GENEVA, 15 September 2016—Ahead of the Fifth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global Fund), to be held in Montreal, Canada, on 16 and 17 September, UNAIDS is calling on donors to fully fund the Global Fund. The Global Fund, a financing institution that raises and invests funds to support HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes, is calling for US$ 13 billion over the three-year period 2017–2019.

The Global Fund’s investment in HIV programmes has played an important part in the incredible progress made by countries over the past 15 years. This progress has inspired global commitments to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030, which will require scaling up and front-loading investments.

“A successful replenishment of the Global Fund is critical,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “We are entering a make or break point that will determine whether we end AIDS or whether the epidemic will be prolonged indefinitely.”

In June 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Political Declaration in which countries committed to a Fast-Track response to reach three key targets by 2020:

• Reducing new HIV infections to fewer than 500 000 globally.
• Reducing AIDS-related deaths to fewer than 500 000 globally.
• Eliminating HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

All partners in the AIDS response need to be well-equipped and adequately funded to enable the AIDS response to overcome unresolved systemic and structural challenges and achieve the historic milestone of ending the AIDS epidemic as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Since the start of the epidemic, more than 78 million people have become infected with HIV and 35 million people have died of AIDS-related illnesses. UNAIDS has recently sounded the alarm about the epidemiological implications of a persistently high level of new HIV infections among adults, even as record numbers of people living with HIV have access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy. UNAIDS warns that if the number of new HIV infections rebounds, the AIDS epidemic could become impossible to control. Failing to meet global funding targets will result in more people becoming infected with HIV and more AIDS-related deaths.

“The Global Fund is a key anchor in our shared commitment to ending AIDS and needs the full political and financial backing of its donors,” said Mr Sidibé.

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.

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 9 June 2016—At the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, taking place in New York, United States of America, the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) has called for the stronger integration of services to improve health outcomes among adolescent girls and young women.

First Ladies from Africa were joined by the First Lady of Haiti and the First Lady of Panama in calling for the empowerment of young women and adolescent girls in the AIDS response. The First Ladies said adolescent girls must assume leadership roles to ensure the development of programmes and policies that are appropriate to their needs and fully respect their sexual and reproductive health and rights. They urged providers of health-care services to better integrate service delivery and programme design to support the ability of adolescent girls and young women to make informed life choices and keep themselves healthy, including by protecting themselves from HIV infection.

Globally, AIDS-related illnesses remain the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. In 2015, there were an estimated 250 000 [180 000–340 000] new HIV infections worldwide among adolescents (aged 15–19 years), with adolescent girls accounting for 65% of new HIV infections among this age group. AIDS-related illnesses are estimated to be the leading cause of death among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Gender-based violence, gender inequity, harmful gender norms, stigma and discrimination often prevent women and girls from knowing their HIV status and accessing appropriate HIV prevention and treatment services.

The OAFLA session showcased examples of ground-breaking adolescent-centred policies and programmes delivered by governments, adolescent girls and young women, international organizations, the private sector and international donors. The event at the High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS was organized by OAFLA in collaboration with UNAIDS, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

Quotes from speakers

“The Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS strongly believes that in moving towards the Fast Track Targets we must ensure that no young girl or boy is left behind. We must address the needs of young people, especially young girls, ending gender inequality and other factors that increase their vulnerability to HIV.” Lordina Mahama, First Lady of Ghana

“Information allows young people to make choices and empowerment is having a choice. I encourage us all to listen to best practice programmes so we can be catalysts and advocates for policies that really work for young women.” Lorena Castillo de Varela, First Lady of Panama

“Despite the progress achieved, we must redouble our efforts. We must offer in a simple way information in relation to HIV infection.” Claudine Talon, First Lady of Benin

“At a time when we are entering a new phase in the AIDS response we need to pay particular attention to women, young girls and infants. We need new strategies to stop violence against women and girls, reduce school drop-outs and end forced early marriage.” Adjoavi Sika Kabore, First Lady of Burkina Faso

“We have to offer communities a package of integrated approaches that include immunization, sexual and reproductive health and rights and education.” Antoinette Sassou-Nguesso, First Lady of the Congo

