Uniformed services

UNAIDS' support to Central African Republic lauded by the President

GENEVA, 23 October 2018—The President of the Central African Republic visited UNAIDS to discuss ongoing efforts to rebuild his country, advance national reconciliation and deliver basic services for the populations after decades of political instability and conflict.

"The government is working with its partners to increase access to basic social services like education, health, and clean water as well as boost our HIV response,” said Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic. “Our progress remains fragile, this is why we need the support and engagement of all our partners to advance our recovery.”

UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé, who visited CAR in early October, thanked the President for his continued commitment towards peace, saying he was encouraged to see pockets of hope. “In your reconstruction efforts, health is a powerful tool to improve social justice and stability,” said Mr Sidibé. “I commend the President for his personal engagement to ensure protection and dignity for all, including women and girls who are vulnerable to sexual violence and abuse.”

UNAIDS and the CAR Ministry of National Defence and Reconstruction of the Army and the Ministry of Health signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to reduce gender-based violence and HIV infections within the military and other uniformed personnel, and to increase uptake of HIV treatment, care and support services.

The Central African Republic has the second highest HIV prevalence in central Africa, estimated at 4% in 2017. However, among uniformed personnel, HIV prevalence is double, at an estimated 7.8%. Knowledge of HIV among uniformed personnel in the Central African Republic is particularly low and reports of sexual abuse and violence by military personnel are widespread. Since January 2017, the Central African Republic has seen progress in its response to HIV, with more than 10 000 people accessing life-saving treatment.

The President reiterated that after years of violence, people longed for an end to the suffering. He sincerely hopes that uniformed personnel, armed groups and the government will continue their dialogue to achieve peace with the African Union’s guidance. He repeated, “Now is the time to act to lift up our nation and we thank UNAIDS for their ongoing support.”

HIV data for the Central African Republic in 2017

• 160 000 [130 000–190 000] people were living with HIV
• 53% of people living with HIV knew their HIV status
• 32% of people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy
• 8700 [7600–11 000] people became newly infected with HIV
• 15 000 [12 000–17 000] people died from AIDS-related illnesses

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 initiative launched to engage the military and other uniformed personnel in HIV awareness, prevention and treatment and eliminate sexual and gender-based violence by defence and security forces

BANGUI/GENEVA, 9 October 2018—UNAIDS has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of National Defence and Reconstruction of the Army, the Ministry of Health and Population and the National AIDS Committee of the Central African Republic. The aim of the MoU is to reduce new HIV infections within the military and other uniformed personnel, reduce sexual violence and abuse by security and defence forces and increase uptake of HIV treatment, care and support services.  

The MoU comes at a critical time. The Central African Republic has the second highest HIV prevalence in central Africa, estimated at 4% in 2017. However, among uniformed personnel, HIV prevalence is double, at an estimated 7.8%. Knowledge of HIV among uniformed personnel in the Central African Republic is particularly low and reports of sexual abuse and violence by military personnel are widespread.

"We have a responsibility to protect all our people from violence and HIV, especially women and girls, who are the most vulnerable. By focusing on uniformed personnel, we aim to transform the relationship between the new army and the population, as a key to reconstruction,” said Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic.

Under the MoU the parties involved will mobilize national partners to respond to HIV and gender-based violence within the defence and security forces, reduce HIV prevalence and incidence and improve relations between the defence and security forces and the general population through integrated activities around HIV prevention and gender-based violence.

“This protocol is a first,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “It translates Security Council resolution 1983 into concrete actions. It places prevention at the centre of our efforts to end gender-based violence as a cause and consequence of HIV. This is essential and complementary to all efforts to strengthen accountability for sexual violence in the Central African Republic.”

Special emphasis will be given to training and awareness-raising for defence and security forces using methods proven to be effective in reducing gender-based violence and preventing HIV. These include improving mechanisms to report sexual violence, support for survivors and ensuring access to effective HIV prevention tools. Social and psychosocial support programmes will also be made available for members of the defence and security forces and their families.

The main beneficiaries of the programmes and activities will be the defence and security forces in the Central African Republic, which include the military, the police, the gendarmerie, customs officials, water and forestry officers and the municipal police. The implementation of the MoU will also benefit the wider population through planned integrated activities between the military and civilians and through the impact of HIV prevention, treatment and care programmes and efforts to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence and abuse.

UNAIDS will provide leadership and technical support to the initiative and will mobilize its partners and Cosponsors, particularly organizations working on gender and health issues, to support the implementation of the activities outlined in the MoU. UNAIDS will also ensure effective collaboration between all project partners, including ensuring the active participation of civil society. It will also play a critical role in advocating for resources and supporting the monitoring, evaluation and documentation of the initiative.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and the European Union Military Training Mission in the Central African Republic have committed to support the initiative.

