Celebrities and supporters of the global HIV response take part in a new UNAIDS film and social media campaign calling on world leaders to address the inequalities driving the HIV epidemic to end AIDS by 2030

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 1 July 2021—In the 40th year since the first AIDS cases were reported, a group of celebrities and high-profile supporters of the HIV response have appeared in a new film as part of a campaign to hold world leaders to their commitment to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The film, A Message to World Leaders on Ending AIDS, shows how the HIV epidemic remains a global health emergency and that too many people are being left behind in the response because the underlying inequalities driving the epidemic are not being addressed.

Alongside the UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, the film features celebrities and long-standing supporters of the global HIV movement, including Kenneth Cole, Toumani Diabaté, Youri Djorkaeff, David Furnish, Sir Elton John, Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Stéphanie Seydoux, Charlize Theron, Brigitte Touadera, Yousra and others.

People are invited to join the campaign by sending their own messages to world leaders on social media using the #EndInequalitiesEndAIDS hashtag and by signing a Dear World Leader letter that lays out the progress made against the HIV epidemic to date while urging stronger action to reduce inequalities, mobilize resources and empower communities living with and affected by HIV to end the AIDS epidemic for good. The letter also expresses concern about the impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and how the pandemic has increased vulnerability to HIV infection among certain groups of people, such as young women and girls because of interruptions to schooling, child marriage and gender-based violence.  

The campaign reflects the recently adopted UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS and supports the outcomes of the 2021 United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS. At the meeting, Member States supported the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS: Ending Inequalities and Getting on Track to End AIDS by 2030, which set new targets for HIV prevention and treatment and the reduction of HIV-related stigma and discrimination. If those targets are met by 2025, the world will be on course to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. If reached, the targets will deliver HIV services to 95% of all people who need them, reduce the number of new HIV infections annually to fewer than 370 000 and reduce AIDS-related deaths to fewer than 250 000.

Incredible progress has been made against HIV over the past four decades, with the number of people on life-saving medicines more than tripling since 2010. But the campaign draws attention to those being left behind, such as young women and girls, gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people and people who use drugs. A recently released UNAIDS report, Global commitments, local action, shows that 10.2 million of 37.6 million people living with HIV globally are still waiting for treatment. Last year alone, 690 000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses and there were 1.5 million new HIV infections worldwide.

The film was launched during the 48th meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board. It can be found, with the letter to world leaders, at endinequalitiesendaids.unaids.org.

QUOTES: 

“We need governments to do their part, we need communities to mobilize and organize, we need civil society to advocate … Those who understand the need for global solidarity, those whose hearts tell them that the right thing to do is to care for humanity, must organize and win the public debate.”

Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
 

“The stigma associated [with AIDS] was arguably worse than the disease itself … If we work together toward these common goals [on HIV prevention and treatment] and if they are achieved by 2025 it will put the world back on track to end AIDS as a public health crisis by 2030.”

Kenneth Cole, designer, activist and UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador
 

“It’s important that we continue this fight and redouble our efforts. It is urgent.”

Toumani Diabaté, musician and UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador
 

“The virus has not gone away. Access to prevention, treatment and care remains a vital priority.”

Youri Djorkaeff, Chief Executive Officer, FIFA Foundation
 

“People who feel disenfranchised and cut off from society … that’s where HIV tends to come in and root down most. [We need] to ensure that everybody who’s at risk of contracting HIV feels safe, feels loved and feels they have access to the testing and treatment that they need.”

David Furnish, Chairman, the Elton John AIDS Foundation
 

“Young children from Indonesia were expelled from their schools when teachers and parents found out that they are HIV-positive.”

Atiqah Hasiholan, actress, model and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Indonesia
 

“We’ve made a lot of progress scientifically and medically, but we still have a long way to go. [Ending AIDS] is an achievable dream but what we have to do is end the stigma. We must continue to give people hope throughout the world that AIDS is on the agenda. We can’t leave these people behind. We are all born equal, we all should be treated the same.”

Sir Elton John, musician and founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation

“Today, people living with HIV can enjoy long, healthy lives with one pill a day. We need a recommitment to ending the ignorance, the stigma and, yes, sometimes the silence that stands between us and the end of the AIDS epidemic.”

Sheryl Lee Ralph, actress, singer, author and activist
 

“We know how to end AIDS and we have the tools to do so.”

