Key events UNAIDS is leading, co-organizing or participating in at AIDS2018
Sustainable AIDS response
Results in the era of shrinking donor funding
Friday 20 & Saturday 21 July
This pre-conference is one of the only dedicated global events that convenes economists and health and AIDS response policy makers to focus on accelerating progress in countries towards sustainable financing of the HIV response. It provides a strategic platform where economists engage with a wide range of stakeholders on new economic evidence to encourage cross-country learning of novel research findings. Participants will identify strategic emerging issues related to the economics of the HIV response and key policy issues that will require further research to ensure sustainable AIDS response results.
Speakers: Stefano Bertozzi, Berkeley, School of Public Health; Julio Frenk, Harvard School of Public Health; Mead Over, Center for Global Development; Charles Gilks, School of Public Health, University of Queensland; David Wilson, the World Bank.
Venue: Academic Medical Centre, Joep Lange Institute
Organisers: The International AIDS Economics Network (IAEN), UNAIDS, Avenir Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank
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UNAIDS contact: Iris Semini / seminii@unaids.org
Sexual and reproductive health and rights pre-conference: Breaking barriers, building bridges for the right to decide
Saturday 21 July 2018
08:30-17:00
Poor sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV share common root causes, and yet, the respective responses to HIV and to SRHR remain largely unaligned, uncoordinated, and under-resourced. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an important opportunity to advance an integrated SRHR and HIV agenda by recognising the importance of universal SRH for achieving health (SDG 3), however, there are significant gaps. With growing conservatism to gender and human rights-based policies, including the global gag rule, now more than ever there is a need for joint action by governments and communities, civil society, international organisations and researchers supporting a strong response to address HIV and SRHR.
Speakers: Alvaro Bermejo, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF); Lilianne Ploumen, Labour Party, Netherlands; L'Orangelis Thomas Negrón, GNP+
Venue: E103
Organisers: IPPF, AIDS Fonds, UNAIDS, WHO, Dance for Life HIV/AIDS Alliance, Guttmacher Institute, Rutgers
UNAIDS contact: Hege Wagan / waganh@unaids.org
Successfully tackling the structural drivers of HIV
Saturday 21 July 2018
09:30-17:00
Policy makers, implementers, civil society advocates and researchers, will lead two panel discussions on ways to tackle structural drivers that impact on the SDGs in order to achieve multiple benefits; and on the delivery of biomedical prevention technologies including PrEP. The impact on the sexual health of adolescent girls and young women will be a specific focus of both panel discussions. Themes related to HIV risk will include addressing alcohol, gender inequality, social norms, intimate partner violence, stigma and transactional sex.
Co-chairs: Gafos Mitzy, UK Medical Research Council; Kapiga Saidi, London School of Hygine and Tropical Medicine
Opening remarks: UNAIDS
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Organisers: STRIVE partners in collaboration with DFID, UNAIDS, UNDP and SRHR Africa Trust
UNAIDS contact: Hege Wagan / waganh@unaids.org
90-90-90 Targets Workshop
Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 July
The 90-90-90 Targets Workshop will examine barriers, challenges and opportunities to attain the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets by 2020:
- 90% of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status
- 90% of people living with HIV who know their status are on antiretroviral therapy
- 90% of people living with HIV on ART achieving viral suppression
The 2018 Workshop will also focus on the 10-10-10, the people who are being left behind and who must be linked to health systems to access stigma-free HIV testing, prevention, care, treatment and support services.
Speakers: Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS; José M. Zuniga, International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC); Kevin Osborne, International AIDS Society (IAS); Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, The United States President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief(PEPFAR); Peter Sands, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (Global Fund); Linda-Gail Bekker, Desmond Tutu HIV Centre.
Venue: Elicium Ballroom, RAI Amsterdam Conference Centre
Organisers: IAPAC, UNAIDS, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, GNP+, IAS
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UNAIDS contact: Julianna Hills / hillsj@unaids.org
Monday 23 July
Breaking out of our Echo Chambers: Creative storytelling about HIV to cut through the noise
08:00-10:00
How often do you feel you are preaching to the converted? How do we address misconceptions about HIV and tackle stigma with people and audiences that are hard to reach? Learn from storytellers who are breaking out of their ‘echo chambers’ on social media and other media channels to reach audiences that are unexposed to, or misinformed on, issues related to people living with HIV.
