GENEVA, 23 February 2017—Everyone will have experienced discrimination of some kind during their lives; however, non-discrimination is a human right. Equally, states and individuals have a legal obligation not to discriminate. This year, on 1 March, Zero Discrimination Day, UNAIDS is urging people to make some noise around zero discrimination, to speak up and prevent discrimination from standing in the way of achieving ambitions, goals and dreams.

Discrimination has many forms, from racial or religious discrimination to discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation or age, and to bullying at school or at work. In only three out of 10 countries worldwide do equal numbers of girls and boys attend upper secondary school, and people living with disabilities are nearly three times more likely to be denied health care than other people.

“Everyone has the right to be treated with respect, to live free from discrimination, coercion and abuse,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Discrimination doesn’t just hurt individuals, it hurts everyone, whereas welcoming and embracing diversity in all its forms brings benefits for all.”

Zero discrimination is an integral part of UNAIDS’ vision and for this year’s Zero Discrimination Day UNAIDS is calling for zero discrimination in health-care settings. The right to health is a fundamental human right that includes access to affordable, timely and quality health-care services for all, yet discrimination remains widespread in health-care settings, creating a serious barrier to access to HIV services.

“Health-care settings should be safe and supportive environments. It is unacceptable that discrimination is inhibiting access to care today,” said Mr Sidibé. “Eliminating discrimination in health-care settings is critical, and we must demand that it become a reality.”

Data from 50 countries from the People Living with HIV Stigma Index show that one in eight people living with HIV report being denied health care. Around 60% of European Union/European Economic Area countries report that stigma and discrimination among health-care professionals remains a barrier to the provision of adequate HIV prevention services for men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs.

This year, UNAIDS is calling on everyone to make some noise for #zerodiscrimination. Zero Discrimination Day is an opportunity to highlight how everyone can be part of the transformation and take a stand for a fair and just society.

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, 18 January 2017—UNAIDS has presented Professor Peng Liyuan, the First Lady of China, with the UNAIDS Award for Outstanding Achievement in recognition of her remarkable contribution to the global response to HIV. The award was presented to Professor Peng by the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, at a special ceremony held in her honour organized by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

A renowned soprano singer, Professor Peng has been working on HIV and tuberculosis for more than 10 years and has advocated for a stronger response to the two diseases at major international events, including at meetings of the Group of Twenty and the United Nations General Assembly.   

“This is a great honour and I am deeply humbled,” said Professor Peng on accepting the award. “A caring heart is our best weapon against AIDS—we can save lives if we take action. We must succeed and we will succeed.”

Professor Peng’s work to break down the barriers of stigma and discrimination is allowing more people to be reached with essential HIV services. Through her work with children and young people, in particular children orphaned by AIDS, she has enabled a broader understanding of how to support children living with HIV to live a healthy life with dignity and free from discrimination.

“Professor Peng has helped to open a national conversation around HIV in China that has spread empathy and compassion for people affected by HIV,” said Mr Sidibé. “She is a true champion for the most vulnerable, especially children affected by HIV, and has helped to create an environment for children to not just survive, but thrive.”

The work of Professor Peng and other prominent advocates has made an important contribution to the scale-up and improvement of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV around the world. These efforts have helped to more than halve the annual number of new HIV infections among children globally since 2010. 

Progress has also been made in ensuring that children living with HIV have access to treatment. In 2005, less than 10% of children living with HIV had access to antiretroviral medicines, but heightened awareness and improvements in diagnostics and treatment availability have ensured that around 50% (870 000) of the 1.8 million children living with HIV had access to the life-saving medicines in 2015.

However, to reach the target countries committed to in the 2016 Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, the number of children accessing antiretroviral therapy needs to increase significantly, to 1.6 million children by 2018. “The world has made significant gains, but there is still much more to do and we need people like Professor Peng to continue speaking out and leading the way towards ending AIDS and tuberculosis,” said Mr Sidibé.

In 2015, Professor Peng collaborated with the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS in Johannesburg, South Africa, speaking out on key issues critical to ending AIDS by 2030. In 2011, Professor Peng was designated as a Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS by WHO. Her ambassadorship was renewed for a further term by WHO during the special ceremony.