Stéphanie Seydoux, France’s Ambassador for Global Health
 

“We can encourage our leaders to provide the means to stop this pandemic.”

Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador
 

“There’s one simple reason we’re missing our goal: inequality. Key populations most likely to become HIV-positive are least likely to have access to the services they need to survive. Whether you live or die from AIDS is still too often determined by who you are, who you love and where you live.”

Charlize Theron, actress, founder of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and United Nations Messenger of Peace
 

“Unfortunately, complacency is setting in and inequalities are growing. I call on leaders around the world to commit to a world without AIDS.”

Brigitte Touadera, First Lady of the Central African Republic
 

“Many people are not accessing services out of fear of being recognized or judged or out of personal safety and security.”

Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015 and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific
 

“To end AIDS, we need to talk about it. HIV does not discriminate. We do.”

Yousra, actress, singer and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 14 June 2021—After weeks of robust discussions, the 2021 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS is drawing to a close with the adoption of a new, ambitious and achievable Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS: Ending Inequalities and Getting on Track to End AIDS by 2030. The declaration is based on evidence, grounded in human rights and will serve as an important road map to advance the global HIV response over the next five years.

“I would like to thank all Member States,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Over the past two months they have drafted, negotiated and delivered a bold political declaration that will guide global efforts to end a pandemic that has ravaged countries and communities for 40 years.”

Important advances have been achieved in the 2021 political declaration, including new targets to ensure that 95% of people at risk of HIV use combination HIV prevention services, a greater emphasis on community-led provision of services—including a target to ensure that 80% of prevention services for key populations are provided by communities—and a commitment to end inequalities, going far beyond Sustainable Development Goal 10, reduce inequalities.

The High-Level Meeting on AIDS was convened by the President of the General Assembly, with the co-facilitators—the ambassadors of Australia and Namibia—leading negotiations on the political declaration; 193 Member States were represented and the speakers included 14 presidents, five vice-presidents and four prime ministers, with many high-level dignitaries also participating in the thematic panels and 30 supporting events. The events covered issues from how to increase treatment coverage for children to how to scale up harm reduction and empower young people and adolescents.

The five thematic panels were:

• Addressing Inequalities to End AIDS: 10 Years to 2030.
• Putting People and Communities at the Centre of the Response to AIDS.
• Resources and Funding for an Effective AIDS Response.
• Advancing Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Girls in the AIDS Response.
• Addressing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the AIDS Response and Building Back Better for Pandemic Preparedness.

The High-Level Meeting on AIDS featured the participation of people living with HIV, senior United Nations officials, representatives of international organizations, the private sector, civil society and academia and other stakeholders, who discussed practical ways of translating the new political declaration into action and results.

Eminent person and long-time AIDS activist Sir Elton John, founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, made a strong call to action by video message, saying, “With your leadership, we can defeat AIDS and COVID-19 and be better prepared for other pandemics that will follow. You can and will make the difference. And you have an army of supporters standing behind you, including the 38 million people living with HIV around the world. Together, we can bring an end to fear and inequality—and, by the end of this decade, end the AIDS pandemic, once and for all! The world is watching and we don’t have a moment to waste.”

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

World leaders agree to reduce the annual number of new HIV infections to under 370 000 and AIDS-related deaths to 250 000, eliminate new HIV infections among children, end paediatric AIDS and eliminate all forms of HIV-related discrimination by 2025. They also committed to providing life-saving HIV treatment to 34 million people by 2025.

NEW YORK, 8 June 2021—United Nations Member States adopted a set of new and ambitious targets in a political declaration at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, taking place in New York, United States of America. If the international community reaches the targets, 3.6 million new HIV-infections and 1.7 million AIDS-related deaths will be prevented by 2030.

The political declaration calls on countries to provide 95% of all people at risk of acquiring HIV within all epidemiologically relevant groups, age groups and geographic settings with access to people-centred and effective HIV combination prevention options. It also calls on countries to ensure that 95% of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 95% of people who know their status to be on HIV treatment and 95% of people on HIV treatment to be virally suppressed.

“In this Decade of Action, if we are to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development all Member States must recommit to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030,” said Volkan Bozkir, the President of the United Nations General Assembly.