“We need to redouble our efforts to offer antiretroviral therapy to protect the future of our countries because our young people are the future. In particular, our young women need to have equal and fair access to education and health care.” Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire

“I would like to make a call for effective international solidarity that will allow Haiti to protect young women and adolescent girls.” Ginette Michaud Privert, First Lady of Haiti

“The issue is how we prevent new HIV infections among young women. We need comprehensive sexual education in our school curricula and we must speak to them in the language they understand … We have done so much, but there is much more to be done.” Monica Geingos, First Lady of Namibia

“It is extremely important to meet the reproductive health needs of young Africans in order to end the HIV epidemic within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.” Aissata Issoufou Mahamadou, First Lady of Niger

 “We must push for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights and ensure access for all young women and girls in all their diversity, including for key populations. We do not beg for our human rights, we demand them.” L’Orangelis Thomas Negron, HIV advocate

“We need to speak out and stop abuse and violence of any kind. I say enough!” Thandiwe Mudhumo, youth advocate

“Thandiwe Mudhumo is the embodiment of courage, resilience and hope. If we continue to fail adolescent girls and young women we will not end the AIDS epidemic.” Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS

“We need to value young girls, fix the issues that have resulted in the lack of impact in reducing HIV infections among them and develop determined, resilient, empowered, AIDS-free, mentored and safe young women who are ready to lead the next generation of girls.” Deborah Birx, United States Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy

“Today’s generation of youth is the biggest in history. If we want a demographic dividend from that generation we have to invest in adolescents now. It depends on all of us breaking down silos and adopting innovative solutions.” Seth Berkley, Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

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 is joining with Cervical Cancer Action (CCA)—a global coalition to stop cervical cancer among women and girls in developing countries—to launch a new five-year initiative.

Taking Cervical Cancer Prevention to Scale: Protecting All Women and Girls, an initiative spearheaded by Ambassador Sally Cowal, is convening a partnership committed to prioritizing investments in the health of women and adolescent girls. It will build momentum for action on global cervical cancer prevention over the next five years.

Cervical cancer is preventable through vaccination and can be easily diagnosed, but prevention and diagnostic programmes are not widely available in the developing world. Rates of cervical cancer are four to five times higher among women living with HIV than among HIV-negative women, while the overall risk of acquiring HIV among women doubles when women are infected with the human papillomavirus, a cause of cervical cancer.

More than 80% of all cervical cancer cases and deaths occur in developing countries, where cervical cancer is the second most common cancer-related cause of death among women. Every year, cervical cancer affects nearly 500 000 women and takes the lives of over a quarter million women worldwide.

UNAIDS will use the political and programme platforms of the Fast-Track approach to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the initiative to prevent cervical cancer.

Quotes

UNAIDS has welcomed the signing of new grants between Malawi and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria worth more than US$ 332 million. The agreement brings the total Global Fund commitment to Malawi to US$ 616 million for the period 2014-2017, the highest per capita allocation to any country globally.

The agreement will allow the further expansion of treatment and prevention programmes for all three diseases and build stronger health systems. Community based approaches to HIV prevention and programmes to diagnose new cases of tuberculosis will be scaled up. At the same time as he signed the new agreement with the Global Fund Executive Director, Mark Dybul, the President of Malawi, Peter Mutharika, committed an additional US$ 30 million from domestic resources to bolster the country’s health system.

Malawi has 1.1 million people living with HIV. It has increased the number of people accessing antiretroviral medicines from a few thousand in 2003 to more than 536 000 at the end of 2014.

Quotes

UNAIDS and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have launched a two-year initiative to work with faith-based organizations and strengthen their capacity to respond to HIV.

Unveiled during the seventieth session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the first phase of the US$ 4 million programme will increase collaboration with faith communities in several UNAIDS and PEPFAR partner countries across five focus areas. These are: collecting, analysing and disseminating data; challenging stigma and discrimination; increasing demand for HIV services and retaining people in care; improving HIV-related service provision; and strengthening leadership and advocacy.

Faith-based provision of health services has been a cornerstone of the global HIV response from the earliest days of the epidemic. Religious organizations continue to provide health—and other essential services—to local communities around the world. In responding to epidemics and health emergencies, there is evidence showing that no matter how effective a biomedical response is, there is always a need for equally effective collaboration with communities.

