Leaving the meeting of the REVS PLUS nongovernmental organization, the women bid each other farewell, saying, “A demain soir (See you tomorrow night).” They had gathered at a health drop-in centre that also acts as a network hub for various HIV networks in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, to discuss the following evening’s plan: HIV testing among their peers at selected sites.

“We share our experiences and act as confidantes,” said Camille Traoré (not her real name), a sex worker and peer educator. Her colleague, Julienne Diabré (not her real name), wearing a long flowing dress, chimed in, “In our line of work, it’s hard to confide in someone, so confidentiality is key.”

REVS PLUS/Coalition PLUS advocacy manager, Charles Somé, described the group of women as an essential link in the chain to reach out to sex workers.

“Because of stigma and discrimination, many sex workers hide and move around so they miss out on health services and are much more likely to be infected with HIV,” he said. HIV prevalence among sex workers is 5.4% in Burkina Faso, while it’s 0.8% among all adults in the country.

By recruiting peer educators who know the realities of the job and can relate to other women, Mr Somé said that HIV awareness has increased in the community.

“We also innovated and started HIV testing in the evenings in places where sex workers gather,” he said. Prostitution in Burkina Faso is not illegal, but the penal code forbids soliciting. 

The following evening, along a darkened street, REVS PLUS set up foldable tables with two stools at each table. A solar lamp allowed the peer educators to see in the pitch dark and jot down information. Donning plastic gloves, the trained peer educators sat with women, who had their finger pricked and within five minutes were given their HIV test result. No doctors, no nurses were needed. The testing was done by peers because sex workers are afraid to be identified as sex workers. 

Mr Somé explained that over the years REVS PLUS outreach has gained the trust of sex workers.

Peer educators, he said, regularly called him to complain about police violence. “It went from arbitrary arrests, to stealing their money, to rape,” Mr Somé said.

Ms Diabré described her dealings with the police. “During the day they point a finger at you and discriminate, while at night they become all nice to get favours and if we don’t deliver then it gets ugly,” she said.

After documenting police abuse for a year with the help of bar owners and feedback from sex workers, REVS PLUS met with government officials and then the police.

“Our approach got their attention and we started awareness training with police officers based on law basics and sex work,” Mr Somé said.

Slowly, REVS PLUS identified allies in each police station, facilitating dialogue whenever an issue occurred. In addition, all sex workers now need to carry a health card showing that they have had regular health check-ups.

A Nigerian woman wearing purple lipstick, Charlotte Francis (not her real name), said, “We still have issues and stay out of their way, but it’s gotten better.” She waved her blue health card, which she says bar owners regularly demand.

Showing off his bar and a series of individual rooms around an outdoor courtyard, Lamine Diallo said that the police no longer raid his establishment. “Before, police would haul away all the women and even my customers,” he said.

UNAIDS, with funds from Luxembourg, is currently partnering with REVS PLUS to scale up the police awareness training across the country. Trainings have taken place in the capital city, Ouagadougou, and in Bobo-Dioulasso.

UNAIDS Burkina Faso Community Mobilization Officer Aboubakar Barbari sees the programme as two-fold. “We supported the awareness sessions for police and security forces because it not only reduces stigma, it also puts a spotlight on basic human rights.” 

“I am lucky,” Charles Somé said. The hyperactive human rights advocacy worker from Burkina Faso recalls going to a training event and chiding some of the men there about their sexual orientation. “I had pre-conceived ideas and asked them “Don’t you want to get married?”, “Don’t you want to have kids?”” he said. One young man opened up to him and, after days of honest conversations, Mr Somé had a sea change in his views.

“It dawned on me that if I am not judged, why should I judge others,” Mr Somé said. From then on, when lobbying on behalf of gay men and other men who have sex with men, he has used the word “we”.

“I defend them and respect them,” Mr Somé, who works for the REVS PLUS/Coalition PLUS nongovernmental organization, said. 

Homosexuality is not illegal in Burkina Faso, but stigma and discrimination remains high. Many men marry and hide their double life. Support groups for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have popped up, but discretion is key.

“I am forced to hide because I am not accepted,” Rachid Hilaire (not his real name) said. He joined an informal conversation group in his home town, Bobo-Dioulasso, where young men talked about relationships, sex, HIV and other issues. “I had many doubts about myself, but once I had more confidence in myself, I felt I could help others,” he explained. Standing outside the REVS PLUS meeting room, he joked with Mr Somé about keeping an eye on him. Mr Hilaire is one of 50 REVS PLUS peer educators who facilitate informal talks like the one he had attended tailored to gay men and other men who have sex with men. After being trained, he and another peer educator led frank talks with men.