“To end AIDS, we need to end the intersecting injustices that drive new HIV infections and prevent people from accessing services,” said Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The political declaration notes with concern that key populations—gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, transgender people and people in prisons and closed settings—are more likely to be exposed to HIV and face violence, stigma, discrimination and laws that restrict their movement or access to services. Member States agreed to a target of ensuring that less than 10% of countries have restrictive legal and policy frameworks that lead to the denial or limitation of access to services by 2025. They also committed to ensure that less than 10% of people living with, at risk of or affected by HIV face stigma and discrimination by 2025, including by leveraging the concept of undetectable = untransmittable (people living with HIV who have achieved viral suppression do not transmit HIV).

“I would like to thank Member States. They have adopted an ambitious political declaration to get the world back on track to ending the AIDS pandemic that has ravaged communities for 40 years,” said Winnie Byanyima, the UNAIDS Executive Director.

Expressing concern at the number of new HIV infections among adolescents, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, a commitment was made to reduce the number of new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women to below 50 000 by 2025. Member States committed to eliminate all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, by adopting and enforcing laws that address the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence faced by women living with, at risk of and affected by HIV. They pledged to reduce to no more than 10% the number of women, girls and people affected by HIV who experience gender-based inequalities and sexual and gender-based violence by 2025. In addition, commitments were made to ensure that all women can exercise their right to sexuality, including their sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence.

Countries were also urged to use national epidemiological data to identify other priority populations who are at higher risk of exposure to HIV, which may include people with disabilities, ethnic and racial minorities, indigenous peoples, local communities, people living in poverty, migrants, refugees, internally displaced people, men and women in uniform and people in humanitarian emergencies and in conflict and post-conflict situations. Countries also committed to ensure that 95% of people living with, at risk of and affected by HIV are protected against pandemics, including COVID-19.

“The stark inequalities exposed by the colliding pandemics of HIV and COVID-19 are a wake-up call for the world to prioritize and invest fully in realizing the human right to health for all without discrimination,” said Ms Byanyima.

Member States also committed to increase and fully fund the AIDS response. They agreed to invest US$ 29 billion annually by 2025 in low- and middle-income countries. This includes investing at least US$ 3.1 billion towards societal enablers, including the protection of human rights, reduction of stigma and discrimination and law reform. They also committed to include peer-led HIV service delivery, including through social contracting and other public funding mechanisms.

Calling for expanding access to the latest technologies for tuberculosis (TB) prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination, Member States agreed to ensure that 90% of people living with HIV receive preventive treatment for TB and reduce AIDS-related TB deaths by 80% by 2025. Countries also committed to ensure the global accessibility, availability and affordability of safe, effective and quality-assured medicines, including generics, vaccines, diagnostics and other health technologies to prevent, diagnose and treat HIV infection, its coinfections and other comorbidities through the use of existing flexibilities under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and ensure that intellectual property rights provisions in trade agreements do not undermine the existing flexibilities as outlined in the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health.

“The AIDS response is still leaving millions behind—LGBTI people, sex workers, people who use drugs, migrants and prisoners, teenagers, young people, women and children—who also deserve an ordinary life, with the same rights and dignity enjoyed by most people in this room,” said Yana Panfilova, a woman living with HIV and member of the Global Network of People Living with HIV.

The high-level meeting is being attended in-person and virtually by heads of state and government, ministers and delegates in New York, people living with HIV, civil society organizations, key populations and communities affected by HIV, international organizations, scientists and researchers and the private sector. UNAIDS supported regional consultations and the participation of civil society in the high-level meeting. Civil society organizations called on Member States to adopt a stronger resolution.

“While we have made some significant progress as a global community, we are still missing the mark and people are paying the price with their lives. There’s one single reason we are missing our goal: it’s inequality,” said Charlize Theron, Founder of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Member States also committed to support and leverage the 25 years of experience and expertise of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and committed to fully fund the programme so that it can continue to lead global efforts against AIDS and support efforts for pandemic preparedness and global health.

In accordance with the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS, adopted by consensus on 25 March 2021 by the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board, as well as the report of the United Nations Secretary-General, Addressing Inequalities and Getting Back on Track to End AIDS by 2030, issued on 31 March 2021, UNAIDS would have welcomed even stronger commitments on comprehensive sexuality education, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and sexual orientation and gender identity, unqualified acceptance of evidence-based HIV prevention options, such as harm reduction, a call for the decriminalization of the transmission of HIV, sex work, drug use and laws that criminalize same-sex sexual relationships and further flexibilization of intellectual property rules for access to life-saving medicines, vaccines and technologies.