This faith initiative will support scale-up of community and faith responses, which are central to achieving the ambitious UNAIDS 90–90–90 treatment target and the PEPFAR 3.0 goals focusing on impact, efficiency, sustainability, partnership and human rights.

The new initiative has been developed in response to 10 recommendations made by faith leaders at a consultation in April 2015, which brought together more than 50 faith leaders from Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Recommendations include increased accountability, greater collaboration between faith-based organizations and international partners, and better access to data.

In September 2015, at the United Nations General Assembly, UNAIDS, PEPFAR and Emory University released a report based on the recommendations. The report, Building on firm foundations, explores in depth the scale and scope of faith-based responses in the four countries.

A landmark series on faith-based health-care published by the Lancet in July 2015 called for more research into the work of faith-based health-care providers. The series noted that although it is widely known that faith groups provide care and support to often marginalized communities, there is a need to improve the measurement of how they benefit health-care provision. This is among a number of recommendations that the new UNAIDS/PEPFAR partnership is set to address. 

Quotes

Strong focus on adolescent girls and young women and on ensuring access to treatment will Fast-Track results

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 26 September 2015—UNAIDS welcomes the ambitious new targets set by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) just one day after the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by United Nations Member States at the UN headquarters in New York which include ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

PEPFAR has set specific targets for preventing new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24. The targets also include ensuring access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy for 12.9 million children, pregnant women and adults by the end of 2017.

“The United States of America’s continued commitment will be a stepping stone towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Under the bold leadership of President Obama, these generous investments are and will continue to save millions of lives.”

The targets set by PEPFAR will make a significant contribution to the UNAIDS Fast-Track approach to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. This announcement will create momentum to achieve the 90-90-90 HIV treatment target whereby 90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 90% of people who know their HIV status are accessing treatment and 90% of people on treatment have suppressed viral loads.

As well as expanding access to HIV treatment, PEPFAR’s newly announced targets aim to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women by 40% by the end of 2017 in PEPFAR focus areas across 10 countries—Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These 10 countries accounted for nearly half of all new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women in 2014. The commitments also include the provision to cumulatively reach up to 13 million men with voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV prevention by the end of 2017.

UNAIDS looks forward to continuing to work closely with PEPFAR towards ending the AIDS epidemic as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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.

Health investments made through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) partnership have saved 17 million lives, according to the Global Fund results report 2015, released on 21 September.

The report shows that the Global Fund partnership has made remarkable gains against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and provides a broad overview of the results achieved to date.

The results show that programmes supported by the Global Fund have ensured access to HIV treatment for 8.1 million people, a 22% increase since the previous year, and the number of tuberculosis cases detected and treated increased by 11%, to reach 13.2 million. For malaria, the partnership distributed 548 million mosquito nets to protect children and families from the disease, an annual increase of 32%.

According to the report, scientific advances, innovative solutions and increased global support are saving lives at a steadily increasing rate each year—more than two million—putting the partnership on track to save 22 million lives by the end of 2016.

The Global Fund combines the strength of governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by HIV, TB and malaria. The Global Fund is also strengthening its collaboration with key partners, such as UNAIDS, to build stronger country ownership of programmes that address the rights of people most affected by the diseases.

To commemorate this year’s Mother’s Day, UNICEF and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) released a new video and special website featuring mothers who are HIV-positive.

In 2013 and 2014, UNICEF and the Global Fund asked six women in South Africa and Malawi to share their reflections, hopes and fears as they went through their pregnancies and the delivery of their babies, and in the months after their children were born.

A Journey of Motherhood acknowledges the particular challenges HIV-positive mothers experience to give birth to healthy HIV-negative children, and to remain healthy themselves. The initiative also stresses the progress made in providing HIV medicines to prevent new HIV infections among children worldwide.

Each year, approximately 1.5 million women living with HIV give birth. With no medical intervention, the risk of passing on the virus to their babies during pregnancy, delivery and the breastfeeding period can be as high as 45%. But today, medicine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV—a single, daily pill—reduces that risk to 5% or less.