Mr Hilaire’s biggest challenge, he said, remains educating the general public, along with political and religious leaders. “I blame the older generation for their lack of awareness,” he said. “Everyone deserves to be free and I long to feel that freedom,” he said. 

Yacuba Kientega (not his real name) fled his home in Bobo-Dioulasso and moved to Ouagadougou when his family found out he had relationships with men. “I eventually came back to pursue my studies in Bobo-Dioulasso, but am living in a different neighborhood,” he said. For him, he felt things had become better for gay men, but he would not give up the fight.

As a lobbyist for an HIV umbrella network, Mr Somé’s battle for people’s rights never ends.

“I really try to have underrepresented communities heard by the government and parliamentarians,” he said. He believes support groups and peer education have helped to reach key populations, such as people who inject drugs, gay men and other men who have sex with men and sex workers. “We have seen an uptick in health-care services by focusing on certain communities and I hope it will stay that way,” Mr Somé said. “Ending AIDS will necessitate really tackling stigma and putting the onus on prevention,” he added.

The UNAIDS Country Director for Burkina Faso, Job Sagbohan, couldn’t agree more. “The HIV response must follow the evolution of the epidemic,” he said. At one time, we had to save lives and we succeeded by concentrating on treatment for all, he explained. “To end the HIV as a public health threat, we need to zero in on prevention and awareness,” he added. “It’s the only way to maintain our progress and end AIDS.”

The PK5 neighbourhood of Bangui, Central African Republic, is home to much of the city’s Muslim community. Once a bustling commercial area and the centre of Bangui’s nightlife, PK5 has become a no-go zone for many.

Like much of the country, the PK5 area and its population were greatly affected by the violence that engulfed the country in 2012 and 2013. The non-Muslim inhabitants of PK5 left; rival armed groups continue to exert control. Across the country, the consequences of the violence have led to a huge displacement of people and a humanitarian crisis. At the end of 2018, it was estimated that 2.9 million people—more than half of the country’s population—were in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

However, the people of PK5 remain resilient. Recognizing the need for a greater awareness of HIV in the community, Muslim youth leaders and the Catholic University Center, with the support of UNAIDS, organized an HIV testing and awareness-raising campaign from 23 January to 13 February at the Henri Dunant Health Centre in PK5.

The campaign was the first of its kind to take place in PK5 since the 2012–2013 violence. In the two weeks of the campaign, 1500 people accessed voluntary HIV testing and counselling services. People who tested positive for HIV were referred for treatment.

The campaign was opened by Pierre Somse, the Minister of Health, during an event attended by religious leaders, women and young people. Mr Somse took an HIV test and stressed the importance of all people knowing their HIV status. Knowledge of HIV status in the country remains low, with only 53% of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status.

“The government is committed to intensifying its efforts to deliver health and social services to all Central Africans. PK5 is not forgotten and its population will not be left behind in our efforts to increase access to HIV testing, treatment, care and support,” said Mr Somse.

Pamela Ganabrodji, Head of Information and Counselling at the Henri Dunant Health Centre, added, “We are very proud of what we have achieved through this HIV campaign, but challenges remain. We call on the government and international partners to continue supporting the HIV and sexual and reproductive health activities of the Henri Dunant Health Centre, which are critical in a community where cultural and social taboos represent a key barrier.”

On the last day of the campaign, a community dialogue was held to discuss the HIV and sexual and reproductive health challenges faced by the people of PK5. The needs are urgent and range from basic health and social services to a lack of economic opportunities. Low access to modern contraceptives, incomplete knowledge about HIV and poverty contribute to making young people and women vulnerable to HIV.

“With this campaign, we, the young people of PK5, are showing that we are not helpless and that we are part of the solution for HIV and other social issues,” said Aroufay Abdel Aziz, President of the Muslim Youth of the Central African Republic.

A second phase of the HIV testing and sensitization campaign will continue until the end of March and will include focused HIV prevention messages with sensitization by peer educators and focus group discussions on HIV and sexual and reproductive health issues.

