also held to be important to ensure that children and adolescents are involved in the design and implementation of programmes and services so that they can play a role as active agents of change.

Finally, the report calls on countries to ratify and implement international commitments such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Around two thirds of them have ratified the former but for many implementation remains slow.

 

HIV as a human rights issue was the main theme of a high-level meeting co-organized by the European Commission and UNAIDS. The meeting explored the critical human rights issues in Europe that are preventing a more effective AIDS response in Western Europe and are contributing to an increase in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in Eastern Europe.

Held from 27-28 May in Brussels under the overarching theme: right to health, right to life, the event brought together 150 representatives of European Union (EU) Member States and neighbouring countries—including Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine—civil society activists and representatives from the European Commission and UNAIDS.

Participants discussed ways to promote and protect the rights of people living with or affected by HIV, overcome stigma and discrimination and remove punitive approaches that act as major obstacles to an effective and rights-based response to AIDS.  

In his opening statement, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Tonio Borg, committed to ensure continued leadership of the EU in the response to AIDS. For that, he announced the establishment of a new framework for EU action on AIDS before October 2014. "Doing nothing is not an option," said Mr Borg.

Participants reaffirmed the need to strengthen rights-based approaches to HIV and create supportive legal environments throughout Europe for people living with HIV and for key populations at higher risk of infection. It was noted that although Europe provides scientific, technical and human rights leadership in the HIV response across the globe as well as 40% of international AIDS funding, much more needs to be done in the sphere of human rights and HIV in Europe itself. 

Europe has formally committed to respecting and defending human rights obligations through regional and global declarations. However, for many people living with and affected by HIV, these commitments have yet to make a difference to their lives. Key populations—such as men who have sex with men, transgender individuals, people who use drugs, sex workers, migrants and prisoners—remain marginalized and are still disproportionately affected by the epidemic.

“Europe has not yet been able to develop an approach based on rights and evidence, a legal framework that addresses migration, drug use, sex work, prison and LGBT,” said Luis Mendao from GAT (Grupo Portugues de Activistas sobre Tratamentos de VIH/SIDA). “The legal system should not do more harm than good; it should not stigmatize people or increase their vulnerability to disease,” he added.

HIV prevalence among key populations is well over 5%. In major European capitals, young gay men have a lifetime risk of becoming HIV-positive that matches that of young men in Southern Africa, the area in the world most affected by HIV. 

In the past ten years, Europe has seen no reduction in the rate of new HIV infections and in the eastern part of the EU, the number of AIDS-related deaths rose by more than 20% between 2005 and 2011.

Participants recognised that, without properly addressing the human rights of people living with HIV and other key populations, the situation has little chance of improving. Stigma and discrimination remain major barriers to seeking HIV treatment. More than 30% of people living with HIV in Europe are only diagnosed in the advanced stage of infection, suggesting that they are afraid to come forward earlier. This fear may be exacerbated by the fact that a number of European countries still criminalize HIV transmission.

In countries where drug use and sex work are criminalized and law enforcement is harsh, many people are driven underground or imprisoned where they can become even more vulnerable to HIV infection. Although treatment is generally available following an HIV diagnosis, this is often not the case for the many undocumented migrants who are thus denied their right to health.

UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme, Dr Luiz Loures noted that, as a longer term trend, the global epicentre is moving towards Europe, through a resurgence of HIV in gay men across Europe and the unchecked epidemics among people who use drugs in Eastern Europe. Dr Loures contended that in moving towards the realistic possibility of ending the AIDs epidemic in Europe and beyond, three elements are essential:

“First we need speed: we must accelerate human rights-based programmes that are working, such as harm reduction which offers life to people who inject drugs. Secondly, we need to address the ‘hotspots’, directing vital HIV services to populations who need them most, such as gay men in Europe and other parts of the world where there is high HIV prevalence. Thirdly, we need innovation: in HIV testing, in strengthening community systems, and in building new young leadership in the AIDS response.”