Speakers: Jon Cohen, Science; Georgia Arnold, MTV, Makhulu media (Virtual reality team), Reverend Johannes Mokgethi, Mahesh Mahalingam, UNAIDS and others.
Venue: G104-105
Organisers: UNAIDS and ViiV Healthcare, Positive Action
UNAIDS contact: Charlotte Sector / sectorc@unaids.org
Breaking barriers and building bridges toward sustainability of the AIDS response in South-East Asia
Monday 23 July
08:00-10:00
In line with the theme of the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018), “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges”, the satellite symposium will highlight working models for key populations with focus on approaches from South-East Asian countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. These countries have many similarities in their epidemic profile and this session will be a platform in sharing best practices that could be adapted and contextualized in other settings. This satellite session will explore innovations for, and practical solutions to issues related to countries transitioning to middle-income status, and therefore away from traditional sources of donor funding. Each country presenting during the satellite session will be represented by government officials and/or community-based organizations and each will detail innovations in service delivery, and how they have built the strong political commitment required to achieve integrated, inclusive, and sustainable multi-sectoral responses.
Chair: Eamonn Murphy, UNAIDS
Venue: G102-103
Organisers: UNAIDS Asia-Pacific, Government of Indonesia, Government of Myanmar and Government of Thailand (Bangkok Metropolitan Authority).
UNAIDS contact: Aries Valeriano / valerianoa@unaids.org
Condoms 2.0: Reinvigorating effective condom programming in the era of epidemic control
Monday 25 July
08:00-10:00
While HIV prevention has made tremendous strides with voluntary medical male circumcision and pre-exposure prophylaxis, there are still millions of people at risk of infection who cannot use either of these interventions. Condoms remain one of the cheapest and most effective tools for preventing HIV, yet UNAIDS data shows major gaps in condom availability across the world. This satellite will feature speakers from UNAIDS, foundations, donors, countries, affected communities, young people and key populations and implementing partners. It will focus on how to better define the gaps in condom access, funding, targeted subsidy and modernize how we communicate about and offer condoms.
Co-chairs: Mitchell Warren, AVAC and Gina Dallabetta, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Venue: E102
Organisers: PSI, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNAIDS, UNFPA, AVAC, IPPF, USAID and WHO
UNAIDS contact: Henk Van Renterghem / vanrenterghemh@unaids.org
Catalysing country initiatives and building bridges towards a global compact on stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings
Monday 23 July
10:15-12:15
Thailand is a regional pioneer in development and implementation of innovative system-wide stigma and discrimination responses in health settings. The symposium is an opportunity to learn from Thailand's model on its adaptation of global guidelines and measurement tools to national needs; stigma and discrimination monitoring systems, evidence informed actions at health facilities and community engagement in design and implementation at all levels. Inter-country sharing and south-to-south cooperation will be highlighted. Regional partner Vietnam will present its initiatives and lessons learned from its collaboration with Thailand.
Speakers: Thawat Suntharajarn, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand; Timothy Martineau, UNAIDS; Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand
Venue: Elicium 2
Organisers: Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, UNAIDS, and US Centres for Disease Control Thailand’s Division of Global HIV/TB
UNAIDS contact: Andrea Boccardi / boccardia@unaids.org
Progressing sexual and reproductive health and rights - HIV linkages advancing towards universal health coverage
Monday 23 July
10:15-12 :15
This high-level panel will examine current progress in linking sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with HIV–looking at community engagement, policy coordination, systems strengthening and service delivery aspects. The panel will present on a series of underlying principles shaping a renewed Call to Action for continued and expanded focus on SRHR–HIV linkages. Linking SRHR and HIV is an important contributory strategy for reaching SDG 3: "Good health and wellbeing", and associated Target 3.8: "Achieving universal health coverage", particularly for young people, and people living with and affected by HIV. The panel will present national, civil society, donor and development partner perspectives and will highlight how linking HIV with broader SRHR programmes is a key approach for reaching the overarching goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Co-Chairs: Manjulaa Narasimhan, WHO, Tim Sladden, UNFPA
Venue: E105-108
Organisers: UNFPA, WHO, World Bank, UNAIDS
UNAIDS contact: Luisa Cabal / caball@unaids.org
Ending the AIDS epidemic and achieving universal health coverage by 2030 in Africa
Monday 23 July
10:15-12 :15
This satellite symposium with a panel discussion will focus on the mutual reinforcement of ending the AIDS epidemic and achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in Africa, by reflecting on country experiences from Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda.
