Press Release

GENEVA, 26 June 2024—UNAIDS welcomes the recent report by Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health, which was presented to the 56^th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The report, on Drug Use, Harm Reduction and the Right to Health, demonstrates the public health necessity of moving away from punitive approaches to people who use drugs.

Notable, in particular, are three recommendations of the Special Rapporteur’s report that are critical to ending AIDS as a public health threat:

1. Decriminalization of the possession of drugs for personal use.
2. Ensuring the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of harm reduction services for people who use drugs.
3. Ensuring that peer-led initiatives have the necessary political and policy support and sufficient and stable resourcing.

Currently, many people who inject drugs continue to be left behind by the global HIV response. The risk of acquiring HIV is 14 times higher than it is for the adult population generally. In contrast, countries which have successfully scaled up harm reduction services have seen significant declines in HIV infections among people who use drugs.

Harm reduction services need to be accessible and acceptable to all who use them. Currently, whilst women who use drugs have a higher prevalence of HIV than men who use drugs, harm reduction services are still often not designed with women’s particular requirements in mind. As the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health’s report recommends to states: “Design harm reduction services so that they provide suitable environments for women who use drugs, including by providing integrated sexual and reproductive health care, information and services, and childcare”.

Law reform is essential because the evidence shows that even when services are available and appropriate, punitive laws obstruct their use. Criminalization of drug use is associated with needle sharing and avoidance of harm reduction programmes, and increased risk of HIV.

Community leadership in programme design is vital for programme effectiveness. As UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima noted today at the special side event with Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng: “Barriers to accessing services can only be overcome if the communities living with, affected by and vulnerable to HIV are supported to lead. This includes communities of people who use drugs, sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people and people living with HIV. We will continue to leave people behind if we do not support communities in the lead in both service delivery and law reform.”

Global and national approaches to drug policies are starting to change, and this excellent report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health will help accelerate this small but important and growing wave of changes. As this report notes, the FRESH project, for example, is engaging transgender women in harm reduction programming, with UNAIDS support. Kenya is one of the countries which has scaled up services, and currently has more than 10 public opioid agonist therapy programmes and 35 drop-in centres with needle-syringe programmes, as well as take-home naloxone, pre-exposure prophylaxis and HIV self-testing services. This year, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs adopted, for the first time, a resolution recognizing the need for harm reduction.

Punitive approaches have hurt public health, including the HIV response. Evidence-based approaches will help enable the world to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. UNAIDS pays tribute to Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, and stands with communities as they issue a call to leaders worldwide: “Support, don’t punish”.

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, 27 June 2024—At the 54^th meeting of UNAIDS’ Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) which concluded today in Geneva, Switzerland, governments, civil society and United Nations agencies united in a shared commitment to accelerate progress to meet the 2025 AIDS targets and sustain the gains of the global HIV response toward 2030 and beyond.   

In her opening remarks to the meeting, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, highlighted the urgency of accelerating progress to meet the 2030 target of ending AIDS as a public health threat. “The world has six years to reduce new HIV infection rates, expand antiretroviral treatment, and reduce AIDS-related deaths, but only 18 months to reach the 2025 targets which will determine whether or not countries will be able to end their pandemics by 2030.”

She warned that there was ‘nothing sustainable about an expanding pandemic’ and called on members to join UNAIDS in ‘throwing everything we can’ at HIV prevention, making medicines and health technologies for HIV prevention and treatment equitable, affordable and accessible, and building stronger health systems’.

“We have a choice,” said Ms Byanyima. “We can accelerate now, drive rates down, and succeed. Or we can get distracted, focus only on what we’ve gained so far, and miss the opportunity to end AIDS. We must accelerate in order to sustain.”

She noted that sustainability also requires progress on widening fiscal space and addressing indebtedness of low- and middle-income countries, protecting human rights and gender equality, and called on all partners and allies to embrace a ‘bold vision of sustainability—one capable of ending the AIDS pandemic.’