A series of recommendations were made to address the human rights issues in the European AIDS response. Participants focused on the need for sustained and sufficient investment in HIV, including in programmes that challenge stigma, discrimination and punitive legal barriers. A panoply of interventions were identified including stigma reduction programmes, law reform, rights literacy, legal services, sensitization of police and challenging violence against women and harmful gender norms. Improved financing, including the allocation of more domestic resources to the AIDS response and reduced medicine pricing, were highlighted as elements of critical importance.

All agreed that tackling HIV as a human rights issue in the European Union and neighbouring countries is the key to turning the regional epidemic around, setting Europe on the path to ending the epidemic. 

Malaysian AIDS activist Norlela Mokhtar (left) and UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, Jan Beagle visiting the Wahidayah shelter. Credit: UNAIDS.

In a quiet street, 40 minutes outside the bustling city centre of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is a house with multi-coloured walls, filled with smiles and laughter. The laughter is coming from the Wahidayah shelter, a refuge for women living with HIV. Established last year by Malaysian AIDS activist Norlela Mokhtar, it provides home—both for short or longer stays—and a network of support for HIV-positive women and their families.

“There was not enough focus on the needs of HIV-positive women in the country, and no means for us to network,” explains Norlela, who has been living with HIV for 13 years. “This shelter gives HIV-positive women a space to rest, recuperate, and get back on our feet. It also allows us to meet other women, learn new skills, and learn about HIV and how we can live better and healthier lives.”

Operating with a small staff of just two volunteers, Norlela and her team welcome women who have tested positive for HIV and who need immediate and more long-term support in accessing treatment, care and support—for themselves as well as for their children. The women arriving to the brightly decorated shelter stay for as little as three days to up to six months. The shelter aims to provide smooth transitions for the women back into their family situations as well as a community network for on-going support.

As in much of Asia, the percentage of women living with HIV in Malaysia is lower than that of men—some 11% in 2012. Nevertheless, the estimated share of women becoming infected compared to men in the country has grown rapidly in the last 10 years—from one in ten in 2000 to one in four in 2011.

Norlela believes that women need to be much more informed about the factors that put them at risk. “Many women do not know they are living with HIV until their husbands or partners fall sick, or they fall sick themselves,” she explains. “Women’s knowledge about HIV, and ability to act on that knowledge, is low. At the shelter we try to teach women about our rights, how to negotiate safe sex with husbands and partners and encourage the women to help others to be more aware too.”

Visiting the Shelter, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, Jan Beagle praised the strong community-led ethos of the Wahidayah shelter and its founder. “Norlela is a formidable female force in the country’s AIDS response. Community-led support is absolutely critical for reaching vulnerable and most-at-risk populations, as well as breaking down stigma and discrimination that is still very prevalent,” she said. “The experiences of Norlela and her colleagues also show how in Malaysia—and elsewhere in Asia where epidemics are more concentrated among men—the needs and realities of women and girls must not be forgotten and that there is a real need for more comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and HIV education for young women and men,” Added Ms Beagle.

During the visit, women living with HIV at the shelter discussed openly with Ms Beagle about their experiences of discovering their status, the challenges they face and how working with the shelter is helping them to move forwards with their lives.

“Here we have a voice and we can share our experience with other people without being judged,” said Maya, one of the women staying at the shelter.

For Norlela, hearing such declarations from the Wahidaya women makes her even more motivated to continue championing the cause of women living with HIV. “We HIV-positive women know best what we need and what to do. Our network and community strength is growing and we need to continue to voice up,” she said.

The work of Norela and the Wahidaya shelter is one of the many initiatives and examples of progress being showcased during the 3^rd global Women Deliver Congress that takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 28-30 May 2012. The largest global event of the decade to focus on the health and rights of girls and women, the conference brings together more than 300 leaders, policymakers and advocates representing more than 150 countries. Live webcast and archived video of all plenaries and presidential sessions will be available here. 