The new commitments will play an important role in advancing the National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan 2017–2021 in the Central African Republic and are part of ongoing efforts to implement United Nations Security Council resolution 1983, which underlines the importance of concerted efforts towards ending sexual and gender-based violence and responding to HIV in conflict and post-conflict settings.  
 

HIV data for the Central African Republic in 2017:

• 160 000 [130 000–190 000] people were living with HIV
• 53% of people living with HIV knew their HIV status
• 32% of people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy
• 8700 [7600–11 000] people became newly infected with HIV
• 15 000 [12 000–17 000] people died from AIDS-related illnesses

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.

Action-based partnership to support women and girls announced by health and political leaders at a high-level event at the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly

GENEVA, 24 September 2018—UNAIDS, the Chair of the H6 partnership (six United Nations bodies working on health-related issues), and the African Union have pledged to enhance their collaboration to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence, prevent HIV and protect women’s health and rights in humanitarian settings.

A new programme of work on this common agenda was announced at a special high-level event held in New York, United States of America, on the margins of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“We are gathered here to coordinate our efforts among the African Union and the United Nations to plan and intervene so that people's rights are protected, HIV is prevented and the right to health is promoted,” said Faustin-Archange Touadéra, the President of the Central African Republic, who chaired the meeting.

The rise in the frequency and scale of humanitarian crises is having a devastating impact, particularly on women and children. In 2017, around 68 million people were forcibly displaced globally as a result of persecution, conflict or generalized violence—an increase of 2.9 million from 2016 and a new record high.

“We know that it is time to act. More than 2 billion people live in countries affected by fragility, violence and conflict—most are women and girls. This is unacceptable. We need political visibility and intensified international cooperation to eliminate gender-based violence and protect the health of women and children in humanitarian settings,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS and H6 Chair.

UNAIDS will support the African Union in developing a joint African Union–United Nations plan of action. The plan will include developing training and awareness tools for uniformed personnel in peacekeeping operations and ensuring better reporting rates on sexual exploitation and violence against women and girls.

“The partnership between the United Nations and the African Union provides an opportunity to reinforce each other’s work and employ joint and comprehensive responses to the needs of vulnerable populations in crisis situations,” said Smail Chergui, African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security.

Protecting the health and rights of women and young people will be critical to mitigating fragility, conflict and disaster. It is estimated that 60% of all preventable maternal deaths occur in humanitarian and conflict settings, which equates to nearly 500 deaths each day.

“In South Sudan, 52% of our young sisters are married before their 18th birthday. I urge leaders not to remain loudly quiet. We call for the inclusion of women in political processes. It is our bodies, our lives and our futures at stake. We have the right to the highest attainable standard of health, whether in conflict or not,” said Riya William Yuyada, Executive Director, Crown the Woman, South Sudan.

There are currently too few successful programmes to prevent gender-based violence during conflict and against refugee populations. Studies have shown that violence against women and girls increases during periods of conflict, with rape and other forms of sexual violence often being a common practice of war.

“It’s not about silencing the guns, we must recognize that women and children have a right to life and a right to health and a right to peace. This is where we should put our energies and time to make sure women and girls are protected,” said Bience Gawanas, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Africa.

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 have created an important political window. The new commitments provide a timely opportunity to enhance collaboration on human security and humanitarian health, in the context of the recently adopted Joint United Nations–African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security.

“We must not explain why we are partnering, but why we are not partnering to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence and protect the health and rights of women and children in humanitarian settings. If we care about addressing the root causes of deprivation and poverty and abuse, women and girls are the heart of the matter,” said Sigrid Kaag, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Netherlands.

Among the commitments made by UNAIDS and the African Union is to work to ensure that there is adequate funding to strengthen coordinated programme implementation for the responses to sexual exploitation and abuse and HIV in humanitarian settings. This enhanced cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations will be paramount to ensuring sustainable people-centred peace, security and development.

For more information on the new partnership between UNAIDS and the African Union, go to unaids.org

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

Deborah Birx, United States Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy

It’s not just about the funds, it’s also about policies, laws and justice for girls and children, especially considering that 60% of the African continent is under 20 years old.

Elhadj As Sy, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

They need peace, they cry for peace, yearn for hope and try to retain the human dignity that they have lost along the way. It is the last piece of cloth, as we say in Africa, that is torn apart by gender- and sexual-based violence. Protection should not come as an afterthought.

Michaëlle Jean, Secretary-General, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie

Violence, rape, assault against women and young girls and boys is worldwide and can be likened to a weapon of mass destruction. We are here to do more against all forms of discrimination and crimes committed against women.