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.

As 2016 draws to a close, UNAIDS welcomes new funding commitments from our partners in the Nordic region for 2017. The renewed political and financial support from the Nordic countries demonstrates their confidence in our performance and UNAIDS 2016-2021 Strategy – on the Fast-Track to end AIDS.

"These investments demonstrate the importance of our shared vision to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director. “We welcome these new commitments, which come at a critical point in controlling the AIDS epidemic and will enable UNAIDS to focus on improving performance, delivering results and ensuring that no one is left behind by the global AIDS response."

The Swedish government will increase its annual core contribution to UNAIDS to SEK 230 million for 2017, to provide support to low- and middle-income countries to meet the goals of the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS.

“UNAIDS leadership is critical for our collective ambition of ending AIDS and to ensure zero discrimination of people living with HIV. Sweden’s political and financial support to UNAIDS was clearly demonstrated with the additional core support of SEK 50 million during 2016 to address the financial shortfall,” said Ulrika Modéer, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden. “We look forward to discussions on a sustainable and strengthened business model for UNAIDS in June 2017.”

Norway will increase its core contribution by NOK 10 million for 2017, resulting in a total of NOK 130 million for 2017.

“Norway has always been a strong and active supporter of the United Nations. The unique UNAIDS model has shown that the United Nations can deliver as one, under one budget and results framework,” said Laila Bokhari, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway. “As a donor and a UNAIDS board member, Norway will continue to support the important mission of UNAIDS."

Denmark has strengthened its commitment to the AIDS response by announcing increased support to UNAIDS to DKK 30 million for 2017.

"UNAIDS is a longstanding and key strategic partner for Denmark in our efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. UNAIDS is a front-runner in promoting human rights and addressing stigma and discrimination in the area of HIV/AIDS, particularly relating to women and young girls,” said Ulla Tørnæs, Minister for Development Cooperation, Denmark. “I am very pleased that Denmark was able to provide an additional DKK 11 million to UNAIDS in 2016."

Denmark, Norway and Sweden also provided additional financial support to UNAIDS in 2016 as an emergency measure to address the budget deficit.

UNAIDS remains hopeful that more partners will follow the Nordic countries’ leadership in increasing their political and financial support for UNAIDS to reduce the currently projected funding gap for 2017 and ensure that the world is on the Fast-Track to ending AIDS as a public health threat 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. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

UNAIDS recognizes Mr Ban for his outstanding efforts to ensure access to HIV services for all and for speaking out for the most marginalized in society.

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 30 November 2016—UNAIDS has honoured the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, for his unfaltering commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic and for acting as a voice for the voiceless to ensure access to HIV services for the key populations most affected by HIV.

Under the leadership of the Secretary-General, the world reached the AIDS targets of Millennium Development Goal 6 and moved to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Exceptional progress has also been made towards a shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

“Together, we have worked for a world where more people than ever are on treatment. Half as many children are infected through mother-to-child transmission. And double the number of people have access to medicines. I am calling for action to get on the Fast-Track to our target of 30 million people on treatment by 2020,” said Mr Ban.

Mr Ban has consistently spoken out on behalf of gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, prisoners and transgender people in order to ensure that they have access to life-saving HIV prevention and treatment services. He has been a longstanding supporter of an evidence-informed approach to the epidemic that puts people’s needs at the centre of the response to HIV.

“We are motivated to fight AIDS because we know that every child deserves care, every person deserves treatment and all vulnerable groups deserve protection from stigma and abuse,” said Mr Ban. “Tolerance and awareness help stop AIDS. Speaking out protects life.”

Mr Ban was presented with the Award for Leadership by the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, at a special World AIDS Day event held in his honour at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America, on the eve of World AIDS Day 2016. 

“The progress the world has made in reducing the impact of HIV and expanding access to health for millions of people would not have been possible without the determined leadership of my friend, Ban Ki-moon,” said Mr Sidibé. “He has been consistent in his support for the most vulnerable in the world and remains a staunch human rights defender for the people most affected by the epidemic. His sense of service, commitment and compassion will continue to be a source of inspiration.” 

