WHAT United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS
WHEN 8–10 June, 2016
WHERE United Nations Headquarters, 1st Avenue & 46th Street, New York, United States of America
DETAILS The President of the General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Heads of State and Government will join ministers, senior officials, representatives of international organizations, the private sector, civil society, people living with HIV and other stakeholders at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS.
The meeting will focus attention on the importance of accelerating the response to HIV over the next five years to set the world on course to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.
United Nations Member States are expected to adopt a Political Declaration on Ending AIDS to scale up the pace of progress and reach a set of time-bound targets. The Zero draft of the Political Declaration can be accessed here: http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2016/HLM_zero_draft
Additional information on panels and side events will be updated as available at: www.hlm2016aids.unaids.org
Media accreditation
Media without United Nations credentials should request accreditation from the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit at http://www.un.org/en/media/accreditation/index.shtml. Media accreditation will close on Friday, 3 June May 2016.
Media contacts
Office of the President of the General Assembly | Ulla Oestergaard | Tel: +1 646 388 3080 | oestergaard@un.org
UN Department of Public Information | Francyne Harrigan | Tel: +1 917 367 5414 | harriganf@un.org
UNAIDS | Sophie Barton-Knott | +41 22 791 1697 / +41 79 514 6896 | bartonknotts@unaids.org
Webcasting—All panel discussions and press conferences will be webcast at http://www.unmultimedia.org/
Photographs specific to the meeting will be available both at the United Nations and at UNAIDS http://www.unmultimedia.org/photo/ and https://goo.gl/photos/AAVY2D9yDAHygypEA with background photos from UNAIDS available at https://goo.gl/photos/SYMApCHBPHEeSryJA and at https://goo.gl/photos/T9uBshL7VXrXf6DX7
Video—materials will be available at https://goo.gl/kGaHu3 and UNAIDS YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/UNAIDS
Social media—UN Family will tweet with the hashtag #HLM2016AIDS
Interviews: UNAIDS | Sophie Barton-Knott | +41 22 791 1697 / +41 79 514 6896 | bartonknotts@unaids.org
UNAIDS | Gregory Smiley | +1 202 251 2148 | smileyg@unaids.org
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW UNAIDS GOODWILL AMBASSADOR
DATE Tuesday, 7 June
TIME/VENUE 11:00–11:30—UN Headquarters New York, S-237 (Press Conference Room)
EVENT Press conference to announce the appointment of a new UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador
CONTACT Michael Hollingdale (hollingdalem@unaids.org)
OPENING
DATE Wednesday, 8 June
TIME/VENUE 10:00–11:00—UN General Assembly, United Nations Headquarters
EVENT UN General Assembly Plenary: The roadmap to ending AIDS
Mogens Lykketoft, President of the General Assembly
Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS
Loyce Maturu (Zimbabwe), nominated by HLM Stakeholder Task Force
Ndaba Mandela, Grandson of Nelson Mandela and activist, an eminent person actively engaged in the response to HIV/AIDS
MEDIA STAKEOUT
DATE Wednesday, 8 June
TIME/VENUE 11:00 outside the General Assembly Hall
Mogens Lykketoft, President of the General Assembly
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS
PANELS
DATE Wednesday, 8 June
TIME/VENUE 11:00–13:00—Trusteeship Council Chambers, United Nations Headquarters, 1st Av & 46th St, New York
EVENT Panel 1—AIDS within the Sustainable Development Goals: leveraging the end of AIDS for social transformation and sustainable development
The AIDS response is interwoven with, and interdependent upon, progress across a range of Sustainable Development Goals (including poverty eradication, gender equality, education, justice and inclusive institutions), as well as across targets within the health goal. This panel will discuss how to best leverage these synergies, as well as distil key lessons learned from the AIDS response that can help to accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals.
DATE Wednesday, 8 June
TIME/VENUE 15:00–18:00—Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, 1st Av & 46th St, New York
EVENT Panel 2—Financing and sustaining the end of AIDS: the window of opportunity
Taking a Fast-Track approach to the response to HIV over the next five years is critical to ending AIDS by 2030. Without sufficient and sustainable financing, the gains made so far risk being lost and the AIDS epidemic prolonged indefinitely. This panel will explore how to front-load investments both in high-burden countries and low-prevalence countries, in line with the principles of shared responsibility and global solidarity.