In 2020, 27.4 million of the 37.6 million people living with HIV were on treatment, up from just 7.8 million in 2010. The roll-out of affordable, quality treatment is estimated to have averted 16.2 million deaths since 2001. AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 43% since 2010, to 690 000 in 2020. Progress in reducing new HIV infections has also been made, but has been markedly slower—a 30% reduction since 2010, with 1.5 million people newly infected with the virus in 2020, compared to 2.1 million in 2010.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

UNAIDS urges world leaders to adopt a bold political declaration on HIV at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, being held in New York and online next week, and to commit to achieving a new set of targets for 2025 to end AIDS by 2030

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 3 June 2021—Four decades after the first cases of AIDS were reported, new data from UNAIDS show that dozens of countries achieved or exceed the 2020 targets set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2016—evidence that the targets were not just aspirational but achievable.

The report shows that countries with progressive laws and policies and strong and inclusive health systems have had the best outcomes against HIV. In those countries, people living with and affected by HIV are more likely to have access to effective HIV services, including HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (medicine to prevent HIV), harm reduction, multimonth supplies of HIV treatment and consistent, quality follow-up and care.

“High-performing countries have provided paths for others to follow,” said Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Their adequate funding, genuine community engagement, rights-based and multisectoral approaches and the use of scientific evidence to guide focused strategies have reversed their epidemics and saved lives. These elements are invaluable for pandemic preparedness and responses against HIV, COVID-19 and many other diseases.”  

Globally, the report shows that the number of people on treatment has more than tripled since 2010. In 2020, 27.4 million of the 37.6 million people living with HIV were on treatment, up from just 7.8 million in 2010. The roll-out of affordable, quality treatment is estimated to have averted 16.2 million deaths since 2001.

Deaths have fallen in large part due to the roll-out of antiretroviral therapy. AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 43% since 2010, to 690 000 in 2020. Progress in reducing new HIV infections has also been made, but has been markedly slower—a 30% reduction since 2010, with 1.5 million people newly infected with the virus in 2020 compared to 2.1 million in 2010.

The report underscores that countries with punitive laws and that do not take a rights-based approach to health punish, ignore, stigmatize and leave key populations—which make up 62% of new HIV infections worldwide—on the margins and out of reach of HIV services. For example, almost 70 countries worldwide criminalize same-sex sexual relationships. Gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people in prison and people who inject drugs are left with little or no access to health or social services, allowing HIV to spread among the most vulnerable in society.

Young women in sub-Saharan Africa also continue to be left behind. Six out of seven new HIV infections among adolescents aged 15–19 years in the region are among girls. AIDS-related illnesses remain the leading cause of death among women aged 15–49 years in sub-Saharan Africa.

COVID-19 has shown the fragility of the health and development gains made over the past decades and has exposed glaring inequalities. To get the world on track to end AIDS by 2030, the global AIDS community and UNAIDS have used an inequalities lens to develop an ambitious and achievable strategy with new targets to reach by 2025. Ending inequalities requires HIV responses that can reach the populations currently being left behind.

If reached, the targets will bring HIV services to 95% of the people who need them, reduce annual HIV infections to fewer than 370 000 and AIDS-related deaths to fewer than 250 000 by 2025. This will require an investment of US$ 29 billion a year by 2025. Each additional US$ 1 of investment in implementing the global AIDS strategy will bring a return of more than US$ 7 in health benefits.

UNAIDS urges the United Nations General Assembly to commit to the targets in a new political declaration on HIV at the fifth United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, taking place from 8 to 10 June 2021.

“The world cannot afford to underinvest in pandemic preparedness and responses,” said Ms Byanyima. “I strongly urge the United Nations General Assembly to seize the moment and commit to taking the actions needed to end AIDS.”

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 30 April 2021—Norman Fowler, the pioneering United Kingdom Secretary of State for Health, human rights campaigner and respected Lords Speaker, will champion law reform, health for all and girls’ education worldwide to help end HIV as an ambassador for UNAIDS. 

Lord Fowler, who steps down as Lord Speaker at the end of April, will take up his new role as an advocate on AIDS in May 2021. 