Ms Byanyima emphasised the funding constraints which are hampering progress in the AIDS response highlighting the US$ 8.5 billion shortfall in funding for HIV. In 2022, US$ 20.8 billion was available for HIV funding in low- and middle-income countries whereas the estimated need by 2025 is US$ 29.3 billion. She called on all donors to ensure that the Joint Programme is fully funded to the agreed minimum levels of US$ 160 million for 2024.

On the opening day of the meeting Germany announced that it would be increasing its funding to UNAIDS. “Germany has decided to increase its contribution to UNAIDS in 2024 by € 2 million, from € 4.75 million in 2023 to € 6.75 million. We trust that this decision shall contribute to the minimum budget requirements of US$ 160 million to ensure that UNAIDS can adequately implement its workplan and budget,” said Binod Mahanty, Senior Policy Advisor, Federal Ministry of Health of Germany.

The Board reviewed the performance of the Joint Programme and appreciated the wide scope and in-depth contribution of UNAIDS to the global AIDS response at the global, regional and country levels.

The critical role of communities in continuing to lead the way in responding to HIV was highlighted as central to sustainability of the HIV response, which was the focus of the thematic segment on the final day: Sustaining the gains of the global HIV response to 2030 and beyond.

Ms Byanyima said, “To end AIDS, the foundation must be people living with HIV, civil society and communities. They are indispensable and non-negotiable for ending the pandemic, sustaining the response and ensuring accountability for all.

Florence Riako Anam, Co-Executive Director of the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), gave a powerful keynote address during the thematic session, she said, “People living with HIV will be here in 2031. For us, the sustainability of the HIV response is a journey of transformation and not a destination with an end date.” Other keynote speakers included H.E. Edwin Dikoloti, Minister of Health of Botswana and the Former President of the Republic of Chile Michelle Bachelet.

Ahead of the PCB, building on its longstanding partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, UNAIDS signed a new strategic framework for cooperation and collaboration to end AIDS. Joining the PCB discussions the Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands said, “Optimizing HIV and primary health care integration requires well-coordinated partnerships between governments, private sector companies, international organizations, and non-government organizations.”

John Nkengasong, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and head of PEPFAR, said that gains were fragile and need to be sustained. "2030 is critical because at that point the global community either says ‘we have done our best and we don’t know what else to do’ or do we say, ‘YES! we can get to the finish line’...2030 is a mountaintop moment.” He also called for UNAIDS to be fully funded to continue its life-saving work.

The Board meeting provided an opportunity for UNAIDS to announce a new high-level panel on a resilient and fit-for-purpose UNAIDS Joint Programme. The Panel will consider the evolution of the pandemic and the global response as well as the evolving country needs within the overall context of the Joint Programme’s mandate.

This week also saw the release of a new report by on Drug Use, Harm Reduction and the Right to Health, demonstrating the public health necessity of moving away from punitive approaches to people who use drugs – a step towards ensuring access to health care for marginalized communities.

The 54^th PCB was chaired by Kenya, represented by Harry Kimtai, Principal Secretary, State Department for Medical Services, Nairobi, with Brazil serving as the Vice-Chair and Netherlands as Rapporteur. The Report to the Board by the UNAIDS Executive Director, and the reports for each agenda item and the PCB’s decisions can be found at: 54^th UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board.

The 55^th meeting of the PCB will take place 10-12 December 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya.

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, 24 June 2024— UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, and Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund), Peter Sands, signed a new strategic framework for cooperation and collaboration to end AIDS (2024 –2028). The agreement renews the organizations’ longstanding partnership and aligns ongoing collaboration with the most recent United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS: Ending Inequalities and Getting on Track to End AIDS by 2030.

“The longstanding partnership between UNAIDS and the Global Fund has been instrumental in supporting many millions of people living with or vulnerable to HIV to enjoy better health and well-being through improved access to essential services,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. “We at UNAIDS are excited to continue building our collaboration with the Global Fund as we head toward our common goal of ending AIDS.”

The new strategic framework puts people and communities at the centre and aims to unite countries, communities and partners across and beyond the HIV response to take prioritized actions to accelerate progress towards the vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

“Our strong collaboration, especially at country level, makes a huge difference in the fight against AIDS,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Our counterparts at UNAIDS play a crucial role on the ground: they help put communities living with and affected by HIV at the center of the response and ensure that rights-based approaches are widely adopted.”