Mr Ban has strongly supported the ambitious targets set by UNAIDS and its partners. In 2011, he participated in the launch of the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive, which prioritized more than 20 countries that, in 2009, accounted for 90% of the global number of pregnant women living with HIV who were in need of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission. New HIV infections among children in the 21 countries most affected by the epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa decreased from 270 000 [230 000–330 000] in 2009 to 110 000 [78 000–150 000] in 2015. AIDS-related deaths among children in the priority countries fell by 53% in those six years as their access to treatment tripled.

In July 2015, Mr Ban participated in an event in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to mark the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal 6 target of 15 million people gaining access to life-saving antiretroviral medicines. The “15 by 15” target set in 2011 and championed by Mr Ban was achieved several months ahead of schedule. Access to antiretroviral treatment continues to expand, to 18.2 million [16.1 million–19.0 million] people as of June 2016. Treatment access has grown six fold since Mr Ban took up office in 2007.

His bold and visionary leadership will continue to inspire the world to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNAIDS LEADERSHIP AWARD

The UNAIDS Award for Leadership recognizes a person or an organization that has made a major and lasting contribution to restoring dignity and improving people’s lives. UNAIDS recognizes the key role leadership plays in creating an environment for positive social change and accelerating progress in the AIDS response and beyond.

The physical award was created by celebrated artist Jamie Harris and is made of infused glass. It has a blue orb to represent the United Nations delivering as one and a red flame to embody the global solidarity to end the AIDS epidemic. 

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.

Speakers urge partners to move forward together to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals  

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 30 November 2016—On the eve of World AIDS Day, UNAIDS has hosted a special event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America, to commemorate World AIDS Day. The event, Moving Forward Together: Leaving No One Behind, was also held to honour the leadership of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and his remarkable contribution to the response to HIV in advance of his handover to the new Secretary-General, António Guterres, at the beginning of 2017.

Following a moment’s silence to remember the 35 million people who have lost their lives to AIDS, Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, presented Mr Ban with the UNAIDS Award for Leadership for speaking out on behalf of, and his commitment to, the people most affected by HIV. 

Accepting the award, Mr Ban said that he was proud to be an activist for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people and spoke of his motivation. “We are motivated to fight AIDS because we know that every child deserves care, every person deserves treatment and all vulnerable groups deserve protection from stigma and abuse. Tolerance and awareness help stop AIDS. Speaking out protects life,” he said.

Mr Sidibé paid tribute to the Secretary-General and the exceptional achievements made in the AIDS response during his tenure. “Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, you have been a true champion for people living with HIV. When you arrived only three million people were on HIV treatment. Our World AIDS Day report shows that more than 18 million are now on treatment. This isn’t just about numbers, but the very lives of people. You have shown through these years that people’s dignity is central to your agenda,” he said.

Since Mr Ban assumed office as United Nations Secretary-General in January 2007, the number of people living with HIV accessing life-saving antiretroviral therapy has increased from 2.9 million at the end of 2006, to 18.2 million [16.1 million–19.0 million] in June 2016. The number of people who died from AIDS-related illnesses has halved, from 2 million in 2006 to 1.1 million in 2015, and the number of new HIV infections among children has been reduced by two thirds, from 430 000 in 2006 to 150 000 in 2015.

During the event, Mr Ban was reacquainted with Rebecca Awiti, a woman living with HIV who met the Secretary-General in 2011 during an official visit to Kenya, where he launched The Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive. Ms Awiti is the mother of triplets, born free from HIV thanks to antiretroviral medicines. “You brought hope to me, my children and my children’s children that an AIDS-free generation is possible in our lifetime,” she said.

One of the founders of the global HIV treatment access movement, Eric Sawyer, praised the Secretary-General for his commitment to zero discrimination. “Mr Secretary-General, I thank you as a long-term survivor of HIV and as a long-time member of UN Plus and UN Cares, and a member of the Free and Equal campaign, for your leadership, for your compassion and for your commitment to the AIDS response, and for your commitment to equality and human rights for all,” he said.