DATE Thursday, 9 June
TIME/VENUE 10:00--13:00—Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, 1st Av & 46th St, New York
EVENT Panel 3—Getting ahead of the looming treatment crisis: an action agenda for getting to 90–90–90
Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, including people living with and at higher risk of HIV, and at all ages is essential for sustainable development. This panel will address the critical issue of scaling up and sustaining access to treatment for all people living with HIV. The panel will focus on efforts to get to 90–90–90 (which calls for 90% of people living with HIV to know their status, 90% of people who know their HIV-positive status to access treatment and 90% of people on treatment to have suppressed viral loads) and ensuring access to quality and affordable medicines and commodities, including through the use of TRIPS (Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) flexibilities.
DATE Thursday, 9 June
TIME/VENUE 15:00–18:00—Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, 1st Av & 46th St, New York
EVENT Panel 4—Leaving no one behind: ending stigma and discrimination through social justice and inclusive societies
Vulnerability to HIV and the impact of HIV is fuelled by stigma and discrimination and exacerbated by unequal access to social goods and services. This panel will explore the opportunity offered by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to realize the vision and commitments to advance the principles of equality and inclusion and achieve the health targets for people living with, affected by and at risk of HIV.
DATE Friday, 10 June
TIME/VENUE 10:00–13:00—Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, 1st Av & 46th St, New York
EVENT Panel 5—Children, adolescent girls and young women: preventing new HIV infections
Empowering adolescent girls and young women to claim their rights, protect their sexual and reproductive health, access services and live free of violence and discrimination is at the core of ending the AIDS epidemic. The panel will discuss addressing the particular needs of children, adolescent girls and young women in ending the AIDS epidemic.
SIDE EVENTS
Monday, 6 June
Fast-Track cities: ending the AIDS epidemic
Venue: New York City Public Library
09:30–16:00
The Mayor of Paris, the Mayor of New York and UNAIDS, with support from the MAC AIDS Fund, and joined by UN-Habitat and the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, are convening a high-level event to highlight the leadership role of cities in ending AIDS. The event will help showcase the insights and experiences of smart cities worldwide and celebrate their progress and innovations for ending AIDS and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Around 30 mayors from major cities will come together with civil society, foundations and the private sector.
Media will be required to be credentialed for this event.
Please send any requests for media credentials to Maripat Finigan at maripat@praytellstrategy.com.
Credentialed media will be provided with logistical support and access throughout the day.
Tuesday, 7 June
Fast-Track cities: leveraging innovations and financing for ending AIDS
Venue: UN Delegates Dining Room
08:00–10:00, by invitation only
Cities account for a significant proportion of burden as well as new HIV infections. Following the Fast Track cities meeting on 6 June, this session focuses primarily on how smart cities can leapfrog through technology to transform their health and AIDS response. The session aims to explore the key challenges in city responses and focus on new technology and innovations in the areas of information technology, mobile and data apps, developments in science, pharmaceutical and diagnostics, as well as financial innovations that will help cities and Member States Fast-Track towards ending AIDS. This moderated interactive panel discussion will highlight lessons, challenges and opportunities in leveraging technology, innovations and financing for ending AIDS.
Focal point: Pradeep Kakkatil, kakkatilp@unaids.org
Innovations marketplace
10:00 – 15:00, by invitation only
Venue: UN Delegates Dining Room north, 4th floor
The marketplace will bring together a range of innovators who are working in the areas of health and HIV including for example the Situation room, iMonitor, point of care diagnostics, mobile for health etc. Over 20 innovators will be available to present their innovations and the marketplace is available for city leaders, health ministries and implementers to connect with to explore how these technologies can help achieve Fast Track Targets towards ending AIDS in their respective contexts. The event will include a number of mini panels of city leaders, health ministers, innovators and implementers on innovation and will provide an opportunity to discuss new approaches and partnerships for ending AIDS.
Focal point: Philipp Lepere, leperep@unaids.org
HIV and security: past, present and future
10:00–12:00
Venue: Conference Room 3
This event builds on reporting on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1983, which underlines the need to intensify HIV prevention with UN peacekeeping operations. The HIV response and prevention of sexual violence in emergency, conflict and post-conflict situations are important components for ending the AIDS epidemic. It is crucial that people affected by humanitarian emergencies are not left behind in the response towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and targets. Emergencies and conflicts disrupted services and access to life-saving medicines for more than 1.7 million living with HIV in 2014. Disruption of social networks during mass population movements or local displacement increased the vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence and potential HIV transmission. The side event will focus on achieving the Fast-Track Targets as well as gender-based violence prevention in humanitarian emergencies and conflict situations. The discussion will take into account the deliberations from the July 2015 UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board session on HIV in emergency contexts.