The Global Fund Strategy (2023–2028) Fighting Pandemics and Building a Healthier and More Equitable World is fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and UNAIDS’ Global AIDS Strategy (2021–2026) End Inequalities, End AIDS, which guides the global AIDS response. It calls on all actors to scale up and sustain global and domestic investments to achieve the strategy’s ambitious targets and commitments for 2025 as well as put the world on course to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Collaboration under the new agreement will focus on reducing the inequalities that drive the AIDS epidemic and closing the HIV prevention and treatment gaps that are preventing progress towards ending AIDS. It will also prioritize people who are not yet accessing life-saving HIV services.

The common approach supports a renewed focus on primary prevention, addressing structural drivers of HIV infection and AIDS-related deaths, and challenging inequities and human rights and gender-related barriers to services including stigma, discrimination and criminalization. It leverages new HIV prevention and treatment modalities, precision public health approaches, as well as support synergies between HIV services and related areas of health. In addition, the framework continues longstanding support to strengthen countries’ capacity to measure their epidemics and monitor their responses, and act on the data to drive results. There will also be a push for countries to map out the longer-term sustainability of the HIV response through stronger health systems, better-integrated services for HIV, and more streamlined donor contributions.

The Global Fund

The Global Fund is a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all. They raise and invest more than US$5 billion a year to fight the deadliest infectious diseases, challenge the injustice that fuels them, and strengthen health systems and pandemic preparedness in more than 100 of the hardest hit countries. They unite world leaders, communities, civil society, health workers and the private sector to find solutions that have the most impact, and they take them to scale worldwide. Since 2002, the Global Fund partnership has saved 59 million lives. Learn more at The Global Fund.

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.

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.

SALVADOR, BRAZIL, 6 June 2024—At the G20 preparatory meeting in Brazil, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Winnie Byanyima, today urged governments to support a new G20 Alliance, proposed by the Brazilian government, to enable life-saving medicines to be produced in every part of the world. Co-Chair of the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS, and Pandemics Sir Michael Marmot also called on G20 delegates to address the social determinants of pandemics, such as education and human rights, as a concrete part of the G20’s pandemic preparedness efforts.

The medicines initiative aims to create a global alliance of local and regional manufacturers of drugs, vaccines and other health technologies and unite a diversified network of local and regional producers to ensure an adequate supply of medicines and technologies for everyone, everywhere.

Ms Byanyima called on the G20 to ensure that the alliance takes a bold approach that strengthens efforts to fight dengue and other neglected diseases, improves global defences against future pandemics, and accelerates access to the latest technologies against HIV.

“Focusing together on neglected diseases and the major killers of vulnerable people is not only strategic, it can deliver during future pandemics,” said Ms Byanyima. “We can be thankful that, for all its devastation, COVID-19 responded to a vaccine, unlike HIV. There is no reason to believe the next pandemic will be like COVID-19.  We need to build capacity for vaccines and treatment.”

The responses to many diseases that impact vulnerable populations – from Ebola to Mpox to HIV – would benefit greatly from this initiative, Ms Byanyima told governments today.

“The alliance can supercharge the HIV response. It can supercharge the production pipeline for innovations,” said Ms Byanyima. “An alliance could also build capacity where it is not. The majority of people living with HIV, who get up every day and take that pill, live in Africa. But few of those drugs are actually made in African countries.”

“Brazil’s leadership and experience in this area has inspired this global effort. And we need the support of the whole G20 to make it a success.”

The agenda of the G20 meeting on health is helping to push global health policy towards tackling the systemic inequalities that drive ill-health.  UNAIDS is coordinating a Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics that is gathering evidence on how inequalities deepen and prolong pandemics, including HIV and COVID-19. That evidence is being shared with policymakers at the G20 and other international forums.

On Monday, world-renowned expert Sir Michael Marmot gave a keynote address the G20 meeting on the potential of focusing concretely on the social determinants to strengthen pandemic preparedness, predict the severity of future pandemics, and  improve the efficacy of responses.

