The Dar es Salaam Declaration for Action to end AIDS in Children

The inaugural countries leading the Global Alliance to end AIDS in Children together with community representatives, UN agencies, stakeholders and partners gathered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on February 1st, 2023, to discuss our progress and our plans to end AIDS in Children by 2030.

This Declaration represents our shared commitment to achieve this goal. We have the tools, the guidance, the policies and the knowledge we need. Now we must make good on this commitment and move to action.

To achieve the goal of ending AIDS in children, we shall intentionally strengthen, coordinate and resource robust national programs by:

  • Providing access to universal testing and treatment for all children and adolescents living with HIV and support them to remain virally suppressed;
  • Ensuring access to treatment and care for all pregnant and breastfeeding women and support them to stay in care;
  • Harnessing digital technologies to reach adolescents and young people;
  • Implementing comprehensive, integrated HIV services;
  • Working with and for men, women and adolescent girls to ensure that mothers are protected from acquiring HIV during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
  • Ending the stigma, discrimination, and gender inequities experienced by women, children, and adolescents affected by HIV;
  • Working with communities including men to prevent gender-based violence and counter harmful gender norms;
  • Ring fencing budgets for ending AIDS in children;
  • Partnering with people living with HIV and communities in all our work;
  • Monitoring and share our progress and learning for joint accountability and for the benefit of all.

As the first countries to pioneer the Alliance, we urge all governments to join us and turn these commitments into action to end AIDS in children worldwide.

We request all stakeholders – including civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, religious and community leaders, local implementers and international partners to work with us and embrace this opportunity to save and change lives. Together we can build a legacy that allows children living with HIV to reach their full potential.

We count on UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF, the Global Fund, PEPFAR, Communities of People living with HIV, civil society and non-governmental organizations as well as our citizens to support us and monitor our collective progress in the shared accountability to deliver on our commitments.

Together we will not fail.

Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Vice President and Minister Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe, Ministers of Health or their representatives of Angola, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, , Representatives of SADAC, The East African Community, the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS, UNICEF, WHO, Networks of People Living with HIV, Global Fund, PEPFAR, PATA and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Declared in Dar es Salaam on 1 February 2023.