According to WHO, UHC means that all people and communities can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. Ensuring universal access to HIV services is critical for the achievement of UHC. HIV is one of the conditions especially important for disadvantaged groups such as women, children, the poor and key populations. As such addressing the HIV epidemic is in pursuit of equity which is inherent in UHC.
UHC has the potential to change the quality of lives of all people in Africa and serves as a critical input for sustainable development. The provision of essential services and interventions, including for HIV, is critical for the achievement of UHC and ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
Speakers: Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS; Ren Minghui, WHO; Dr. Rashid Aman, Ministry of Health, Republic of Kenya; Sabin Nsanzimana, Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda; Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Director-General, Ghana Health Services, Republic of Ghana; OlayideAkanni, Journalists against AIDS, Nigeria; Peter Sands, the Global Fund; David Stanton, USAID
Moderator: Amb. Mark Dybul, Center for Global Health and Quality, Georgetown University School of Medicine, USA
Venue: Elicium 1
Organisers: UNAIDS, Government of Kenya, WHO, with additional support from the Global Fund
UNAIDS contact: Ani Shakarishvili / shakarishvilia@unaids.org and Jantine Jacobi jacobij@unaids.org
Leadership for HIV primary prevention: The Global HIV Prevention Coalition
Monday 23 July
12:30-14:30
On 10 October 2017, as part of global efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat, UNAIDS, UNFPA and partners launched the Global HIV Prevention Coalition & Road Map 2020, to strengthen and sustain political commitment for HIV primary prevention, and to establish accountability for delivering prevention services at scale. In this session, HIV prevention leaders will make the case for HIV prevention leadership, present progress with road map implementation and towards achieving prevention targets and address sensitive issues regarding required policy change and HIV prevention financing.
Speakers: Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS; Natalia Kanem, UNFPA; Peter Sands, the Global Fund; Aaron Motsoaledi, Ministry of Health, South Africa; Mia Malan, Bhekisisa; Anders Nordström, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden; Deborah Birx, PEPFAR; Alvaro Bermejo, IPPF
Venue: Elicium 2
Organisers: Global HIV Prevention Coalition
UNAIDS contact: Karl Dehne / dehnek@unaids.org
Eastern Europe and central Asia ministerial policy dialogue
Monday 23 Jul
14:00-16:30
The WHO Regional Office for Europe, in collaboration with the Government of the Netherlands and UNAIDS, will convene a ministerial policy dialogue on HIV and related comorbidities in eastern Europe and central Asia (EECA). The dialogue aims to present the countries pioneering approaches to sustainable, innovative and evidence-based responses to HIV and comorbidities and discuss the opportunities to scale-up. It will also serve to exchange information on sustainable financing and provide a platform to launch a compendium of good practices in the region.
Speakers: Ministers of Health from EECA; Representative of the Government of the Netherlands; Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO; Vinay Saldanha, UNAIDS; Representative of the European Commission; Representative of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and a representative EECA civil society.
Venue: Mövenpick Hotel, Amsterdam City Centre
Organisers: WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Government of the Netherlands and UNAIDS
UNAIDS contact: Vinay Saldanha / SaldanhaVP@unaids.org
AIDS2018 Opening ceremony
Monday 23 July
19:30 - 20:40
Keynote address: How to face stigma & discrimination - Conchita Wurst, Artist, Austria
Speakers: Michel Sidibé Executive Director, UNAIDS
Venue: Hall 12
Organisers: IAS
Political resistance to addressing the needs of key populations
Tuesday 24 July
11:00-12:30
In many countries, human rights and health needs of key and vulnerable populations are still not addressed or are not addressed at scale. This severely hampers access to information and prevention, is the cause of late diagnosis and limits access to treatment. The challenge is more of a political nature than financial or programmatic.