Focal points: Mamadi Diakite, diakitem@unaids.org, Sylvie Daouda, daoudas@unaids.org,
Stephen Talugende, talugende@un.org
The end of AIDS as a global health threat: science-based or science fiction?
13:00–15:00
Venue: Conference Room 3
Ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 is a clear vision based on sound scientific evidence. Achieving it will require continued research progress and evidence-informed implementation across biomedical, structural and behavioural domains. The UNAIDS vision combines the science with partnership-building, advocacy strengthening, resource mobilization and human rights promotion towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care. This side event will showcase progress made to date and highlight current and future challenges for biomedical and sociobehavioural science. It will provide an opportunity to present the cutting edge science in the context of other research perspectives that will take us to the end of AIDS and advocate for continued investment in the global scientific endeavour.
Focal point: Mahesh Mahalingam, maheshm@unaids.org; Catherine Bilger, bilgerc@unaids.org
Parliamentarians for ending AIDS by 2030
15:00–17:00
Venue: UN Conference Room 11
Members of parliament are well placed to help expand access to HIV services. Where parliamentarians are effectively engaged in the AIDS response, they can provide critical leadership in realizing a new vision that makes the end of AIDS the reality for their people and their countries. This side event aims to provide legislators with a clear sense of the main lines of action that will emerge from the outcome document of the High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS as well as, to the extent possible, the underlying politics of the new global consensus on HIV. The event will also provide an opportunity for a dialogue between parliamentarians and other stakeholders on ways to bring together the available resources at the national level to end AIDS and identify key actions for parliaments to Fast-Track the AIDS response by 2020 and end AIDS by 2030.
Focal point: Cheryl Bauerle, bauerlec@unaids.org
Youth pre-meeting
14:00–18:00, by registration only
The High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS offers a unique opportunity to renew the political commitment to ensure that adolescents and young people are not left behind in the HIV response. Also, for young people to participate actively during the conference to inform the negotiations, and contribute to a strong Political Declaration on Ending AIDS that takes into account young people’s needs and rights. This event will provide the necessary information to young people to participate actively during the High-Level Meeting and to identify opportunities for engagement and advocacy. Participants will also discuss opportunities, gaps and challenges to hold governments accountable to their commitments after the High-Level Meeting. Lastly, the event will provide the opportunity to discuss priorities around comprehensive sexuality education and inform a comprehensive sexuality education hub being developed by the United Nations Population Fund in collaboration with young people.
Focal point: Ruben Pages, pagesr@unaids.org
Stopping new Infections: a quarter for prevention
15:30–17:30
Venue: Conference Room 3
Despite a significant reduction in new infections over the last 15 years, more than 2 million new HIV infections still occur annually—two thirds of them in sub-Saharan Africa. The pace of decline in new infections has slowed in recent years, and in some regions and population groups new infections are rebounding. Everyone has a right to HIV prevention. Fulfilling that right begins with providing people who are at increased risk of HIV infection with access to effective, unhindered HIV prevention services.
Focal point: Karl Dehne, dehnek@unaids.org
Action on extreme poverty and inequality to end AIDS: Addressing HIV, Poverty, and Inequality in Urban Settings
17:00 – 18:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 11
It is now established that social and structural deprivation are key drivers of the HIV epidemic and that intersectoral approaches that address key social and structural determinants of vulnerability will be required in order to end the AIDS epidemic. Available evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of a range of structural approaches in simultaneously strengthening HIV prevention and treatment while bolstering other development aims. These approaches range from economic empowerment, to social protection programs, to transformative approaches such as decriminalization, anti-discrimination laws and campaigns to change social norms. Cross-sector, rights-based responses are particularly critical for members of disparately impacted key populations experiencing substantial rights violations and barriers to accessing services.
This side event will focus on the role and potential of intersectoral programming and rights-based responses to support the Fast Track Cities initiative by addressing social and structural drivers of extreme poverty, inequality and the ongoing HIV pandemic in urban settings.
The event will be organized by the co-conveners of a series of expert consultations on the related goals to end poverty, inequalities and the AIDS epidemic by 2030, hosted by World Bank and co-sponsored by UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNDP, the ILO, PEPFAR and Housing Works.
