Press release
Highlights include new policies on HIV prevention, new efforts for greater coordination among international organizations, and recognition as leader in UN reform through its work and budget planning
Geneva, 5 July 2005 - The governing board for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) met last week. Held over three days, the meeting was attended by more than 280 participants—representing 75 countries, 17 UN and other international organizations and 22 non-governmental organizations. The board is currently chaired by Brazil, the Vice-Chair is Sweden and the Rapporteur is China.
An underlying theme of the 17th Programme Coordinating Board meeting was support for the increased emphasis placed by UNAIDS on country-level ownership and action. This was reflected throughout discussions and in the decisions of the meeting.
Among the significant policy issues covered were recommendations on how the UN system and other multilateral institutions can work better together to strengthen the AIDS response in developing countries. The board also endorsed the UNAIDS policy position paper entitled Intensifying HIV Prevention.
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UNAIDS Policy Position Paper: Intensifying HIV Prevention
In response to the urgent need for action to reduce the growing numbers of new HIV infections, the board strongly endorsed a new policy approach to intensify HIV prevention efforts. This policy position paper outlines essential principles, policy and
programmatic actions that are needed to get ahead of the HIV epidemic.
The policies were developed through an inclusive and consultative process with UNAIDS Cosponsors, national governments, donors, non-governmental and community-based organizations and other partners. The goal is to energize a strengthening of HIV prevention with an ultimate aim of universal access to HIV prevention and treatment.
Currently, only one in five people needing HIV prevention have access to prevention programmes and only one in ten people have been tested for HIV. This gap has contributed to rising numbers of people living with HIV and particularly growing rates
of infection among women, who currently constitute just under half of all people living with HIV, and young people.
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Global Task Team on Improving AIDS Coordination among Multilateral Institutions and Bilateral Donors
Established at the 9 March 2005 high-level meeting on “Making the Money Work”, the Global Task Team was mandated to develop bold recommendations to improve the institutional architecture of the AIDS response. The Team involved 64 participants representing developing countries and donors, civil society groups, regional bodies, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and UN System organizations. The board endorsed all recommendations and will review progress in 2006.
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Unified Budget and Workplan 2006-2007
The board approved the core budget for UNAIDS. It also commended UNAIDS’ Cosponsors and Secretariat for strengthening the results-based management framework of the budget as a better accountability tool. The budget and workplan were cited as progressive examples of UN reform.
The next meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board will take place in June 2006 in Geneva, Switzerland.
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