As a special guest at the event, the First Lady of Panama, Lorena Castillo de Varela, who is also UNAIDS Special Ambassador for AIDS in Latin America, stressed the importance of breaking down the stigma still surrounding HIV and standing firm on zero discrimination. “We must all carry the torch for the Secretary-General and, as leaders, fight discrimination every day of our lives,” she said. “We must celebrate the diversity that unites us, and promote solidarity, respect, inclusion and peace.”

Kenneth Cole, amfAR Chair and a leading fashion designer, warned of a growing population that is disengaged and desensitized to the virus and said it was a critical time to coordinate and Fast-Track the effort to end AIDS. “We can contain and reverse the AIDS epidemic through a coordinated response. I strongly believe we can and must and will make AIDS history,” he said.

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Peter Thomson, called on the world to do more and reach the clear time-bound targets set by Member States in the 2016 Political Declaration on Ending AIDS. “On this World AIDS Day, we honour those who have passed away by committing to end the AIDS epidemic, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a healthy, safe, peaceful and sustainable future for us all,” he said.

Model, actress and philanthropist Naomi Campbell spoke of the triple threat facing young women and girls of not knowing their HIV status, not accessing life-saving treatment and not being empowered to protect themselves from HIV. “Today, I stand in solidarity with the millions of young women and adolescent girls growing up in a world where they are at risk of HIV,” she said. “I want to make a difference—you can count on me to do what I can to help end AIDS.”

Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Laura Londén, underscored the importance of working as one to Fast-Track the response to HIV. “We can only reach the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 if we are serious about HIV prevention. We need to end the isolation and fear that key populations face every day,” she said.

The event culminated with an inspirational and uplifting performance by the United Nations Choir, which performed Mae, a Japanese song about moving forward.

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.

StarTimes—the UNAIDS media partner—broadcasts HIV prevention message across African network 

GENEVA, 1 December 2016—UNAIDS and media partner StarTimes are working together to reach millions of people with World AIDS Day messages on the theme of HIV prevention. UNAIDS has produced two short videos that promote the life-cycle approach to HIV prevention—finding HIV solutions for everyone, at every stage of life. StarTimes will broadcast the videos across their African networks in English and French from today until the end of the year.

StarTimes is a major digital television operator licensed to broadcast in 30 countries across Africa. No one should be left behind by the AIDS response. Promoting HIV prevention options alongside HIV testing and treatment can ensure that the world will get on the Fast-Track to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

The videos can be viewed on UNAIDS YouTube channel at the following links:

https://youtu.be/mvxq03vJ7NE

https://youtu.be/FyrjyJG0iUI

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.

StarTimes

StarTimes is the leading digital-TV operator in Africa, serving nearly 10 million subscribers and covering 90% of the continent's population with a massive distribution network of 200 brand halls, 3,000 convenience stores and 5,000 distributors. StarTimes owns a featured content platform, with 440 authorized channels consisting of news, movies, series, sports, entertainment, children's programs, fashion, religion etc. The company's vision is "To enable every African family to afford and enjoy digital TV" StarTimes achieves this by combining satellite and terrestrial DTV systems to provide an open and secure digital wireless platform. The company provides a robust signal transmission service for public and private broadcasters, offers consumers outstanding Pay-TV programs, mobile multimedia, wireless Internet connectivity and convenient online services including checking TV guide; watching free live football; chatting with celebrities and friends.

New UNAIDS report shows that people are particularly vulnerable to HIV at certain points in their lives and calls for a life-cycle approach to find solutions for everyone at every stage of life

WINDHOEK/GENEVA, 21 November 2016—A new report by UNAIDS shows that countries are getting on the Fast-Track, with an additional one million people accessing treatment in just six months (January to June 2016). By June 2016, around 18.2 million [16.1 million–19.0 million] people had access to the life-saving medicines, including 910 000 children, double the number five years earlier. If these efforts are sustained and increased, the world will be on track to achieve the target of 30 million people on treatment by 2020.