Focal point: Farnaz Malik, f.malik@housingworks.org
Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis: Celebrating country success
17:00 – 18:30
Venue: UN Delegates Dining room south (Rooms 7 and 8), 4th floor
In many high-income countries, scale-up of services for HIV and syphilis prevention and treatment to pregnant and breastfeeding women has resulted in the virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of these two infections. Globally, we continue to see a high burden of new HIV infections among children (220,000 new infections during 2014) and high morbidity and mortality from congenital syphilis, with an estimated 350,000 adverse infant outcomes in 2012. If women with HIV and syphilis are identified before they become pregnant or during the first trimester of pregnancy, if and treatment is initiated promptly, transmission rates can be dramatically reduced. Several lower and middle income countries have achieved remarkable success in this regard. In 2015, Cuba was validated as having eliminated mother to child transmission of HIV and syphilis. The Global Validation Advisory Committee (GVAC) has recently met to consider validation of elimination in a number of other countries. This special session will announce the outcome of the GVAC deliberations and celebrate country success in reaching this impressive milestone.
Focal point: Andrew Ball, balla@who.int
Financing vulnerabilities
18:00–19:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 3
Rising inequalities and the lack of access to livelihood and development opportunities as well as social and health services for the most marginalized and poor are an urgent issue. This is particularly acute in the global context of rapid and uneven economic growth, and inequitable development, and rising standards of living for a few in developing countries. Addressing such inequalities is at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN member states in September 2015.
The AIDS response has achieved much success in ensuring access to treatment and reductions in new HIV infections globally, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalised. Yet much work remains to be done, millions are being left behind. The challenges posed by the AIDS epidemic today highlight the need to place people who are being left behind at the centre of development efforts. There is an immediate need for increased and frontloaded financing to tackle the HIV epidemic. Today, millions of people are not able to access services, resulting in unnecessary death and disability. 19 million people do not know their HIV status. A treatment crisis is looming. Increased and efficient investments are a critical part of the solution.
In this context the panel on “Financing vulnerabilities” will explore mechanisms to ensure that fragile communities are at the centre of the global public health agenda, and their health secured, at a time when new epidemics and health threats threaten to further increase vulnerability of low and middle income countries and its peoples. The panel will explore social and economic risks of those who are most vulnerable and call for new commitments and innovations to meet their needs
Focal point: Anne-Claire Guichard, guicharda@unaids.org
Interfaith service
17:30–19:30
Venue: Church Center, United Nations, 777 United Nations Plaza
The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance Interfaith Service is an opportunity to gather in prayer to remember those we know who have died of AIDS-related illnesses; to reflect on our role as faith-based organizations and faith leaders in calling for and then implementing a strong Political Declaration on Ending AIDS; to commit ourselves on the Political Declaration on Ending AIDS; and to celebrate the progress made so far in the global response to AIDS. People from different faith traditions will gather together in this service with representatives from governments, the private sector, people living with HIV and other civil society networks to pray together for the High Level Meeting on AIDS. The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance is committed to strengthening the engagement of faith-based organizations to be more effective in speaking out and acting for justice issues and human rights at the High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS.
Focal point: Sally Smith, smiths@unaids.org
Launch of MTV Shuga Series 5
18:00–20:00, by invitation only
MTV Shuga, produced by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, is a 360-degree transmedia behaviour change campaign that tells a story across multiple platforms and formats, with unique pieces of content across each platform, including a TV drama series based in different parts of Africa. Series 1 and 2 were set in Kenya, series 3 and 4 moved to Nigeria. The event will present the results of the World Bank study on MTV Shuga which shows the positive impact that MTV Shuga has had to date in messaging and behaviour change for young people. In addition it will also announce a new MTV Shuga campaign in a new location. By migrating the award-winning MTV Shuga campaign, the MTV Staying Alive Foundation will be able to expand awareness of major issues affecting young people, including HIV, maternal health; domestic and gender-based violence; living with HIV; intergenerational sex; teen pregnancy; alcohol and drug abuse; and sexual identity. The campaign will focus on high school youth with a particular emphasis on the issues affecting young girls.
Focal point: Greg Smiley, smileyg@unaids.org
Wednesday, 8 June
Ending Tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV: Time for Action
08:00 – 09:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 7
The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Stop TB Partnership, will convene a Ministerial Panel side-event in conjunction with the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS. In an era of ART scale-up, tuberculosis (TB) is still the main cause of hospitalization and deaths among people living with HIV. In 2014, a third of all HIV-related deaths were estimated to be due to TB. The 2016 High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS provides a unique opportunity to highlight the problem of HIV-associated TB at the highest political level, and to craft actions that will end the unacceptably high level of deaths among people living with HIV due to a curable disease. It will also create an opportunity to renew commitment from national governments and other critical stakeholders to catalyse action and eliminate TB deaths among people living with HIV. The overall aim of the side-event is to catalyse and intensify efforts in the response to end TB deaths among people living with HIV through firm political commitment, strong country ownership and adequate investments.