“Improving health leads to a better economy. And the way to improve health is not just to invest in healthcare, but in the social determinants of health,” Professor Marmot said. “For example, in Botswana, there is clear evidence that the longer young people remain in education, the lower the rates of HIV.”

Addressing social determinants, building manufacturing capacity, and enabling people everywhere to access the whole range of HIV prevention and treatment options, including the latest long-acting technologies, is vital for ensuring the end of AIDS as a public health threat. The G20 initiatives would play a key role in achieving that objective in a sustainable way, while also contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and supporting efforts to quickly respond to the next pandemic.

Notes for editors

Brazil's main proposal for the G20 Health Working Group is to establish the creation of an Alliance for Regional Production and Innovation. This initiative aims to establish a network that brings together key actors, including countries, academia, private sector, and international organizations, for research and development and production of vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, and strategic supplies to combat diseases with strong social determinants and that mainly affect vulnerable populations, such as dengue, malaria, tuberculosis, Chagas disease, and leprosy. For more information on the G20 Health Working Group, see the G20 website: https://www.g20.org/en/tracks/sherpa-track/health

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.

UNAIDS needs to increase funding to just 1% of the US$ 20 billion HIV resources to effectively support countries in their goal of ending AIDS by 2030

GENEVA, 28 March 2024—UNAIDS is urging donors for a modest increase in funding to ensure that 35 countries can end their AIDS pandemics by 2025, five years ahead of the 2030 target. Current funding for UNAIDS is at US$ 160 million, less than 50% than the resources available in 2015. For maximum impact UNAIDS estimates it will need US$ 210 million annually which represents less than 0.02% of total health spending in low- and middle-income countries.

“UNAIDS has remained a steadfast and dependable partner, advocating and leveraging the strengths of the UN system to catalyze action, secure commitments, mobilize stakeholders, generate authoritative data, empower communities, address vulnerabilities, and tackle barriers,” said Ruth Laibon-Masha, Chief Executive Officer, National Disease Control Council of Kenya. “Let us seize this historic moment, where we are united in our consensus that we need UNAIDS to be fully functional as we have no doubt of the contribution of UNAIDS to global health and its centrality to ending AIDS as a public health threat. Kenya reaffirms our commitment to UNAIDS by honoring our pledge to contribute funds in 2024 and invite other implementing and donor countries not to be left behind by also increasing their contributions.”

UNAIDS projects that fully funding the Joint Programme would enable 35 countries to achieve the viral load suppression targets by 2025. That achievement would save 1.8 million lives, prevent 5.7 million new HIV infections by 2030 and establish a solid foundation for the world to end AIDS by 2030.  

“If UNAIDS was not there, we would all be asking for UNAIDS to be established. While we celebrate the progress we have made, we still need a very strong and well-resourced UNAIDS to continue to drive that progress.” said Ambassador John Nkengasong, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy. “A generational threat requires sustained leadership - sustained leadership that comes with the sustained commitment to provide financing for UNAIDS. So it is always our commitment from the United States that we make UNAIDS stronger and will continue to make UNAIDS that body that provides that Northern Star for all of us.”

“We rely on UNAIDS to support the voice of communities most affected by HIV in national HIV policies and decision-making processes as well as in efforts to improve access to services and address stigma and discrimination and gender inequity” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Ensuring that UNAIDS is adequately resourced is critical to achieving continued progress in controlling HIV.”

As Mary Mahy, Director of Data for Impact, UNAIDS explains, “Diseases go through a period of increasing new infections, and over time, after interventions are implemented, new infections start to decline and countries reach a point of disease control then elimination, and eventually eradication. But with HIV we have not achieved disease control globally and some countries are still in the increasing infections stage. So there is still a considerable amount of work to be done in the HIV response to achieve HIV disease control, elimination and eradication.”

In 2022, every minute someone died of AIDS, 4000 young women and girls aged between 15 and 24 became infected with HIV every week, and of the 39 million people living with HIV more than 9 million do not have access to HIV treatment.