Get on the Fast-Track: the life-cycle approach to HIV was launched today in Windhoek, Namibia, by the President of Namibia, Hage Geingob and the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé.  “Just under two years ago, 15 million people were accessing antiretroviral treatment—today more than 18 million are on treatment and new HIV infections among children continue to fall,” said President Geingob. “Now, we must ensure that the world stays on the Fast-Track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 in Namibia, in Africa and across the world.”  

The report contains detailed data on the complexities of HIV and reveals that girls’ transition to womanhood is a very dangerous time, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. “Young women are facing a triple threat,” said Mr Sidibé. “They are at high risk of HIV infection, have low rates of HIV testing, and have poor adherence to treatment. The world is failing young women and we urgently need to do more.”

HIV prevention is key to ending the AIDS epidemic among young women and the cycle of HIV infection needs to be broken. Recent data from South-Africa shows that young women are acquiring HIV from adult men, while men acquire HIV much later in life after they transition into adulthood and continue the cycle of new infections.  

The report also shows that the life-extending impact of treatment is working. In 2015, there were more people over the age of 50 living with HIV than ever before—5.8 million. The report highlights that if treatment targets are reached, that number is expected to soar to 8.5 million by 2020. Older people living with HIV, however, have up to five times the risk of chronic disease and a comprehensive strategy is needed to respond to increasing long-term health-care costs.    

The report also warns of the risk of drug resistance and the need to reduce the costs of second- and third-line treatments. It also highlights the need for more synergies with tuberculosis (TB), human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, and hepatitis C programmes in order to reduce the major causes of illness and death among people living with HIV. In 2015, 400 000 of the 1.1 million people who died from an AIDS-related illness died from TB, including 40 000 children.

“The progress we have made is remarkable, particularly around treatment, but it is also incredibly fragile,” said Mr Sidibé. “New threats are emerging and if we do not act now we risk resurgence and resistance. We have seen this with TB. We must not make the same mistakes again.”

Get on the Fast-Track: the life-cycle approach to HIV outlines that large numbers of people at higher-risk of HIV infection and people living in high-burden areas are being left without access to HIV services at critical points in their lives, opening the door to new HIV infections and increasing the risk of dying from AIDS-related illnesses. The report examines the gaps and approaches needed in HIV programming across the life cycle and offers tailored HIV prevention and treatment solutions for every stage of life.

"Ending AIDS is possible only if we join hands—by each doing what is within our scope, creatively and aggressively embracing the 90–90–90 targets," said Eunice Makena Henguva, Youth Economic Empowerment Project Officer for the Namibian Women's Health Network.

From birth

Globally, access to HIV medicines to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV has increased to 77% in 2015 (up from 50% in 2010). As a result, new HIV infections among children have declined by 51% since 2010.

The report highlights that of the 150 000 children who were newly infected with HIV in 2015, around half were infected through breastfeeding. It stresses that infection through breastfeeding can be avoided if mothers living with HIV are supported to continue taking antiretroviral medicines, allowing them to breastfeed safely and ensure that their children receive the important protective benefits of breastmilk.

Testing also remains a major issue. The report shows that only four of 21 priority countries in Africa provided HIV testing for more than half the babies exposed to HIV within their first weeks of life. It also shows that in Nigeria, which accounts for more than a quarter of all new HIV infections among children globally, only half of pregnant women living with HIV are tested for HIV.

Get on the Fast-Track: the life-cycle approach to HIV stresses that more efforts are needed to expand HIV testing for pregnant women, expand treatment for children and improve and expand early infant diagnosis by using new diagnostic tools and innovative methods, such as SMS reminders, to retain mothers living with HIV and their babies in care.

The report also encourages countries to adopt the targets of the Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free framework led by UNAIDS and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to reduce the number of new HIV infections among children, adolescents and young women, and ensure lifelong access to antiretroviral therapy if they are living with HIV.

Through adolescence

The report shows that the ages between 15 and 24 years are an incredibly dangerous time for young women. In 2015, around 7500 young women became newly infected with HIV every week. Data from studies in six locations within eastern and southern Africa reveal that in southern Africa girls aged between 15 and 19 years accounted for 90% of all new HIV infections among 10–19-year-olds, and more than 74% in eastern Africa. 