Focal point: Annabel Baddeley, tbhiv@who.int
Delivering an AIDS-free generation
13:15–14:30
Venue: Conference Room 3
Five years ago, UNAIDS and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief joined with countries in a global effort to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This goal became part of the 2011 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on AIDS, with the United Nations Secretary-General launching the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive (Global Plan). Since that time, donors, partner governments, multilateral organizations, the private sector and civil society have joined forces and the progress made in reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been truly historic. The number of new HIV infections among children has been reduced significantly, and the goal of stopping new HIV infections among children is in sight for more than 85 countries. This action has not only saved countless lives and desperately needed resources, but is one of the most rapid successes ever achieved in public health. The event will highlight the achievements of the Global Plan to date and priority actions to Fast-Track this remarkable response and the goal of ending pediatric AIDS by 2020.
Focal point: Deborah von Zinkernagel, zinkernageld@unaids.org
Ensuring a sustainable HIV response in Middle Income Countries; building partnerships for responsible transitions.
13:15 – 14:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 7
Middle income countries (MICs) are now home to more than 75 percent of the world’s poor and 58 percent of all people living with HIV. By 2020, it is expected that 70 percent of people living with HIV will be in middle-income countries. At the same time, international donors are withdrawing their resources from MICs, assuming domestic resources will fill the gap. Evidence and case studies have shown that donor transitions from the HIV responses in MICs have not been successful, especially when it comes to prevention, care and human rights programs for key populations that often face willful neglect by their own governments.
There is still a role for official development assistance in MICs to support catalytic interventions targeting key populations and human rights interventions to prevent increases in the number of new HIV infections and sustain progress. For the longer term, this should include responsible transition plans and principles to help avoid gaps in the HIV response and ensure HIV service delivery for the poorest and most marginalized wherever they are. This side event will be a key opportunity to discuss, challenges, lessons learnt and opportunities for sustainable transition in MICs to ensure an effective HIV response and leave no one behind.
The event has been organized by: Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Namibia. It is organised by STOP AIDS NOW!-Aids Fonds, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, STOPAIDS UK, Open Society Foundations and Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund.
Focal point: David Ruiz, druiz@stopaidsalliance.org
ASEAN Experience of Cities/Areas in Getting to Zeros
13:15 – 14:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 11
There are approximately 1.7 million people living with HIV in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region (ASEAN). The side event on ASEAN Cities of Getting to Zeros(PLHIV) in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region (ASEAN) of which close to a third are female. Of the total number of people living with HIV, at least 46% are adults who are eligible for antiretroviral therapy (ART) and of which just fewer than 60% are receiving ART. Since the 4thASEAN Summit in 1992, led to the establishment of ASEAN Task Force on AIDS (ATFOA), HIV/AIDS-related advocacies and capacity building needs on HIV and AIDS at the regional level have been conducted.
This side event will provide a platform for relevant stakeholders to discuss progress of implementation of the ASEAN Declaration of Commitment (2011) through the ASEAN Cities Getting to Zeros Project; discuss mobilisation of resources for sustaining the programme and replication of effective models and review new innovative initiatives in HIV prevention, treatment and management as well as sharing good practices and experience of the ASEAN Cities Getting to Zeros. The forum will be in the context of fast tracking AIDS and the new target indicated in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) of Ending AIDS by 2030. This side event has been organized by: the Ministry of Health of Indonesia, and supported by Permanent Missions to the Republic of Indonesia in the New York, ASEAN Secretariat, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization.
Focal point: Ahmad Bawazir, ahmad.bawazir@indonesiamission-ny.org
17:30-18:30
Leaving no one behind: The rights and health of key and vulnerable populations
Venue: UN Conference Room 11
The rallying cry of the SDGs, “leave no one behind” underscores the importance of equity and of innovative and more effective strategies to ensure that health services, including for HIV, TB, and malaria, reach and address the needs of the socially and economically marginalized who continue to suffer disproportionately from the burden of these diseases. Rights-based, community-driven and gender-responsive approaches are needed to address the challenges of discrimination, stigma, violence, legal barriers, and lack of access to services faced by key populations who continue to be at most at risk and under-served. Recognizing that we cannot end AIDS and achieve universal access unless we focus on these populations, the Global Fund has just adopted a new strategy that has much greater emphasis on promoting and protecting human rights and gender equality, and on the key populations that have been left behind in many country’s responses to HIV.
