HIV/AIDS and the International Community Response

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There has been complacency...

• Limited impact in some of the North ---> late recognition of HIV/AIDS destructive epidemic potential impact elsewhere (Africa, India, China, ex-Soviet Union..) ---> limited funding
• Will be with us for decades - maybe centuries
• Complexities - modes of transmission, fear, stigma, sex, long incubation, vulnerabilities...
• Difficulties & politics in developing vaccines/ cures - different strains/side effects/interests
• Non-optimal co-ordination among all partners
• Youth: a window of opportunity… not fully opened

But advocacy has been at work...

• From the “health box” to UNAIDS..
• Today: greater commitment and energy than for many years
• Reduction in the price on anti-retroviral drugs
• Okinawa G8 2000; Durban 2000; Abuja Declaration April 2001; UNSG role; UN Special Session 2001; movement/meetings of PLWA; Southern NGOs; the Global Fund...
• UNGASS 2002 will focus on HIV/AIDS & define specific follow-up mechanisms & responsibilities

Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS June 2001,

UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS

• Ensure that people everywhere - particularly the young - know what to do to avoid infection;
• Stop mother-to-child transmission
• Provide treatment to all those infected
• Redouble the search for a vaccine & a cure
• Care for those affected - esp. 13 million orphans

to be achieved through...

• Leadership by governments - in terms of personal commitment & concrete actions
• Focus on prevention - esp. Youth & MTCT
• Care, support & treatment - at family & community levels
• Eliminate discrimination - people affected, girls and women's rights
• Reduce vulnerability that places individuals & groups at risk
• Provide supportive environment for orphans, girls & boys affected/infected
• Address the social & economic impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, families, communities
• Accelerate research on vaccines/cure
• Develop & implement strategies relevant to emergency situations
• Increase resources to 7-10 billion/year by 2005

We have the instrument... What will it take to make it work?

• Facilitate local ownership & action
• De facto co-ordination of all partners at global, regional, country levels
• Pro-active & sustained advocacy from the international community to identify funds, sustain local/regional initiatives, stimulate ‘reluctant' governments, keep up the momentum
• Rigorous follow up on the goals established - use of indicators

UNICEF focus over the next 5 years

• Within its right-based approach….
• UNICEF new Medium Term Strategic Plan 2002-2005: HIV/AIDS is one of five corporate priorities
• A new HIV/AIDS Team created (under the leadership of M. Stirling) reporting to UNICEF Executive Director
• New posts created at HQ & field offices
• New Communication posts at HQs

Aim and priorities: strengthen capacities within families, communities and nations to prevent HIV infection and care for those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS

• Prevent HIV infection among young people
• Prevent mother to child transmission of HIV
• Care for children, young people & parents living with HIV/AIDS
• Care for orphans & children in families made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS

within these priorities:

• Prevention among young people will be at the core of UNICEF global response to HIV/AIDS

What are the communication challenges?

• In terms of advocacy: lobby with governments about the need to focus on youth & their participation
• Need for accurate audience analysis
• In programmatic terms: need for holistic communication approaches - competencies
• ... within a holistic approach to prevention & care involving all players

In summary...

• Advocacy has been used successfully in a number of programmes
• Challenge: partners coordination and sustained effort - in presence of many priorities
• Use private sector
• Youth: go beyond rhetoric
• Indicators exists - but advocacy efforts are rarely based on sound research or rigorously evaluated