UNAIDS and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) signed a cooperation agreement to accelerate action to end the AIDS epidemic, poverty, inequality and social exclusion. The agreement was signed on 21 October in Geneva, Switzerland, by UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Luiz Loures and the President of IASSW, Vimla Nadkarni.
The partnership will aim to harness the power of effective social policies and social protection programmes in order to end the AIDS epidemic. With more than 2000 schools of social work and 500 000 social work professionals across the world, IASSW will use its networks to share best country examples for making social policy and social protection programmes work for HIV prevention and treatment.
The IASSW is the worldwide association of schools of social work, other tertiary-level social work educational programmes and social work educators. It promotes the development of social work education throughout the world, develops standards to enhance quality of social work education and promotes human rights and social development through policy and advocacy activities.
Susan Lawrence, President of the European Association of Schools of Social Work, and Klaus Kühne, representative to the United Nations of the International Federation of Social Workers, were present at the event.
"To end the AIDS epidemic, we need to end the socioeconomic conditions that make people vulnerable to HIV and diseases such as Ebola."
Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director
“The missions of UNAIDS and the International Association of Schools of Social Work enable us to work together to accelerate actions on ending AIDS, poverty, inequality and social exclusion. We have to ensure that all people, including those living with and most affected with HIV, live full and dignified lives.”
Vimla Nadkarni, President of the International Association of Schools of Social Work