“Pandemics tend to go through cycles of panic and neglect. But health security can only be delivered when we break these cycles and deliver and sustain the gains that we have made together,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “With a modest increase in funding, over the next two years, UNAIDS can support 35 countries in reaching the 95-95-95 targets – and help sustain the gains. This will be an outstanding global achievement.”  

UNAIDS has developed a value proposition which highlights three key messages for the 2024–2025 period: 

• We know how to end AIDS as a public health threat. Taking this path is a political and financial choice. 

• A modest investment in UNAIDS will deliver maximum impact at the national and global levels.
• UNAIDS is uniquely placed as the lead of the global HIV response. Investment in UNAIDS is vital to invest to end AIDS, fight inequalities and save lives.  

UNAIDS is leading on the HIV response sustainability agenda, supporting countries to ensure well resourced, people centred and human rights-based HIV programmes that are increasingly funded through domestic resources. The sustainability agenda encompasses political, programmatic and financial sustainability, developed in close collaboration with PEPFAR, the Global Fund and other donors, countries and communities.

The agenda will consider the implications of the growing financial and debt crises faced by many low- and middle-income countries which are also highly affected by HIV. Approximately 60% of the resources for HIV responses in low- and middle-income countries came from domestic sources in 2022, compared to 50% in 2010. UNAIDS has a critical role in ensuring that political, programmatic and financial commitments for the HIV response are sustained.

“We all want the Joint Programme to continue to lead the AIDS response towards 2030,” said Kenya's Ambassador to the United Nations office in Geneva and Chair of UNAIDS Programme Coordinating board Cleopa K. Mailu. “It is the priority we make to the vulnerable people who need our support to lead meaningful and full lives. We must be able to find a collective solution to close the funding gap. Any moment we spend speaking of unsustainable funding for UNAIDS is a moment lost to save a life, prevent a new infection or a death.”

By fully funding UNAIDS and drawing on the technical expertise and geographical reach of its 11 United Nations Cosponsors, UNAIDS can continue to strategically lead and steer the response to HIV, based on data, agreed targets and principles laid out in the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026. UNAIDS can maximize the return on investments made by governments, PEPFAR and the Global Fund, and work hand in hand with countries to end their AIDS pandemics by 2030 and ensure sustainability into the future.

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.

ANTANANARIVO/GENEVA, 27 March 2024—Despite progress across most of sub-Saharan Africa, UNAIDS warns that gaps in HIV prevention are driving new HIV infections in the Indian Ocean Countries (IOC) and several other countries in Africa. The critical gaps in HIV prevention were the focus of a workshop organized by UNAIDS and UNFPA which was hosted in Madagascar between 18 and 20 March to address some of the barriers to accelerating progress.

Insufficient focus on HIV prevention in a number of African countries including Egypt, Madagascar, Angola, Sudan and South Sudan has resulted in these countries not achieving the proportionate declines in new infections seen in the rest of the region.

For example, the increase in the number of new infections in a country like Madagascar for example, is in stark contrast to the downward trend in Botswana which has seen a 66% decline in new HIV infections since 2010 and 36% decline in AIDS-related deaths during the same period.  As a result, Botswana—along with Eswatini, Rwanda and Zimbabwe— are on the path to end AIDS having achieved the global 95-95-95 targets through strong HIV prevention and treatment interventions.

Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the region, has been hit by cyclical natural disasters including drought and cyclones, making it difficult for the country to recover and mount an effective response to HIV. Madagascar recorded a 151% increase in the number of new HIV infections since 2010, and a 279% increase in AIDS-related deaths during the same period. In addition, just 18% of the estimated 70 000 people living with HIV in Madagascar had access to treatment in 2022, and 3200 people died of AIDS-related illnesses. Sudan and South Sudan are also falling behind on HIV prevention and treatment efforts. Inequalities are exacerbating people’s vulnerability to HIV.