“UNAIDS will continue to engage the government and other United Nations agencies and partners to reinforce the involvement of young people in the HIV response,” said Patrick Eba, UNAIDS Country Director for the Central African Republic.

DAKAR/GENEVA, 16 January 2019—At a high-level meeting in Dakar, Senegal, UNAIDS, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries in western and central Africa to do more to stop new HIV infections among children and adolescents and increase HIV testing and treatment coverage.

In 2017, around 67 000 children (aged 0–9 years) and 69 000 adolescents (aged 10–19 years) became newly infected with HIV. Two thirds (46 000) of adolescents newly infected with the virus were girls. While progress has been seen in stopping new HIV infections among children in some countries—eleven countries registered a reduction of more than 35% between 2010 and 2017[1]—others, including Nigeria, which has the largest epidemic in the region, experienced no declines at all.

“Countries in western and central Africa have a real opportunity to create a positive change for children and young people,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Underlying issues including a lack of domestic investment, fragile health systems, user fees, gender inequality and widespread stigma and discrimination must urgently be addressed to remove barriers and save lives.”

In western and central Africa, close to 800 000 children and adolescents aged between 0 and 19 years were living with HIV in 2017—the second highest number in the world after eastern and southern Africa.

“The majority of children living with HIV in this region are not receiving care and treatment because they do not know they have HIV as they have not been tested,” said Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “We can reverse that trend by focusing on a family-centered approach to HIV testing and treatment and by rolling out innovative point-of-care technologies that bring testing closer to the primary health facilities and the communities where children live.”

Less than half of all pregnant women living with HIV in the region (47%) had access to antiretroviral medicines to prevent transmission of the virus to their child and only 21% of infants exposed to HIV were tested for the virus within the first two months of life.

We should not lose anymore of Africa’s future to AIDS,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Effectively tackling HIV in children and adolescents needs strong and quality health services. By committing to universal health coverage, countries can fast-track progress towards an AIDS-free generation in western and central Africa.”

Although there has been some progress in antiretroviral therapy coverage for children in western and central Africa, which rose from 18% in 2014 to 26% in 2017, the region still has the lowest coverage in the world. Around 52 000 children and adolescents aged between 0 and 19 years died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2017—34 000 of whom died before they reached their fifth birthday.

In the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, countries from western and central Africa committed to work towards reducing the number of new HIV infections among children and young adolescents (under 15 years) to 6000 by 2020 and to ensuring access to treatment for 340 000 children and young adolescents (under 15 years) by 2020.

However, pledges to accelerate the HIV response have not been accompanied by a surge in resource mobilization. The total resources needed for an effective response in western and central Africa were 81% greater than the funds available in 2017.

Translating commitments into action requires engagement from political and community leaders, drastically scaling up investments, scaling up innovative technologies such as point-of-care for early infant diagnosis, differentiated service delivery strategies—including family testing and longer prescriptions for antiretroviral medicines—and task-shifting approaches applied to HIV care and treatment services for children across the region.

As part of concerted efforts to step up progress in the region, UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO called a High-Level Meeting on the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Universal Health Coverage of Paediatric HIV Testing and Treatment in West and Central Africa to unpack the challenges, share best practices and innovative approaches to address the persisting bottlenecks, agree on corrective actions and ensure commitment to action from countries and partners.

Hosted by the Government of Senegal, the meeting is being held in Dakar from 16 to 18 January 2019, bringing together ministers of health, experts, representatives of civil society and partners from across the region as well as high-level representatives of United Nations organizations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and the Economic Community of Central African States.

During the meeting, countries and partners are expected to renew their commitment to the 2015 Dakar Call to Action for Accelerating the Elimination of New HIV Infections in Children and Access to Treatment for Children and Adolescents Living with HIV by 2020.

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.

Key populations—gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people who inject drugs, prisoners and other incarcerated people and migrants—and their sexual partners account for 40% of new HIV infections in western and central Africa.

However, key populations still have insufficient access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services. Fragile health systems, stigma and discrimination, sexual and gender-based violence and lack of supportive policies are some of the barriers that key populations face.

While high-quality programmes for key populations do exist in western and central Africa, there are limited opportunities to learn from each other and to strengthen South–South capacity. Monitoring of commitments made by all stakeholders, including governments, is also an issue. Three regional meetings took place in November to address those shortcomings.