JOHANNESBURG, 13 April 2015—The Champions for an AIDS-Free Generation gathered together today to announce new efforts to ensure that all children in Africa are born free from HIV and that children living with HIV have access to life-saving treatment. Since young people continue to be deeply affected by the epidemic, the Champions also announced that they will add adolescents and HIV to their portfolio of work. 

“The Champions are determined to keep HIV high on the continental agenda,” said Festus Mogae, Chairperson of the Champions. “We will leave no one behind and we will not rest until Africa has reached the goal of an AIDS-free generation.”

During their three-day meeting, the Champions are scheduled to hold high-level discussions with the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, the Deputy President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, and leading figures from the private sector.

The Champions for an AIDS-Free Generation was launched in 2008 by Mr Mogae, the former President of Botswana. The Champions transcend political partisanship to speak freely and independently about the issues that need solutions, both publically and behind the scenes. Since November, five new leaders have joined their distinguished ranks: Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of South Africa; Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi; Alpha Oumar Konaré, former President of Mali; Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; and Hifikepunye Pohamba, former President of Namibia.

“Today, we come together as a strengthened group of Champions to reaffirm our commitment to ending mother-to-child transmission of HIV and to ensuring that mothers and children already living with HIV stay healthy,” said Ms Banda. “I am proud to be involved in the Champions for an AIDS-Free Generation.”

As the Champions reaffirmed their commitment to an AIDS-free generation, they were joined by partners that include UNAIDS, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and private sector representatives.

“The Champions have been steadfast in calling for improved HIV prevention and treatment options, and there has been progress,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé. “Now, with their ranks strengthened, the Champions will be even stronger advocates to fast-track the AIDS response in Africa to ensure that every baby is born free from HIV and that their mothers stay healthy.”     

“An AIDS-free generation is within our grasp if we use the scientific knowledge, data and tools at our disposal,” said Ambassador Deborah Birx, United States Global AIDS Coordinator and United States Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy. “I am inspired today by this committed group of leaders, who are using their wisdom and influence to move towards an AIDS-free generation in Africa.”  

“We need leaders like the Champions who are unafraid to speak out and put AIDS at the very top of Africa’s health agenda,” said Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Other partners of the Champions for an AIDS-Free Generation include UNICEF, the World Bank, the South African Development Community (SADC), the SADC Parliamentary Forum, the Economic Community of West African States and the South African Broadcasting Corporation.    

The risk of a mother living with HIV passing the virus to her child can be reduced to 5% or less if she has access to antiretroviral medicines during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. 

“Women need strong partners like the Champions so they receive access to proper HIV counselling, treatment and prevention services,” said Lorraine Mashishi, a mother living with HIV. “Women living with HIV can avoid passing the virus on to their children if they get the support they need.”

Currently 21 of the 22 countries that are part of the Global Plan to eliminate new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive are in Africa. Since 2009, there has been a 43% decline in new HIV infections among children in these countries, but there were still 210 000 (180 000–250 000) new HIV infections among children in sub-Saharan Africa in 2013. Only 42% of children exposed to HIV were tested for the virus within the recommended two months. Without treatment, half of all children living with HIV will die by the age of two and the majority will die by the age of five.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most affected by the AIDS epidemic—in 2013, there were 24.7 million (23.5 million—26.1 million) people living with HIV in the region.

The Champions are:

• Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana and Chairperson of the Champions.
• Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi.
• Joaquim Chissano, former President of Mozambique.
• Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia.
• Alpha Oumar Konaré, former President of Mali. 
• Benjamin William Mkapa, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
• Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of South Africa.
• Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria.
• Hifikepunye Pohamba, former President of Namibia.
• Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, former Vice-President of Uganda. 
• Edwin Cameron, Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
• Miriam Were, former Chairperson of the Kenya National AIDS Control Council.

Champions for an AIDS-Free Generation

The Champions for an AIDS-Free Generation is a distinguished group of former presidents and influential African leaders committed to an AIDS-free generation. Individually and collectively, the Champions rally and support regional leaders towards ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat. The Champions transcend political partisanship to speak freely and independently about the issues that need solutions, both publically and behind the scenes. www.aidsfreechampions.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. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.