Globally, between 2010 and 2015, the number of new HIV infections among young women aged between 15 and 24 years was reduced by just 6%, from 420 000 to 390 000. To reach the target of less than 100 000 new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women by 2020 will require a 74% reduction in the four years between 2016 and 2020.

Many children who were born with HIV and survived are now entering adulthood. Studies from 25 countries in 2015 show that 40% of young people aged between 15 and 19 years became infected through mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This transition is also magnifying another major challenge—high numbers of AIDS-related deaths among adolescents. Adolescents living with HIV have the highest rates of poor medication adherence and treatment failure.

A range of solutions are needed to respond to the specific needs of adolescents, including increased HIV prevention efforts, keeping girls and boys in school, increasing HIV testing and voluntary medical male circumcision, pre-exposure prophylaxis and immediate access to antiretroviral therapy.   

Key populations

In 2014, an estimated 45% of all new HIV infections globally were among members of key populations and their sexual partners. The report warns that new HIV infections are continuing to rise among people who inject drugs (by 36% from 2010 to 2015) and among gay men and other men who have sex with men (by 12% from 2010 to 2015) and are not declining among sex workers or transgender people.

The report outlines the critical need to reach key populations with HIV prevention and treatment programmes that meet their specific needs throughout their lives; however, total funding levels are far below what is needed for HIV programmes to reach key populations, particularly funding from domestic sources.

Adulthood

In July 2016, in the HIV prevention gap report, UNAIDS warned that HIV prevention efforts are not working for adults and that new HIV infections among adults have failed to decline for at least five years. Get on the Fast-Track: the life-cycle approach to HIV cites concerns that western and central Africa is off-track in responding to HIV. The region accounts for 18% of people living with HIV, but a serious lack of access to treatment means that the region accounts for 30% of all AIDS-related deaths globally. 

The report sheds new light on HIV infection and treatment among adult men, showing that men are much less likely to know their HIV status and access treatment than women. One study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, showed that just 26% of men were aware of their HIV status, only 5% were on treatment and that the viral load among men living with HIV was extremely high, making onward transmission of the virus much more likely.

Into later life

The report shows that antiretroviral therapy is allowing people living with HIV to live longer. In 2015, people more than 50 years old accounted for around 17% of the adult population (15 years and older) living with HIV. In high-income countries, 31% of people living with HIV were over the age of 50 years.

Get on the Fast-Track: the life-cycle approach also shows that around 100 000 people in low- and middle-income countries aged 50 years and over are estimated to newly acquire HIV every year, confirming the need to include older people in HIV prevention, as well as treatment, programming.

As people living with HIV grow older, they are also at risk of developing long-term side-effects from HIV treatment, developing drug resistance and requiring treatment of co-morbidities, such as TB and hepatitis C, which can also interact with antiretroviral therapy. Continued research and investment is needed to discover simpler, more tolerable treatments for HIV and co-morbidities and to discover an HIV vaccine and cure.

Finding solutions for everyone at every stage of life

The report concludes that investments must be made wisely across the life cycle, using a location–population approach to ensure that evidence-informed, high-impact programmes are available in the geographical areas and among the populations in greatest need.

It strongly urges countries to continue to Fast-Track HIV prevention, testing and treatment in order to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 and ensure that future generations are free from HIV.

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.

Witnessing first-hand the successes and challenges of Kenya’s AIDS response, Victoria and Brooklyn Beckham call for greater commitment, action and funding to end the AIDS epidemic

Nairobi, Kenya, 8 October 2016—UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Victoria Beckham and her son, Brooklyn Beckham, have completed a three-day mission to Kenya with Born Free Africa and UNAIDS to raise awareness about HIV. Their visit focused on preventing new HIV infections among newborn children and keeping their mothers healthy and the urgency of promoting HIV testing, prevention and treatment for young people, especially adolescent girls and young women. 

During the mission, Victoria and Brooklyn Beckham travelled across the country visiting exciting projects that aim to reduce the effects of HIV in Kenya. They met with community and health workers to understand the challenges they face in their work and learned about their many successes. Victoria and Brooklyn spent time with children and talked to young people and adults living with or affected by HIV, hearing first-hand their personal stories and experiences of HIV.