In his new role, he will focus on engaging leaders across the world in advancing three transformational shifts that are central to ending AIDS: ending punitive laws against and stigmatization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people; ensuring universal access to health care; and ensuring the empowerment and education of all girls so that they finish secondary school and benefit from a dramatically reduced risk of acquiring HIV. 

Lord Fowler served as the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Health from the beginning of the HIV epidemic. He has decades of service at the highest levels of government and has been a champion for people affected by HIV and for the human rights of LGBTI people. 

The UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, said, “We can beat AIDS, but only through bold action by leaders. Lord Fowler is respected as a great parliamentarian and courageous leader across the world. He has delivered bold change to fight AIDS, and can help other leaders to do the same. We are so grateful to Lord Fowler for supporting us in this way.” 

Lord Fowler said, “As I said when I announced that I was stepping down as Lord Speaker, I am not retiring, only resigning. I am determined to see the end of AIDS, and to see the end of the inequalities that stand in the way of the end of AIDS. We have come so far but this last mile is the most challenging one. The COVID-19 crisis is not a reason to step back but a reason to step up and beat AIDS.”

This is a key year for the HIV response, which marks the fortieth anniversary of the discovery of HIV. This year will also see the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS, at which leaders will set out the steps they will take to achieve the end of AIDS by 2030.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Forty years since the first AIDS cases were reported and just weeks before the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, the United Nations Secretary-General has released a new report with recommendations and targets to get the world back on track to end AIDS

NEW YORK, 30 April 2021—The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has warned that despite intensive action and progress made against HIV in some places and population groups, HIV epidemics continue to expand in others and issued a set of 10 key recommendations.* If followed by all countries, this will end the AIDS pandemic as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. In a new report, Addressing inequalities and getting back on track to end AIDS by 2030, the United Nations Secretary-General urges the world to address the inequalities that are slowing progress. 

“It is imperative to break out of an increasingly costly and unsustainable cycle of achieving some progress against HIV but ultimately not enough to bring about an end to the pandemic,” said Mr Guterres in the report. “Inequalities are the key reason why the 2020 global targets were missed. By ending inequalities, transformative outcomes can be achieved for people living with HIV, communities and countries.”

The global targets set out in the General Assembly’s 2016 Political Declaration on Ending AIDS were missed by a long way, allowing the AIDS pandemic to grow in many regions and countries. The staggering 1.7 million new HIV infections that occurred in 2019 are more than three times higher than the 2020 target of less than 500 000 new infections. In addition, the 690 000 AIDS-related deaths in 2019 far exceed the 2020 target of reducing deaths to fewer than 500 000 a year.

“Ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is still within reach—many countries are showing that rapid progress against HIV is possible when evidence-informed strategies and human rights-based approaches are adopted,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. “But it requires bold political leadership to challenge and address the social injustices and inequalities that continue to make certain groups of people and entire communities highly vulnerable to HIV infection.”

The report notes that COVID-19 has caused additional setbacks. The United Nations Secretary-General warned that COVID-19 is not an excuse for missing AIDS targets, but rather a stark warning to the countries that they can no longer afford to underinvest in pandemic preparedness and responses.

At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the many spill-over benefits of HIV investments in health and development. Community-led service delivery pioneered by the HIV response is helping to overcome the extraordinary impediments created by COVID-19.

The set of 10 recommendations to get the world back on track include: addressing inequalities and reaching all people living with or at risk of HIV infection to reduce the annual new HIV infections to under 370 000 and annual AIDS-related deaths to under 250 000 by 2025; prioritizing HIV prevention to ensure that 95% of people at risk of HIV infection have access to effective HIV prevention options by 2025; and eliminating new HIV infections among children.

The report underscores that addressing social and structural factors that perpetuate inequalities is key. It highlights, for example, how gender inequality, underpinned by harmful gender norms, restricts women’s use of HIV and sexual and reproductive health services by perpetuating gender-based violence and limiting decision-making power, including the ability of women and girls to refuse unwanted sex, negotiate safer sex and mitigate HIV risk.

It also shows how vulnerable, marginalized and criminalized communities, such as gay men and other men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, sex workers, transgender people, prisoners and migrants, also remain at higher risk of HIV infection than the general population because they are not receiving essential information and HIV treatment, prevention and care services.

