More feature stories on Eastern and Southern Africa

UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Naomi Watts advocates for an HIV-free generation
05 October 2012|
Mozambique is one of the settings of a new film about the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. It’s also where UNAIDS.org caught up with actress and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Naomi Watts. She talked about her work in support of UNAIDS efforts towards an AIDS free generation—ensuring no new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive.
African leaders embrace shared responsibility and call for innovative solutions to accelerate the response to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria
27 September 2012|
African leaders gathered in New York on the sidelines of the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the African Union (AU) Roadmap. This initiative outlines long-term sustainable strategies to finance and provide access to HIV treatment and prevention services and other health services in Africa as called for in the Millennium Development Goals.
UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director commends Government of Namibia for progress in its national HIV response
21 September 2012|
UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Jan Beagle met with Honourable Nahas Angula, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia, as part of her official visit to the country this week. Ms Beagle also met with the First Lady Madame Pohamba in her capacity as Chair of OAFLA, the Minister of Health, development partners and civil society, the UN country team and conducted a field visit to the high prevalence regions in the north.
Breaking the cycle of stigma and discrimination in rural Uganda
10 September 2012|
Justine, a 38-year-old Ugandan woman, tested positive for HIV during an antenatal visit at the local health centre when she was pregnant with her fourth child. After disclosing her HIV status to her husband, he left home and never came back.
Angolan women say ‘no’ to discrimination and ‘yes’ to gender equality
16 August 2012|
High-level women decision makers recently came together in the National Assembly of Angola to endorse the “Harare Call to Action” and discuss how the country will address HIV and gender-based violence. They engaged on issues related to domestic and sexual violence and the inclusion of women in decisions concerning their families, economic development, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Kenyan President commits more resources to the AIDS response
15 August 2012|
Kenya’s government, under the leadership of President Mwai Kibaki, has allocated additional funding to its national AIDS response. The announcement came last Friday during a high level advocacy meeting in Nairobi with four members of the non-profit organization Champions for an HIV-Free Generation.
Empowering marginalized and vulnerable communities in Namibia
13 August 2012|
The Khaibasen Community Project in Namibia has been engaged in raising awareness, providing education and giving voice to vulnerable communities, especially girls who are engaging in transactional sex to make ends meet.
Empowering people with hearing impairments: a step towards three zeros
09 August 2012|
When Marwei (24) became pregnant she could not disclose her condition due to cultural taboos associated with pregnancy out of wedlock in Zimbabwe. To make her situation worse she was born with a speech and hearing impairment. Marwei died at age 25 neglected at her mother’s rural homestead. She never disclosed who had made her pregnant. Negative traditional beliefs leave people with disabilities unprotected from abuse by family members, relatives and other sexual predators. To make the situation worse people with hearing and speech impairments are often left out in HIV programmes.
Women everywhere have the right to informed consent
08 August 2012|
Since 2008, cases of forced sterilisation have been reported, among others, in Chile, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Venezuela and Zambia.
Investing into the future- Ending AIDS through eliminating new HIV infections among children in Zimbabwe
03 August 2012|
Zimbabwe’s government through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (MoHCW) and the National AIDS Council (NAC) is working with various partners at the community level to prevent mother- to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). The Zimbabwe National AIDS Strategic Plan II (2011-2015) prioritises PMTCT and aims to reduce the rate of mother to child transmission from 14% in 2010 to 7% in 2013 and less than 5% by 2015.
HIV treatment now reaching more than 6 million people in sub-Saharan Africa
06 July 2012|
More than 100-fold increase in access to HIV treatment in less than a decade. African Union to review roadmap to increase access to medicines and ensure sustainable financing.
Award-winning youth drama Shuga: Love, Sex, Money to reach new audiences in radio format
28 June 2012|
Young audiences in six African countries will be able to share the experiences of a vivid cast of characters in a dramatic new radio show: Shuga: Love, Sex, Money. The programme hit the airwaves on 27 June in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Tanzania across 65 stations.
Global AIDS community explores vital need for the next generation of National Strategic Plans for AIDS
21 June 2012|
In Nairobi this week, the World Bank in collaboration with UNAIDS, its cosponsors and the Global Fund brought together representatives of National authorities, civil society organisations including people living with HIV and development partners to build consensus on the role and nature of the next generation of National Strategic Plans (so called NSP-3G).
UNAIDS highlights Zimbabwe’s progress in responding to AIDS
28 May 2012|
UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé concluded his first official visit to Zimbabwe on 25 May after meeting with President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan R. Tsvangirai to highlight the country’s progress in the AIDS response.
Launch of African women’s leadership network aims to advance gender equality and AIDS response
24 May 2012|
Leading African women from national ministries and parliaments, the business community, networks of women living with HIV, and civil society and development organizations are in Zimbabwe’s capital to attend the inaugural meeting of the GlobalPOWER Women Network Africa. This women-led initiative will provide a strategic political platform to accelerate HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health and rights responses for women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa.
UNAIDS saddened by the death of Abel Shinana
23 May 2012|
Abel Shinana, the late Coordinator of African Sex Workers Alliance in Namibia, was a courageous and vocal advocate for the rights of sex workers, people living with HIV and the LGBTI population. He was also a critical partner for both UNFPA and UNAIDS on efforts to address HIV among sex workers at both country and global levels.
South Africa launches campaign to reduce maternal mortality
08 May 2012|
South Africa struggles with a high rate of maternal and child mortality. To reduce this, the campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) was launched at Osindisweni Hospital in Ethekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal Province on Friday 4 May.
Innovative WFP electronic voucher programme in Zimbabwe brings relief to many living with HIV
27 April 2012|
Thousands of people living with HIV in Zimbabwe are no longer going hungry thanks to a creative intervention spearheaded by the World Food Programme. The project, which involves households receiving electronic vouchers that can be used to buy highly nutritious food, is proving a lifeline to people living with HIV.
Landmark report on HIV among Zambia’s young people highlights challenges and charts the way forward
20 April 2012|
For Zambia’s young people the AIDS response has seen a number of important successes, with a significant 25% decline in HIV incidence over the last decade. However, according to a groundbreaking new report, the AIDS epidemic continues to have a huge effect on the country’s youth, especially young women, and much more needs to be done to achieve an HIV-free generation.
World Bank: Greatly intensified HIV prevention in Africa vital to managing long-term financial impact of AIDS
17 April 2012|
Without a dramatic reduction in HIV infections in Africa existing national AIDS treatment programmes could become unsustainable in the future, warns a new World Bank Report. African governments, development partners and donors are urged to actively intensify their HIV prevention efforts to stop this becoming a reality.

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19 June 2013

UNAIDS and Lancet to bring together political and health leaders to shape the debate on the future of global health. More

18 June 2013

Celebrating 10 years of PEPFAR . More

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