Today, alongside his mother, Brooklyn took part in a national football campaign “Maisha kick out HIV stigma”, which aims to motivate young people to get HIV tested. HIV testing, prevention and treatment services are critical to ending the AIDS epidemic, but often people, in particular young people, do not access services owing to lack of information and the stigma and discrimination linked to HIV. Brooklyn joined the football match and showed off his footballing talents on the pitch.

UNAIDS estimates that 1.5 million people are living with HIV in Kenya, with about 71 000 new HIV infections among adults in 2015. One third of all new HIV infections occurred among young women and adolescent girls aged 15–24 years, who are at particularly high risk. There were 6600 new HIV infections among children in 2015. The Government of Kenya is committed to ending AIDS and in addition to funding its own national HIV work has recently pledged US$ 5 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and US$ 500 000 to UNAIDS to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

There have been many successes in the AIDS response, but Ms Beckham used the opportunity to highlight that the AIDS epidemic is far from over. “We have come such a long way together to overcome AIDS—we know the facts, we have the tools, but we need commitment, action and funding to see this through! Ending AIDS can happen, but will only happen if we join together and end all forms of stigma and discrimination.”

“Having the support of our International Goodwill Ambassador is extremely important for Kenya in moving towards ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat,” said UNAIDS Country Director, Jantine Jacobi.

The mission was organized by the Kenyan Ministry of Health, Born Free Africa and UNAIDS.

Born Free Africa

Born Free Africa is a private philanthropic initiative to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV. Born Free works with African governments to invest in highly targeted projects to test the hypothesis that catalytic talent can drive significant change within public health systems. Born Free’s investments in Nigeria and Kenya demonstrate that catalytic talent can be a key lever for change. Born Free has also partnered with the fashion community to harness their voice, creativity, and reach to inspire urgency toward the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV.

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, 22 September 2016—The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, has appointed the First Lady of Namibia, Monica Geingos, as UNAIDS Special Advocate for Young Women and Adolescent Girls. She will champion the newly launched Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free agenda.

Mr Sidibé met with the First Lady on the sidelines of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America. Madame Geingos will use her position as a UNAIDS Special Advocate to improve the health of adolescent girls and young women.

“I am delighted that Madame Geingos has accepted this position. She will be using her platform to find partners and solutions to some of the difficult health issues facing young women and adolescent girls today, including HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health, as well as access to education,” said Mr Sidibé. “Young women and adolescent girls around the world have a new champion and we look forward to supporting her work.”

Madame Geingos has spoken out for young women and adolescent girls in Namibia and on the world stage. At the 2016 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, she was praised for her honest and direct observations on how the world is failing to meet the needs of young women and adolescent girls and on what practical steps are needed to close the critical gaps.

“Young Women and adolescent girls face the conflicting realities of a world that is increasingly recognising gender equality while living in societies that continue to deny them the attainment of this shared right. While I am excited about the encouraging signs to rid the world of its patriarchal cloak, the risks faced by our young women and adolescent girls remain disproportionately and unacceptably high. It is an honour to team up with UNAIDS to work towards a generation that starts free and stays free from AIDS,” said Madame Geingos.

Madame Geingos is a champion of Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free, an agenda to put the world on a Super-Fast-Track to end AIDS among children, adolescents and young women by 2020.

START FREE

Eliminate new HIV infections among children (aged 0–14) by reducing the number of children newly infected annually to less than 40 000 by 2018 and 20 000 by 2020. Reach and sustain 95% of pregnant women living with HIV with lifelong HIV treatment by 2018.

STAY FREE

Reduce the number of new HIV infections among adolescents and young women (aged 10–24) to less than 100 000 by 2020. Provide voluntary medical circumcision for HIV prevention to 25 million additional men by 2020, with a focus on young men (aged 10–29).

AIDS FREE

    Provide 1.6 million children (aged 0–14) and 1.2 million adolescents (aged 15–19) living with HIV with antiretroviral therapy by 2018. Provide 1.4 million children (aged 0–14) and 1 million adolescents (aged 15–19) with HIV treatment by 2020.

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.