Participants at the meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, 4-5 July 2013.
Representatives of more than 100 civil society organizations (CSO) from 42 countries urged African leaders to intensify efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The call was made during a technical meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria from 4-5 July as part of the events leading up to the Abuja +12 Special Summit of the Africa Union on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria that will take place in the Nigerian capital from 15-16 July 2013.
The meeting aimed to assess progress made in the implementation of the 2001 Abuja Declaration. It also provided an opportunity to discuss key issues in the post-2015 debate.
CSO representatives requested governments to make HIV prevention the cornerstone of AIDS responses in order to meet the targets set during the 2011 United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS. CSO representatives, in a call action, also asked governments to “pay special attention to the impact of HIV issues affecting children, adolescents and women and girls.” Additional recommendations included accelerating integration of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria services; achieving full funding of health budgets; and adding per capita health expenditure tracking to the 15% Abuja financial commitments.
The recommendations from the civil society meeting were reviewed at an experts meeting held from 8-9 July, and will be put forward for consideration by the Heads of States during the Special Summit.