The West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), the United Nations Development Programme and ENDA Santé, a civil society organization, in collaboration with UNAIDS, met in Dakar, Senegal. The meeting brought together representatives of national AIDS commissions or programmes from 14 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries and members of the Africa key populations expert group to chart the process for the development of a regional strategy on HIV/tuberculosis and sexual and reproductive health and rights for key populations, scheduled to be finalized in early 2020.

In 2015, under the leadership of WAHO, and in collaboration with UNAIDS and USAID, ministers of health, heads of national AIDS commissions, public prosecutors and inspectors general of police of ECOWAS Member States signed the Dakar Declaration on Factoring Key Populations in the Response to HIV and AIDS in ECOWAS Member States. The declaration aims to better take into account key populations in the response to HIV in the ECOWAS region in core areas, including strengthening of strategic information, health systems and community services and addressing stigma and discrimination.

In November, WAHO, UNAIDS and USAID commissioned a review of the progress made against the declaration and organized a regional progress review workshop attended by country representatives of 13 countries. The declaration has created a significant momentum, coupled with a number of achievements, innovations and good practices at the country level.

Ending AIDS in West Africa, a five-year cooperative agreement funded by USAID and led by FHI 360 and its core partners, Johns Hopkins University and ENDA Santé, facilitated the fourth key population regional meeting in western Africa, in partnership with the Government of Togo and partners.

The meeting was a key opportunity to bring together members of key populations, government officials, donors, academics and representatives of implementing partners and United Nations agencies to share lessons learned and promising practices from implementation, relevant and novel research and programmatic data, and to build networks and platforms for technical exchange. Country delegates also formulated country action plans to improve the quality, efficiency and scale of HIV-related programmes for key populations.

“The more the response to HIV is multisectoral, multidisciplinary and inclusive, the more impactful results we will have,” said Vincent Palokinam Pitche, Coordinator of the Permanent Secretary of the National AIDS Commission in Togo.

“There is a need to support the collection and analysis of strategic information to guide efforts to facilitate access by key populations to prevention, care and treatment services, to intensify services that are evidence-informed and rights-based and to invest in programmes for an enabling legal and social environment,” said Christian Mouala, UNAIDS Country Director for Togo.

The First Lady of Chad, Hinda Déby Itno, has been appointed as the UNAIDS Special Ambassador for the Prevention of HIV and the Protection and Health of Adolescents by the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé.

During the appointment ceremony, which took place on 21 November at the Presidential Palace in N’Djamena, Chad, Mr Sidibé highlighted the many initiatives that the First Lady had put in place as a member of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS. He urged her to continue her leadership in the response to HIV in areas as diverse as the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, gender equality and access to sexual and reproductive health services. He also noted that the personal involvement of the First Lady had helped in the passing of a law promoting sexual and reproductive health issues and the outlawing of female genital mutilation.

“Every child deserves a life without HIV,” said Ms Itno.

During his two-day visit to Chad, Mr Sidibé also met with the President of Chad, Idriss Déby Itno, during which they spoke about health and HIV, the challenges of the response to HIV in the country and the role of African youth in the AIDS response.

Mr Sidibé also met with civil society in Chad, who he congratulated for the campaign to reduce of cost of HIV treatment in the country. Mr Sidibé said that civil society has a role to play in ensuring that the resources invested in the responses against malaria, tuberculosis and HIV are used efficiently, considering the shortage of such resources.

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.

The Parliamentary Network to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria reaffirmed its commitment to increase funding to end the three diseases at its annual meeting in Lomé, Togo, held on 4 and 5 October. The network committed to urge the heads of state and government of the Francophonie to advocate for increased funding during the sixth replenishment conference of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which will be held in Lyon, France, in October 2019.

“UNAIDS recognizes the important initiatives of French-speaking parliamentarians at both the national and international levels, as well as the advocacy and efforts of the Parliamentary Network to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria,” said Christian Mouala, UNAIDS Country Director for Togo.

The network, which is affiliated to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, also agreed that it will focus on the reform of punitive laws that perpetuate HIV- and tuberculosis-related stigma and discrimination.

“The responses to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria require the commitment of all: national ministries of health, researchers, funders and, of course, parliamentarians. Only by pooling our efforts and with the strength of our parliaments and our members can we hope to, one day, overcome these epidemics,” said Didier Berberat, President of the Network to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Councillor for States, Switzerland.

UNAIDS has a cooperation agreement with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, which is due to be renegotiated this year.