The United Nations Secretary-General describes how communities of people living with, at risk of and affected by HIV are the backbone of the HIV response. Initiatives led by people living with HIV, women, key populations, young people and other affected communities have identified and addressed key inequalities and service gaps, advocated for the rights of their constituents and expanded the reach, scale and quality of health services.

In the report, Mr Guterres applauds UNAIDS’ recently adopted Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS. “The lessons from the countries, cities and communities that successfully fast-tracked their HIV responses over the last five years are at the heart of the UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026,” said Mr Guterres. “The global AIDS community and UNAIDS have used an inequalities lens to develop the strategy, with new targets that are ambitious, granular and tailored to reach the furthest behind first.”

The report comes 25 years after the creation of UNAIDS and describes how COVID-19 has exposed social inequalities and health system weaknesses. The United Nations Secretary-General says that the world should leverage the experience from responding to the AIDS pandemic to strengthen health systems across the world and improve pandemic preparedness. He also calls for enhanced global solidarity to close the HIV resource gap and increase annual HIV investments in low- and middle-income countries to US$ 29 billion by 2025. 

*The 10 recommendations in the United Nations Secretary-General’s report:

1.      Reduce and end the acute and intersecting inequalities that are obstructing progress to end AIDS.
2.      Prioritize HIV prevention and ensure that 95% of people at risk of HIV infection have access to and use appropriate, prioritized, person-centred and effective combination prevention options by 2025.
3.      Close gaps in HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression that are limiting the impact of HIV responses and achieve by 2025 the 95–95–95 testing and treatment targets within all subpopulations, age groups and geographic settings, including children living with HIV.
4.      Eliminate vertical HIV transmission and end paediatric AIDS.
5.      Put gender equality and the human rights of women and girls in all their diversity at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the risk and impact of HIV.
6.      Implement the GIPA (Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS) principle and empower communities of people living with HIV, women, adolescents and young people and key populations to play their critical HIV response roles.
7.      Respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of people living with, at risk of and affected by HIV and ensure by 2025 that less than 10% of people living with HIV and key populations experience stigma and discrimination.
8.      Enhance global solidarity to close the HIV response resource gap and increase annual HIV investments in low- and middle-income countries to US$29 billion by 2025.
9.      Accelerate progress towards universal health coverage and strong primary health care systems, build forward better and fairer from COVID-19 and humanitarian crises, and strengthen global health security and future pandemic preparedness.
10.  Leverage the 25 years of experience, expertise and mandate of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in building multisectoral, multi-stakeholder and rights-based collaborative action to end AIDS and deliver health for all as global public good.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Disruption to HIV services as high as 75% has been reported in some countries—to prevent increased AIDS-related deaths, HIV services must continue during the COVID-19 pandemic

GENEVA, 13 April 2021—UNAIDS and the World Health Organization (WHO) have supported mathematical modelling to establish the benefits of continuing HIV services compared to the potential harm of additional COVID-19 transmission. The analysis shows that maintaining HIV services would avert between 19 and 146 AIDS-related deaths per 10 000 people over a 50-year time horizon, while the additional COVID-19-related deaths from exposures related to HIV services would be 0.002 to 0.15 per 10 000 people. The analysis demonstrates that the benefits of continuing to provide HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic far outweigh the risk of additional COVID-19-related deaths.

“The world should make investments now that don’t leave it with such stark trade-offs in the future,” said Peter Ghys, Director, Strategic Information and Evaluation, UNAIDS. “We need to build robust future systems for health that recognize community-led contributions as part and parcel of a resilient system, not as an afterthought.”

The analysis looked at disruptions to four key HIV services: voluntary medical male circumcision, HIV diagnostic testing, viral load testing and programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. It compared COVID-19 deaths in 2020 and 2021 among health workers and clients due to keeping HIV services open with averted AIDS-related deaths occurring now and over the next 50 years due to maintenance of services. The models were applied to countries with a range of HIV and COVID-19 epidemics.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruption to health services, with restrictions in population movements and health services suspended or limited in many countries. The analysis shows that the potential harm of additional COVID-19 transmission occurring in HIV health services needs to be carefully balanced against the benefits of those services, which, the analysis shows, include fewer AIDS-related deaths. These results may seem intuitive, but it is important to realize that some services have been closed to protect people living with HIV from exposure to COVID-19 and its potential lethal outcomes. However, the risk of not keeping those essential HIV services open entails a greater overall risk of death related to lack of prevention of HIV, access to diagnosis and eventual treatment—these trade-offs are unacceptable.