“Local research indicates increases in new HIV infections among key populations, including people who use drugs, and among young women and girls. This could be attributable to many factors including drug routes, recurring cyclones and deep poverty in some areas that is making people more vulnerable to HIV infections,” said Professor Zely Randriamanantany, Madagascar’s Minister of Public Health. “We need our international partners to invest with us before it's too late. This prevention focus is very welcome indeed."

“It is clear from our visits to communities and from speaking to health specialists in Madagascar, that the HIV epidemic is changing. The persistent rise in new infections in Madagascar since 2010, for example, shows that it could spread rapidly if we do not stop it in its tracks immediately,” said Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. “We know the path that ends AIDS. It’s not a miracle. It requires strong political and financial support.”

Gaps identified in some countries include a lack of data that would point to where HIV prevention efforts need to focus. Data gathering interventions are key to implementing evidence-informed and effective programmes. Some countries are also lacking commodities, including HIV testing kits and condoms.

“Inadequate investment in HIV responses is holding back ending AIDS as a public health threat,” said Jude Padayachy, UNAIDS Country Director for Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles. “We need to accelerate the HIV response in the Indian Ocean Island states by ensuring all the basics—making sure people are informed about HIV and how to prevent it, and making sure people have access to HIV prevention services and commodities, such as condoms. We also need to make sure that people who are HIV-positive know their status and get the treatment they need.”

UNAIDS is committed to support countries to accelerate political leadership, investments and better data for prevention.

The meeting in Madagascar brought together HIV experts and programme leaders from a number of countries across Africa to learn from each other and to review and strengthen their national plans on HIV prevention to support countries in scaling up their HIV responses. The meeting included teams from Comoros, Egypt, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan and South Sudan.

Participants explored ways to improve data collection to help develop more of an understanding of the dynamics of their HIV epidemics to ensure an effective, evidence-informed, human rights-based response. They also drafted national assessments which will serve as a guide to facilitate dialogues with communities, governments, and partners. This will aid in refining strategies and setting priorities to implement ambitious HIV prevention plans. UNAIDS will continue to support countries in their internal assessments to strengthen their HIV responses.

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.

Resolution on ‘Women, the Girl Child and HIV and AIDS’ updated, strengthened and adopted by consensus at the 68^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 25 March 2024—On 22 March, governments attending the 68^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) adopted, by consensus, a resolution focused on advancing the rights and empowerment of women and girls as part of efforts to end AIDS.

The updated resolution 60/2, Women, the Girl Child and HIV and AIDS, underscores the urgent need to prioritize the health and rights of adolescent girls and young women in the context of the ongoing global AIDS pandemic. It recognizes that adolescent girls and young women are still disproportionately affected by HIV due to various socio-economic factors, including gender inequalities, poverty, and lack of access to education and healthcare.

The resolution underscores the imperative of advancing gender equality as central to ending AIDS, and reaffirms the commitments made in the 2021 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS. The resolution calls for all governments to enact and intensify the implementation of laws and policies to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence, as well as end HIV-related stigma and discrimination against women and girls. It also calls for promoting active and meaningful participation and leadership of women and girls living with HIV in the AIDS response.

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, expressed optimism and her profound appreciation for the adoption of the resolution, stating, "By committing to prioritizing the health and rights of women and girls in all their diversity and addressing HIV comprehensively, leaders have helped safeguard the health of women and girls, which will result in a more equitable and resilient future.”

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, a cosponsoring organization of UNAIDS which was instrumental in organizing and ensuring a successful outcome of CSW said, “Empowering women, securing rights and achieving equality is an imperative.”

UNAIDS applauds the leadership of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Angola as its current chair for successfully championing the update of the resolution which was initially adopted in 2016. The updated resolution will continue to serve as a guiding framework for governments, communities and civil society groups, and all stakeholders as they collaborate to safeguard the rights of women and girls living with, at risk of and affected by HIV.

Crucially, UNAIDS emphasizes the importance of translating the commitments outlined in the resolution into concrete actions at the national, regional, and global levels. Efforts must focus on closing the gender gap in HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, while also addressing the underlying social, economic, and structural factors that perpetuate gender-based discrimination, violence, and inequalities and increase the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV.