UNAIDS Global Advocate for Zero Discrimination, Aung San Suu Kyi lighting a candle (centre) with the Chair Person of the National Drug User Network in Myanmar Kyaw Thu on (left) and the Chair Person of the Myanmar Positive Group Myo Thant Aung (right) in Yangon, Myanmar on 26 May 2013. Credit: UNAIDS

UNAIDS Global Advocate for Zero Discrimination and Member of Parliament, Aung San Suu Kyi joined more than 200 people living with and affected by HIV for an AIDS Candlelight Memorial Vigil on 26 May in Yangon, Myanmar. The event, organized by a consortium of community networks, is one of many taking place around the world this month to commemorate people who have died of AIDS-related causes. 

Aung San Suu Kyi called for greater solidarity to end stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV and key populations at higher risk of infection. “Respect for the human rights of people living with HIV must be promoted,” said the Nobel Peace Prize Winner. “We also need to protect the people who live on the fringes of society who struggle every day to maintain their dignity and basic human rights. I believe that with true compassion—the invisible cord that binds us to other human beings regardless of race, personal status, religion and national borders—we can get results for all people.”

Representatives from networks of people living with HIV and key affected populations of people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men, together with women and children participated in the event. They called for more support to strengthen the capacity of people living with HIV and civil society organizations to meaningfully engage in the response to AIDS and to end stigma and discrimination. Tin Hlaing from the National NGOs Alliance on HIV/AIDS said, “We are calling on the government and local organizations to provide job opportunities for people who are now on antiretroviral treatment and healthy”.

According to the National AIDS Programme, in 2012 there were around 225 000 people living with HIV in Myanmar and more than 15 000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses.  Progress has been made in the response to AIDS in the country. More than 54 000 people eligible for HIV treatment are receiving it, compared to 29 000 people three years ago. However, much more needs to be done because more than 50% of people living with HIV are still in need of treatment.

Heralding Aung San Suu Kyi’s commitment to HIV and the elimination of HIV-related discrimination, UNAIDS Country Coordinator, Eamonn Murphy, emphasized the growing momentum of the AIDS response in Myanmar. “All partners in Myanmar are working closely together to scale-up antiretroviral treatment services, with the hope to double the number of people on treatment by 2015.” He also added that Myanmar was one of the first countries to participate as an early applicant to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (Global Fund) New Funding Model. The Global Fund has initially allocated up to US$ 161 million for HIV for the period 2013-2016. Pending grant approval from the Global Fund’s Board in mid-June, the additional investments for HIV will cover high impact interventions for HIV prevention, testing and counseling and treatment. 

Austrian Federal President Dr Heinz Fischer, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme, Dr Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Credit: AIDS Life

The Life Ball 2013, Europe’s biggest AIDS charity event, brought to the Austrian city of Vienna on 25 May celebrities and influential leaders in the global AIDS response to celebrate the 21st edition of one of the largest AIDS fundraising events worldwide. Organised by Gery Keszler in his capacity as chairman of the NGO AIDS LIFE, this year’s Life Ball was held under the theme “1001 nights”. All proceeds from this year’s event will go towards reaching the international goal of eliminating new HIV infections in children and keeping their mothers alive.  

During the star-studded evening high-profile guests included former United States President   Bill Clinton, UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sir Elton John, singer Fergie representing amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, Editor-in-chief of the Italian Vogue, Franca Sozzani, former Chairman and CEO of MTV Networks International, Bill Roedy, and fashion designer Roberto Cavalli who hosted this year’s Life Ball fashion show.  

The role of UNAIDS in achieving the global success against AIDS was highlighted by celebrities and global leaders at the gala dinner. "We can celebrate tonight the work of UNAIDS. A lot of the success and work achieved so far has been championed by UNAIDS, the Global Fund, the Elton John foundation and other partners,” said President Clinton

At the international press conference before the grand opening UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stressed the need to join efforts to stop new HIV infections among children. "It is every mother's wish to have a healthy child and it is every woman's right to live a life with dignity and access to health services,” said Ms Bachchan. “It is everybody's responsibility. In my role as UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador I will do my best but the media can play a huge role and I ask you to help me spread the message," added Ms Bachchan.