This event, co-hosted by the Government of Canada, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development, and the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations, will focus on the importance of community in a broader and holistic response to HIV/AIDS and on new ideas, tools and approaches to strategically address the burden of HIV and related diseases that are faced by marginalized groups and key populations, including women and girls. Without this, we cannot effectively accelerate progress and turn the tide on HIV.
Focal point: Ms.Anar Mamdani (anar.mamdani@international.gc.ca)
Breaking the silos: integrated services for adolescent girls and young women
18:30–20:30
Venue: Conference Room 3
Globally, there are 1.2 billion people within the adolescent age range of 10–19 years. Never before have there been so many young people. How we invest and meet the needs and aspiration of young people will define our future. However, preventable, treatable communicable and noncommunicable diseases are killing adolescents at an unacceptably high rate. The session will showcase examples of ground-breaking adolescent-centred policies and programmes presented by government representatives, adolescent girls and young women, as well as representatives of international organizations, the private sector and the donor community. The session will also establish commitment and action to mobilize stakeholders and resources at the local, national and international levels for adolescent-centred responses, particularly among adolescent girls.
Focal point: Hege Wagan, waganh@unaids.org
Thursday, 9 June
New ways to engage youth to reach UNAIDS Fast-Track Targets through Edutainment
Time: 8:00 - 9:30
Venue: Conference room 3
The global commitment to ending the epidemic by 2030 will demand increased investment in innovative and creative approaches that are able to fast track the response and reach young people and people left behind. Initiatives conducted in partnership with mass media outlets have proven to be a powerful tool that can positively contribute to change attitudes and behaviors of millions of individuals at very low cost. Edutainment purposely designs characters and storylines in mass media dramas to provide viewers with positive role models to relate to, often at a personal and emotional level, than through information alone.
In Brazil, UNAIDS and Globo have started a partnership to reach young people and discuss a variety of issues, from HIV prevention, to testing, treatment and the human rights of vulnerable populations and people living with HIV. Through this side event, participants will learn more about the impact of mass communication campaigns, discuss the role of mass media in reaching UNAIDS Fast-Track Targets, and hear from both the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Globo as well as the co-author of the Webdoc “'Eu só quero amar', on their distinct perspective on writing and producing this popular series.
Focal point: Georgiana Braga-Orillard, bragaorillardg@unaids.org
A Fast-Track approach to the HIV response among people who use drugs: Leadership to End AIDS
08:00 – 09:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 6
People who inject drugs and transgender people represent the key populations most at risk to HIV and hepatitis infection. The HIV prevalence among this group is 24 times higher than among the general population, and in 2014 only 14% that are living with HIV were on antiretroviral therapy. About 1.7 million of the 12 million injecting drug users globally, are estimated to be living with HIV. The global burden is unequally shared between countries with and without sufficient coverage of harm reduction services. In the drug injection high burden countries, like Russia, and the United States, where access to harm reduction services is legally banned or limited HIV prevalence rates are respectively of 37% and 16%.
Focal point: Khalid Tinasti, khalid@globalcommissionondrugs.org
Ending AIDS is only possible by investing in and meaningfully engaging young people
08:30 – 09:45
Venue: UN Conference Room 11
Youth involvement for effective AIDS response: Young people living with or affected by HIV continue to be neglected in our collective response to HIV. Their voices, leadership and substantive involvement in HIV related policy planning and decision making spaces are never assured and all too often excluded. Young people are often present at official meetings, such as the HLM; however, the question that needs to be asked is: to what extent are young people able to raise their voices and make themselves heard?
Too many young people lack HIV prevention and comprehensive sexuality education, as well as the tools needed to make responsible and informed decisions in regards to their sexual and reproductive health. Young members of key populations (including those that identify as MSM, drug users, sex workers and young transgender people) face unsurmountable community and familial challenges due to stigma, discrimination and violence. Oftentimes they also lack sufficient access to appropriate care providers, integrated HIV and sexual and reproductive health services and youth and adolescent appropriate treatments, care and support networks.
This meeting aims to ‘bridge the dialogue gap’ between donors, governments, key stakeholders, representatives of networks of young people living with or affected by HIV and young people living or affected by HIV.