Speakers: Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS; Sigrun Møgedal, Norwegian Institute of Public Health; Mila Carovska, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Macedonia; Daouda Diouf, ENDA Tiers Monde; Jonathan Cohen, Open Society Foundations; Ruth Dreifuss, the Global Commission on Drug Policy
Venue: Auditorium
Organisers: AIDS2018 Community and Leadership Programme Committee session
UNAIDS contact: Chris Mallouris / mallourisc@unaids.org
The catch-up plan in West and Central Africa: Lessons learned and way forward to ensure the accelerated scale up of ART
Tuesday 24 July
12:30-14:15
While global progress in scaling up HIV testing and treatment programmes continues, West and Central Africa (WCA) risks being left behind. Over the last decade, data reported annually by UNAIDS has consistently found that coverage for antiretroviral therapy (ART) and progress in reducing new HIV infections lags behind in WCA. At this session key obstacles, including the imminent threat of a major funding shortfall for the regional response, will be explored. By reviewing gains, challenges and new momentum in the response, key stakeholders can agree on a way forward to achieve the ambitious catch-up aims and to lay the foundation to end the region’s AIDS epidemic.
Speakers: Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS; Stephanie Seydoux, Ambassador for Global Health, France; Deborah Birx, PEPFAR
Venue: UNAIDS room 1
Organisers: UNAIDS
UNAIDS contact: Catherine Bilger / bilgerc@unaids.org
Implementing the SDG agenda to leave no one behind: Innovations in Europe on the Fast Track to ending AIDS
Tuesday 24 July
14:30 - 16:00
Today the HIV, TB and syphilis epidemics continue to rise especially among key populations in Eastern Europe and in parts of southern Europe and it will be critical to continue to work to address this. All over Europe, political will is needed to overcome policy and legal barriers that still hinder access to services by key populations. This session will be an opportunity to bring together some innovations and best practices and discuss what can be learnt from the work of individual member states today to inform the directions of future work.
Co-chairs: Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS; Esther Dixon-Williams, the European AIDS Treatment Group
Speakers: Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commission; Agnes Buzyn, Minister of Solidarity and Health, France; Zbigniew Król, Vice-Minister of Health, Poland; Sabine Weiss, Vice Minister of Health, Germany; Ferenc Bagyinszky, NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS PCB; Germany; Marc Biot, Médecins Sans Frontières; Jose Manshaden, Amsterdam City; Ricardo Leite, Parliament of Portugal; Dorthe Raben, Centre of Excellence for Health, Immunity and Infections, Denmark
Venue: Hall 12
Organisers: AIDS 2018 Conference Coordinating Committee
UNAIDS contact: Anneclaire Guichard / guicharda@unaids.org
Innovation and impact: Tipping the scale for adolescent girls and young women
Tuesday 24 July
18:30-20:30
Adolescent girls and young women are some of the most disproportionately affected by HIV: every week, approximately 7700 girls and women aged 15-24 acquire HIV however they remain marginalised and difficult to reach. Child marriage, lack of educational opportunities, limited access to SRHR, and gender-based violence are some of the ordeals faced by girls that can make them vulnerable to HIV. To best address girls’ needs we must tackle the structural drivers behind both HIV and child marriage. We need a comprehensive approach that challenges gender inequality and harmful social norms, and seeks to keep girls healthy, safe, and in-school. This interactive session brings together a range of leaders to discuss what is working and how we can accelerate our efforts. They will explore how using cross-sectoral approaches to tackle HIV and child marriage can lead to a brighter future for girls and young women everywhere.
Chair: Mabel van Oranje, Girls Not Brides, Netherlands
Venue: Forum
Organisers: Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage; The Government of the Netherlands; UNAIDS, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
UNAIDS contact: Kreena Govender / govenderk@unaids.org
Kenya: Leadership and innovation for results in eMTCT and adolescent care
Tuesday 24 July
18:30-20:30
This symposium seeks to highlight the pathways and partnership needed for ending new infections among children and ensure children grow up AIDS free. It also seeks to foster an understanding of the complexities of a sustainable mother to child transmission and paediatric HIV response as an endeavor that requires continuous investment and effort every single day.
The symposium will use the example of Kenya to promote a discussion about how to address inequity and reach people left behind.
Speakers: Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS; Margaret Gakuo Kenyatta, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya; Deborah Birx, PEPFAR; Charles Lyons, Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Venue: E105-108
Organizer: UNAIDS
UNAIDS contact: Jantine Jacobi / jacobij@unaids.org
“From Invisibility to Indivisibility” - Strengthening the impact of civil society and community led networks in the HIV response through the Robert Carr Fund
Tuesday 24 July
18:30-20:30
The Robert Car Fund (RCF) is the first international pooled funding mechanism that specifically aims to strengthen global and regional HIV civil society and community networks across the world. This focus is in recognition of networks’ critical value and contribution to better health, inclusion and social wellbeing of inadequately served populations (ISPs) , given their unique reach into and impact at community level.