UNAIDS remains steadfast in its commitment to working collaboratively with governments, civil society, and other partners to create a world where the rights and dignity of all women and girls are respected, protected, and fulfilled, including women and girls living with, at risk of and affected by 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.

13 March 2024—A new report, HIV Prevention: From Crisis to Opportunity shows that HIV infections continue to decline in countries that are part of the Global HIV Prevention Coalition (GPC) faster than in the rest of the world.

Eleven GPC focus countries have reduced their annual number of new HIV infections by at least 66% since 2010. By comparison, the average reduction in new HIV infections since 2010 globally is 38%. The GPC is a coalition of 38 countries working together to accelerate declines in new HIV infections to achieve the target of having 95% of the people who are at risk of HIV accessing effective combination prevention options.

The GPC countries that have prioritised primary prevention and treatment and that have focused on reaching people most at risk have secured the strongest consistent declines in new HIV infections.

Globally, progress in HIV prevention has been highly uneven and a majority of the world’s countries are not currently on track to achieve the 2025 targets. Indeed, several countries are experiencing prevention crises with low access to services and face record rising new HIV infections.

“The findings of this report offer crucial lessons for action,” said Angeli Achrekar, Deputy Executive Director Programme, UNAIDS. “The report shows that sustained political leadership, investment in effective HIV prevention programmes, and an enabling policy environment are crucial to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”

Declines in new HIV infections have been boosted by the cumulative impact of combination HIV prevention options and increased access to antiretroviral treatment which has also increased viral suppression in people living with HIV. People who are on treatment and are virally supressed cannot transmit HIV.

“It’s remarkable to see what has been achieved in the AIDS response in the past 20 years. But the progress to date has not been equitable and is not yet sustainable, and we must never confuse progress with being sure of success,” said Mitchell Warren, GPC co-chair and Executive Director, AVAC. “Our progress is fragile, and what we’ve achieved today could slip away even more quickly than it was achieved if we let complacency take hold.”

Key populations and adolescent girls and young women are still at high risk of new infections

HIV incidence remains unacceptably high among populations where gaps in HIV prevention investments persist. This includes key populations in all regions globally and adolescent girls and young women in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Around 3100 young women and girls aged 15-24 became newly infected with HIV every week in sub-Saharan Africa in 2022 and HIV incidence declined less rapidly than it has among young men. Only 43% of the sub-national areas in which there is elevated HIV incidence among young women are being reached with dedicated prevention programmes for young women.

Although GPC countries have shown solid gains in reducing new HIV infections, challenges remain worldwide in reaching key populations most at risk of new HIV infections including men who have sex with men, sex workers and people who inject drugs. Every week, more than 11 000 new HIV infections occur among key populations and their sexual partners globally.

Only 44% of sex workers, 28% of gay men and other men who have sex with men, and 37% of people who inject drugs accessed two or more HIV prevention services in the previous three months according to median values reported by GPC countries ––against a target of 90%.

HIV prevention is being obstructed by shortfalls in prevention financing, and by punitive laws. Social stigma, violence, discrimination and social exclusion are barriers to key populations’ access to health-care services and information, exacerbating their risk of acquiring HIV. Law reform is a crucial enabler of prevention programmes. Protecting the human rights of everyone is vital for protecting the health of everyone.

Investments in both condom and voluntary medical male circumcision programmes, which are both effective in preventing HIV, have fallen in some of the countries with the largest HIV epidemics. In addition, breakthrough HIV prevention options such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medicine to prevent HIV, are still only available to a small fraction of the people who need them.

There are unprecedented opportunities for HIV prevention in 2024. There is a growing array of prevention options including existing tools and new long-acting prevention technologies, as well as country examples of how to implement prevention at scale and increase choices available to communities.

HIV Prevention programmes need to be at scale, efficient and equitable. The actions that are needed for success and sustainability are known, have been shown to work, and have been agreed: collaborate, follow science, tackle inequalities, protect everyone’s rights, let communities lead, and invest in what is needed. Sliding back on resourcing or inclusion would hurt everyone. Solidarity will benefit everyone. Communities, countries and international partners can prevent new infections – together.

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.