This side event has been organized by: The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), STOPAIDS (UK), Stop AIDS Alliance, Aids Funds/Stop Aids Now, International Planned Parenthood Federation, International HIV/AIDS Alliance and UNAIDS
Focal point: Anne Dankert, adankert@soaaids.nl
Sustaining HIV Responses through Linkage with Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
08:30–10:00
Venue: UN Conference Room 12
The UN High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS provides an opportunity to engage political leadership to determine the future of the global response to AIDS as part of the multi-sectoral efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, including for sexual and reproductive health and rights. . As such the side event will promote understanding of the connections between and benefits of linking HIV and SRHR responses; demonstrate how national governments are successfully integrating HIV and SRHR services; and advocate for intensified commitment to a joint HIV and SRHR response for achieving the related SDG targets to support efficiency, sustainability, and client needs.
Focal point: Matthew Cogan, cogan@unfpa.org
Voluntary patent pooling
08:30–10:00
Venue: by invitation only
The UNAIDS Fast-Track approach aims to achieve ambitious targets by 2020. Ensuring the success of the Sustainable Development Goals, including the target of ending the AIDS epidemic, will require global solidarity and partnerships. Over the past five years, the Medicines Patent Pool has contributed to the rapid HIV treatment scale-up by accelerating access to affordable HIV treatments in a large number of developing countries. The event will analyse—from the perspective of governments, international organisations and communities—some of the Medicines Patent Pool’s successes to date and some of the remaining challenges to ensure that new treatments are taken up in-country, contributing to scale-up and improving treatment outcomes.
Focal point: Erika Duenas, eduenas@medicinespatentpool.org
“Treat All": From Policy to Action - What will it take?
13:15 - 14:30
Venue: Conference Room 11, United Nations
*This session is cosponsored by Cote D'Ivoire, South Africa, Thailand and United States
In 2015 WHO launched new recommendations on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection. It is now recommended that all people living with HIV be offered treatment, no matter their immune status. Evidence demonstrates that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) saves lives, improves health and prevents the transmission of HIV. With the new recommendation all 37 million people living with HIV are eligible for antiretroviral therapy. However, in 2014 there were 17 million people living with HIV who did not know their HIV status and 22 million who were not accessing the ART they need. To move from global guidance to country action requires focus on: early initiation of ART; smarter HIV testing; differentiated and decentralized service delivery; improving adherence to treatment and retention in care; monitoring and preventing emergence of HIV drug resistance; expanding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV acquisition; and sustainable financing, including through national health budgets. This event aims to explore how best to rapidly expand and adapt treatment to reach all people living with HIV and to learn from the experiences of countries that are already committed to do so. Already a range of countries are adopting 'treat all' recommendations. Their experiences can inform the expansion of treatment in other countries so as to reach those in greatest need and ensure equity in access.
Focal point: Andrew Ball, balla@who.int
The 90-90-90 goal and human resources for health
13:15–15:00
Venue: Conference Room 3
This session will focus on leveraging the global push to achieve the 90-90-90 treatment target as well as accelerate progress towards robust human resources for health and sustainable development for all. In particular, the session will focus on the centrality of 90-90-90 for ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat and how the 90-90-90 agenda can accelerate efforts to build a sustainable health workforce and advance universal access to health services. Topics will include how HIV treatment scale-up can galvanize the recruitment, training and deployment of community health workers who can contribute to both the 90-90-90 treatment target and addressing other health priorities. Pertinent policy, logistical and human rights issues will be explored. In addition, this session will also reflect the discussions from the Addis ministerial meeting on 90-90-90 and sustainable health and aim to articulate next steps and ways forward.
Focal point: Badara Samb, sambb@unaids.org
Efficient and Effective Responses to AIDS: the Role of (New) Donors, CSOs and Partners for Sustainable Treatment
13:00 – 15:00
Venue: UN Conference Room 6
Organized by: Italy, Germany, Kenya, Malawi, UNAIDS
The main topics of this event on financing the AIDS response will include: effectiveness and efficiency in the interventions to address AIDS; multi-stakeholder partnerships for achieving sustainable results; and mobilizing new and innovative local resources in order to avoid unbearable burden on patients.
Focal point: Ilario Schettino, ilario.schettino@esteri.it
Youth Town Hall Meeting
13:15 – 14:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 1
Young people will also be the focus of comments by the Executive Director of UNFPA and the Executive Director of UNAIDS including an examination of the role of youth in fast tracking an the end to the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. In addition, the topic of sports will be showcased as an effective approach for raising HIV awareness among youth through the UNAIDS Protect the Goal Campaign and Motorsports Initiative: “Racing to Zero”.