Pramilla Patten, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

Shame, stigma and the risk of reprisals and lack of access to services lead to chronic underreporting. By isolating victims and cutting them off from medical care and support, stigma facilitates the spread of HIV.

Armed conflict creates conditions that allow HIV to flourish, including through rape, sexual slavery, and trafficking and exploitation, in environments where the rule of law and public health services may have collapsed.

Bintou Keita, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations

Female peacekeepers are now being deployed to facilitate dialogue as well as women protection advisers for a more comprehensive approach to peacekeeping. Peacekeepers are also the ones who provide civilian peace and security, men and women who are committed to provide the best peace they can.

Lorena Castillo de Varela, First Lady of Panama

Since I started this journey with UNAIDS and the United Nations, two powerful words have guided me: zero discrimination. The challenges faced by women and children—particularly in humanitarian settings—are fuelled by stigma and discrimination, creating obstacles that block access to vital health services, such as HIV testing and life-saving medicines. Zero discrimination should fill every space in the world.

Martine Moise, First Lady of Haiti

Haiti has known its fair share of natural catastrophes, from earthquakes to hurricanes, making women and girls particularly vulnerable. In Haiti, gender-based violence is also all too common. I support fully the fight against violence against women and gender-based violence. This is a fight that must involve all.

Laure-Marie Kitanu, Coordinator of the Network of Women Living with HIV, Democratic Republic of the Congo

We have cried out to the international community for help in regard to HIV testing and prevention and we implore you to maintain the priority of peace and stability so that we have a long-lasting solution. We commend this African Union and UNAIDS initiative.

Written contribution from Ashraf El Nour, Director, International Organization of Migration Office to the United Nations, New York

The International Organization of Migration calls upon African Union governments and partners to ensure the fulfilment of the right to health for migrants, regardless of their status, in order to enhance the resilience of populations living in vulnerable conditions. The failure to do so not only jeopardizes the public health safety of vulnerable groups, but also that of entire communities where they reside.

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.

If we do not address HIV among populations affected by conflict, natural disasters and emergencies, we will not see the end of the HIV epidemic by 2030. This was the stark message from leaders at a major side event taking place on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, being held in New York, United States of America, from 8 to 10 June.

Entitled “HIV and security: past, present and future,” the event was moderated by journalist Colette Braeckman, who was joined by a panel of eminent experts. The event was organized by UNAIDS and the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations and was attended by the UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé.

In setting the scene, Mr Sidibé noted that of the 314 million people affected by emergencies and conflicts in 2013, some 1.7 million were living with HIV. It was, he argued, vital not to leave behind in the response to HIV people living with HIV and people vulnerable to human rights violations and sexual exploitation.

The participants explored exactly how and why people may become more vulnerable to HIV in emergencies and conflict situations. Women and girls especially are at risk of assault and violence every day, even in the very camps and settlements where they seek refuge. Access to HIV prevention and treatment services can be disrupted, and traditional social networks and behaviours often break down during times of crisis, increasing the vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence and HIV. Members of key populations and young people may also be exposed to HIV through higher-risk behaviours in emergency and conflict situations.

Panellists underscored the need for renewed urgent attention to HIV, security and sexual violence in conflict settings, recalling the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1983 five years ago. HIV and security is unfinished business, requiring the urgent attention of the Security Council. Panellists called for the urgent elimination of all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation in UN peacekeeping missions, increased accountability for abuses, and comprehensive support to victims. UN missions and troop-contributing countries have a duty of care to the communities they serve. Upholding this duty requires a culture shift in security and military institutions.

Looking to the future, national responses need to increase strategic information on the drivers of HIV risk and vulnerability in humanitarian crises to enable resources to be targeted effectively. It was argued that well-coordinated HIV programmes should be routinely incorporated into all emergency and post-conflict preparedness and humanitarian response programmes, with cross-border and regional collaboration a priority. In addition, people living with HIV and members of key populations must be included in the development of policies and plans related to the continuity of treatment and access to HIV services. It was emphasized that peacekeeping operations should also play a key role in the HIV response in such settings and help address HIV risk factors.

One of the fundamental recommendations highlighted was the need to have plans in place to deal with the possible impact of conflict and emergencies before such situations arise. Helping to build community resilience to potential traumas so that their effect can be mitigated is essential.

Most crucially, long-term, flexible and sufficient funding must be identified to address the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents and young women in humanitarian and fragile settings. Without intensified and fully-resourced humanitarian response, the world will not reach the growing numbers of people affected by displacement, conflict and violence and we will not be in a position to end AIDS by 2030.