For the third year in a row UNAIDS co-hosted the AIDS Solidarity Gala, a dinner at the Hofburg Palace which directly preceded the ball. The patron of the gala was the Austrian Federal President Dr Heinz Fischer, which provided the event with political backing at the highest level.

"The AIDS response in the future will be led, shaped, and defined by young people. If we fail to build our AIDS response that is inclusive of young girls and young men who have sex with men we cannot achieve the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic,” said UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme, Dr Luiz Loures. “Following Sir Elton John's words: we are going to the end of AIDS but we need to make sure we leave no one behind,” he added.

The Life Ball itself began with the opening ceremony spectacle of tens of thousands of people thronging City Hall Square for a two-hour show staged on a gigantic red ribbon.

L to R: UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme, Dr Luiz Loures, Sir Elton John and former Chairman and CEO of MTV Networks International, Bill Roedy.

This year’s Crystal of Hope Award—a 100 000 euro award given to individuals who are making a difference in the AIDS response—was presented by actor and producer Hilary Swank  to representatives of the transnational project ‘The Girl Effect’, an initiative that supports young women to fight poverty and keep themselves safe from HIV. They were: Lisa T.D. Nguyen from Cambodia, Patricia Suriel from the Dominican Republic, Sulaiman Turay from Cameroon and Sadie St. Denis from Uganda.

Following the opening ceremony some 4 000 invited guests entered City Hall for an all-night event involving international performers.  

Thousands of children and their mothers are expected to benefit from the several million dollars following Life Ball 2013. Organisers hope that this year’s event will not only help to stop children becoming infected, but also further strengthen solidarity, understanding, and tolerance towards those living with and affected by HIV.

Young participants at the UNAIDS workshop. Credit: UNAIDS

Young people in South Africa are facing the challenge of creating a movement to overcome the impact that the AIDS epidemic is having on their lives.

Issues such as intergenerational and transactional sex, substance abuse and high rates of teenage pregnancy are just some of the many factors that put young people at even higher risk of HIV infection than people in other age groups.

Recently, UNAIDS brought to Johannesburg, South Africa, young people from around the country to discuss ways to effectively empower youth to take the lead in the response to AIDS. The base for the discussion was the application of the CrowdOutAIDS Strategy—the UNAIDS Secretariat’s youth-led policy recommendations—in the context of South Africa.

“The UNAIDS CrowdOutAIDS Strategy puts the focus on youth. In the strategy, young people are part of the process in terms of involvement and engagement,” said Bruce Dube, Managing Director of Youth Village, an online portal for youth. “Every young person has a contribution to make, not just at a high level. Young people have the power to effect change in their own communities,” he added.

The elimination of existing high levels of stigma and discrimination, increase availability of youth-friendly HIV services and facilities, and the creation of opportunities to develop youth–driven solutions were identified as the key elements for the young South African activists to act upon.  

“It was clear from the discussions at the workshop that young people are eager to create spaces where they can gather and create dialogue not only about the challenges, but importantly, what solutions lie in their hands,” said UNAIDS Country Coordinator, Dr Catherine Sozi.

Participants in the workshop explored ways to strengthen community mobilization and political advocacy led by young people to scale up the demand and supply of HIV services for all young people regardless of HIV status, sexual orientation or gender identity. The young activists also strengthened their skills for effective leadership at national and provincial levels. They also had an opportunity to brainstorm ways to gain access to HIV-related information, especially through digital technologies, and forge strategic networks among themselves and their respective youth organizations. The workshop will lead to the development of an action plan, using the CorwdOutAIDS Strategy to guide future activities.

“HIV activism is not part of the youth lifestyle—we need to change that and incorporate it into all facets of our lives,” stressed Mr Dube.