While there is some additional short-term risk of COVID-19 transmission associated with providing HIV services, the risk of additional COVID-19 deaths is at least 100 times less than the AIDS-related deaths averted by continuing those services. Additional effort to encourage health-care seeking for HIV services during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may be needed.

“Ministries of health take into account many factors in deciding when and how to offer essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes. “This work shows that taking the longer view, the benefits of continuing key HIV services are far larger than the risks of additional COVID-19 transmission; innovative and safe delivery of services must continue as the pandemic is brought under control.”

The full analysis can be found on medrxiv at: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.01.21252663

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The new Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS, is a bold approach that uses an inequalities lens to close the gaps preventing progress to end AIDS

GENEVA, 25 March 2021—The UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) has adopted by consensus a new Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 to get every country and every community on track to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The strategy was adopted by the PCB during a special session, chaired by the Minister of Health of Namibia, held on 24 and 25 March 2021.

The Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS, uses an inequalities lens to close the gaps preventing progress to end AIDS and sets out bold new targets and polices to be reached by 2025 to propel new energy and commitment to ending AIDS. The UNAIDS Secretariat and its 11 Cosponsors worked to develop the new strategy, which received inputs from more than 10 000 stakeholders from 160 countries.

“This year marks 40 years since the first cases of AIDS were reported and 25 years since the establishment of UNAIDS. We are at a critical moment in our historic effort to end AIDS,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Like HIV before it, COVID-19 has shown that inequality kills. COVID-19 has widened existing inequalities that block progress to ending AIDS. That’s why I’m proud that our new strategy places tackling inequalities at its heart. We must seize this moment to ensure health equality for all in order to beat COVID-19 and end AIDS.”

The strategy puts people at the centre and aims to unite all countries, communities and partners across and beyond the HIV response to take prioritized action to transform health and life outcomes for people living with and affected by HIV. The three strategic priorities are to: (1) maximize equitable and equal access to comprehensive people-centred HIV services; (2) break down legal and societal barriers to achieving HIV outcomes; and (3) fully resource and sustain HIV responses and integrate them into systems for health, social protection and humanitarian settings.

“The World Health Organization is pleased to endorse the global AIDS strategy for the next five years, with its ambitious vision for ending gender inequalities and realizing human rights, including the right to health, calling upon all partners and stakeholders in the HIV response in every country to transform unequal gender norms and end stigma and discrimination,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization and chair of the UNAIDS Committee of Cosponsoring Organizations. “For this strategy to be fully realized, WHO will continue to support all countries to strengthen health systems and especially primary health care, on the road towards universal health coverage.”

If the targets and commitments in the strategy are achieved, the number of people who newly acquire HIV will decrease from 1.7 million in 2019 to less than 370 000 by 2025 and the number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses will decrease from 690 000 in 2019 to less than 250 000 in 2025. The goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children will see the number of new HIV infections drop from 150 000 in 2019 to less than 22 000 in 2025.

“I applaud the joint efforts in the global AIDS response. At this critical point in efforts to end AIDS as a global health threat by 2030, I call on all countries to support this strategy to get the global AIDS response back on track,” said Kalumbi Shangula, Minister of Health of Namibia and PCB Chair.

HIV prevention for key and priority populations receives unprecedented urgency and focus in the strategy, which calls on countries to utilize the full potential of HIV prevention tools, especially for adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa, sex workers, people who inject drugs, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people and people in prison settings.

“The Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) fully supports the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026. The strategy’s life-saving framework for ending inequalities is fundamental to ending the AIDS epidemic and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Alexandra Volgina, Program Manager, GNP+.

The strategy is based on human rights, gender equality and dignity, free from stigma and discrimination for all people living with and affected by HIV, and is the result of extensive analysis of HIV data and an inclusive process of consultation with countries, communities and partners.

Achieving the goals and targets of the new strategy will require annual HIV investments in low- and middle-income countries to rise to a peak of US$ 29 billion by 2025. The total resource needs for lower-income- and lower-middle-income countries is around US$ 13.7 billion. Donor resources are mainly needed for low-income and lower-middle-income countries, while in upper-middle-income countries, which account for 53% of the investments needed, domestic resources are the predominant source of funding.