Over the last five years, the RCF has served a unique role in mobilizing and disseminating pooled resources for global and regional civil society actions with country impact.
This satellite event and reception will celebrate and showcase the work and impact of civil society and community led networks in the HIV response.
Speakers: Alistair Burt, Minister of State at the UK Department for International Development; Kees van Baar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands; Anne Skjelmerud, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation; Sandra Thurman, Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy; Johnny Tohme, M-Pact (previously MSMGF); Baby Rivona, National Coordinator of Indonesia Positive Women Network (IPPI); Mr Peter Carr
Venue: RAI Amsterdam
Organisers: Robert Carr Networks Fund; UNAIDS as co-organizer
UNAIDS contact: Chris Mallouris / mallourisc@unaids.org
#UPROOT: A youth-led political agenda to end AIDS by 2030
Tuesday 24 July
18:30-20:00
Young people are still being left behind the HIV response. To end AIDS, we must tackle the root causes that put them at risk, including inequalities, discrimination, exclusion and violence. #UPROOT is a youth-led political agenda led by The PACT, a coalition of more than 80 youth organizations working on HIV, to tackle these root causes by challenging harmful laws and policies, supporting youth participation and building partnership. The AIDS2018 Conference will mark one year since #UPROOT was launched, and youth advocates will share their progress thus far with this agenda, providing resources to young people to take it forward everywhere.
Speakers: Youth advocates from The PACT, the Adolescent Treatment Coalition (ATC), IPPF, the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+), Youth Voices Count and the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), and Ruben Pages from UNAIDS.
Venue: UNAIDS Meeting Room 1
Organisers: The PACT and UNAIDS
UNAIDS contact: Ruben Pages / pagesr@unaids.org
Epidemic transition: How will we achieve it while ensuring equity and quality?
Wednesday 25 July
11:00-12:30
The terms “epidemic control” and “epidemic transition” are being used more often as countries work to meet the global commitment to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Stakeholders working on ways to measure control and transition came together in Glion, Switzerland, in October 2017 to put forward a new set of metrics for countries’ progress towards the 2030 goal. Achieving this goal means zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths and sustained programmatic support for the millions of people living with HIV. “Transition” or “control”, and the idea of having metrics to measure transition points, raises questions, such as:
- How were these metrics established? What do they mean? How can they be interpreted?
- What does it mean to reach transition?
- Where are countries now on this path?
- How can we measure how well a response includes human rights?
Moderator: Mahesh Mahalingam, UNAIDS
Venue: Forum
Organisers: AIDS 2018 Bridging Session
UNAIDS contact: Chris Mallouris / mallourisc@unaids.org
Press launch of the Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context of Criminal Law
Wednesday 25 July
14:30-15:15
Press conference to announce the publication of the Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context of Criminal Law in the Journal of the International AIDS Society which aims to ensure that science informs the application of criminal law in cases related to HIV.
Speakers: Linda-Gail Bekker, AIDS 2018 International Scientific Chair; Peter Godfrey-Faussett, UNAIDS; José Zuniga, IAPAC; Edwin Bernard, HIV Justice Worldwide
Venue: Press Conference Room 2
Organisers: UNAIDS, IAS, IAPAC, HIV Justice Network Organisation
UNAIDS contact: Luisa Cabal / caball@unaids.org
Harm Reduction Funding
Thursday 26 July
10:30-12:00
During AIDS2018 Harm Reduction International will release a new report on the current state of funding for harm reduction in low and middle-income countries. The report shows that donor funding for harm reduction has dropped and that national government investment has not made up the shortfall. Not only does the total available funding match that available in 2007, but it remains a fraction of the US$1.5 billion which UNAIDS estimates is needed annually.
Co-Chairs: Vinay Saldanha, UNAIDS and Robert Carr Network Fund
Venue: UNAIDS Offices
Organisers: Harm Reduction International, UNODC and UNAIDS
UNAIDS contact: Chris Mallouris / mallourisc@unaids.org
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.