Focal point: Adriana Hewson, hewsona@unaids.org; Nicholas Gouede, goueden@unaids.org
Scaling Local Pharmaceutical Production to End AIDS by 2030
18:15 – 20:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 1
Reversing, and ultimately ending AIDS as a public health threat, requires implementing the Fast-Track approach and achieving the 90-90-90 targets. Reaching the 90% access to testing, treatment, and viral suppression target requires that we also actively explore opportunities for local production of antiretroviral medicines alongside the removal of structural barriers to access, and the overall strengthening of systems for health. Substantial progress has been made in the 15-Member State Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, through the ECOWAS Regional Pharmaceutical Plan 2014-2020, developed in partnership with the UN, the West African Manufacturers Association (WAPMA), the regional banks, partner countries and within the framework of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA) of the African Union. However Africa is still highly dependent on imported medicines (around 98% of its antiretroviral medicines), and there are critical challenges hindering progress in local production - limited market, high-dependency on external aid for medicines and because the cooperation between local manufacturers, technical and development partners and national authorities is yet to be optimal.
The West African Health Organisation (ECOWAS) and UNAIDS are jointly convening this side-event to explore new opportunities to address challenges and accelerate Africa’s progress in local pharmaceutical production of affordable and quality-assured ARVs and other health commodities. This includes technology transfer, innovative partnerships and new paradigm of international cooperation, including South-South, North-South and triangular approaches. It will seek to also discuss how this in turn, can address the ARV treatment crisis, improve health outcomes, while achieving direct and indirect socio-economic benefits for all.
Focal point: Joy Backory, backoryj@unaids.org
Addressing global health emergencies: lessons from AIDS to Ebola, Zika, and other emerging epidemics
18:30–20:30
Venue: Conference Room 3
There are striking similarities between HIV and more recent outbreaks of Ebola and Zika. At the onset of all epidemics little was known about the origin of the outbreak and the mode of transmission; mortality was high both for Ebola and AIDS. This lack of knowledge and an inadequate response lead to fear, stigma and discrimination of individuals and communities. All three epidemics have shown the need for political leadership, a sustained multisectoral approach, combining biomedical, behavioural and structural interventions, and the importance of involving communities from the start. This side event will focus on lessons learned and how these can contribute to strengthening health systems and community responses, as well as long term sustainable investments in services and research.
Focal point: Catherine Bilger, bilgerc@unaids.org
Friday, 10 June
What women want
07:30–09:30
Closed event. Press inquiries to Aurelie Andriamialison, andriamialisona@unaids.org
For the first time, with the 2030 Agenda, achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is positioned as central to development. When we add this to the commitments made in the Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women, Children and Adolescent Health; and the commitments in SDG 3 to End the AIDS epidemic by 2030 and to achieve Universal Health Coverage, we have the power and legitimacy to ensure no woman or girl is left behind. There is, however, cause for concern. The political space for women-led organizations is shrinking and young women’s leadership is still not strongly supported. To address this and change the tide, ATHENA Network launched a virtual #WhatWomenWant campaign, across all regions of the world and is bringing this momentum to the High Level Meeting on AIDS with a women-led civil society breakfast. This event aims to articulate the visions and priorities of women and girls in all their diversity and call for commitment for a new advocacy platform that aims to make progress on specific priorities for women and girls in the HIV response, and beyond. It will also explore options for coordination and joint leadership to support women-led organizations and strengthen young women’s leadership – and understand what is needed in terms of investment in women’s civil society to realize these goals.
Focal points: Aurelie Andriamialison, andriamialisona@unaids.org
Tyler Crone from ATHENA Network, tyler.crone@gmail.com
Science Addressing Drugs & HIV: State of the Art
08:00 – 09:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 11
This event is geared towards, and particularly relevant to, policy makers, academia, and civil society. Lead scientists will present the latest scientific developments in HIV prevention, treatment, and care for people who use drugs, from the 2014 and 2016 UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) scientific consultations. Participants will review the data and discuss ways forward.
Focal point: Fabienne Hariga, fabienne.hariga@unodc.org
Increasing Access to Treatment to Achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3
13:00 – 14:30
Venue: UN Conference Room 1
Organized by: UNDP & UNAIDS
The side event examines the how the lessons learnt from increasing access to HIV treatment, can be applied to improve the health and wellbeing of all people, irrespective of disease, or country, as envisaged by SDG 3. While great progress has been made in placing people on ART, millions are still being left behind. The gap in treatment is amplified by the ambitious commitments UN Member States made in 2015 when they adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In doing so, they committed themselves to ensuring the health and well-being of all people (SDG3) and a range of targets, including ending the epidemics of AIDS, TB, malaria and neglected tropical diseases as a public health threat and to combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
Focal point: Josefin Wiklund, wiklundj@unaids.org