For more information: End Inequalities. End AIDS. UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

ABUJA/GENEVA, 10 March 2021—The UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, has met the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, to discuss the country’s response to the colliding pandemics of HIV and COVID-19. The meeting was part of Ms Byanyima’s three-day visit to the country, which also included visits to communities on the frontline of the response and events to mark International Women’s Day on 8 March.

During their meeting, Ms Byanyima thanked Mr Buhari for being an early champion of the People’s Vaccine campaign, which is calling for a fair and equitable distribution of vaccines against the coronavirus to ensure that poorer countries are not left behind in the response. Nigeria began to vaccinate frontline health workers last weekend after taking delivery of 4 million doses of vaccine, facilitated through COVAX, the international mechanism set up to bulk buy vaccines and distribute them equitably worldwide. Of 300 million vaccine doses administered worldwide so far, most have been administered in just 10 countries.

Ms Byanyima also applauded the country’s progress against the HIV pandemic and said UNAIDS stood ready to strengthen its partnership with Nigeria to further reduce the impact of the HIV pandemic and end AIDS as a public health threat as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“Nigeria has made good progress on expanding the delivery of HIV testing, treatment and care services over recent years, contributing to a steep decline in AIDS-related deaths,” said Ms Byanyima. “I look forward to reinforcing UNAIDS’ partnership with government, communities and all other stakeholders to drive new HIV infections down and kick-start a decade of action to end AIDS as a public health threat for everyone.”

There were 1.8 million people living with HIV in Nigeria in 2019 and 1.3 million people know their HIV status. Around 1.1 million people are now on HIV treatment to keep them alive and well. AIDS-related deaths have fallen by more than a third over the past decade, although HIV infections have declined at a more modest rate.

During her visit, Ms Byanyima also met community activists, who have been instrumental in minimizing the disruption to HIV testing, treatment and care services despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to contain it.

On Monday, Ms Byanyima took part in events to commemorate International Women’s Day hosted by the Federal Minister of Women’s Affairs, Pauline Tallen. Ms Byanyima stressed the importance of women’s leadership and participation at all levels of decision-making to ensure that issues of importance to women, such as ending gender-based violence and expanding access to essential services, including health and education, were addressed.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 23 December 2020— The virtual 47th meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) has concluded with important decisions relating to the HIV response, the COVID-19 epidemic, and the ongoing transformation of UNAIDS.

In her opening remarks to the PCB, UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, thanked the United States of America for chairing the meeting and for its continued leadership in the AIDS response. In her report to the PCB on the state of the HIV epidemic, Ms Byanyima described a mixed picture of progress for some and inequality, stalled or growing danger from HIV for others. With the UNAIDS 2020 targets unmet, she warned that COVID-19 threatened to blow the HIV response even further off-track and called on the world to tackle the long-term fragilities, inequalities and injustices which continue to drive the HIV epidemic.

“A second pandemic in COVID-19 now makes the situation immeasurably more complex,” said Ms Byanyima, “Our choices are stark: get back on track by tackling inequality rapidly and head on, with the expectation that progress for some can be realized by all, or watch as we slip further behind.”

In a special address, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, said that people living with HIV, key populations and community-led organizations were critical to helping shape the future of the AIDS response. She urged the PCB to prioritize the adoption of the new UNAIDS strategy with its ambitious 2025 targets so that it could inform preparations for the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS expected to be held in June 2021.

“We need political will and renewed commitment to adopt this strategy, to fully fund the global AIDS response, and to fully fund UNAIDS. Together let us make this decade of action also the decade we end AIDS,” said Ms Mohammed.

During the meeting, Ms Byanyima thanked Sweden and Germany for announcing significant financial contributions to support the work of UNAIDS, demonstrating their ongoing support for the organization. The PCB concluded with a thematic segment on cervical cancer and HIV with a special address from the First Lady of Namibia, Monica Geingos.

The PCB elected Namibia as its Chair for 2021, with Thailand to serve as vice-chair and the United States of America as rapporteur.

The report to the Board by the UNAIDS Executive Director and the PCB’s decisions can be found at unaids.org/en/whoweare/pcb/47.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.