“Addressing inequality issue and getting back on the path to eradication of AIDS by 2030”: UN Secretary General’s report
Inequality is the main reason why the 2020 global targets have not been met. By eliminating inequalities, the world can achieve transformative results for people living with HIV, communities, and countries, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. In anticipation of the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, a report with recommendations and targets was issued that will enable the world to achieve the goal to eradicate AIDS.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that, despite intensified efforts and impressive results in the HIV countermeasures in some areas and population groups, the HIV epidemic continues to spread among other categories of people and regions. To change the situation, he formulated 10 points, adherence to which could help countries defeat the AIDS pandemic by 2030.
“It is imperative to break the increasingly costly and unsustainable cycle of progress in the HIV countermeasures that ultimately prevent the pandemic from being eradicated,” said António Guterres in the report. – Inequality is the main reason why the global goals of 2020 were not achieved. By eradicating inequalities, we can achieve transformative results for people living with HIV, communities, and countries”.
The global goals set out in the 2016 General Assembly Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS are far from being met, with the result that the AIDS pandemic has accelerated in many regions and countries. There were 1.7 million new HIV infections in 2019 — a shocking number exceeds more than three times the 2020 objective to lower new infections to less than 500,000. In addition, the 690,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2019 are much more than the objective to reduce deaths to less than 500,000 per year.
“Defeating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is still a reality: the cases of many countries show that rapid progress in HIV countermeasures is possible with evidence-based strategies and human rights-based approaches,” UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said. “But brave political leadership is needed to defeat the social injustice and inequalities making certain groups and communities very vulnerable to HIV infection.”
The report notes that COVID-19 has only made an already difficult situation worse. The UN Secretary-General has warned that COVID-19 is not an excuse for missed AIDS objectives, but only a stern warning to countries about what a lack of investment in pandemic preparedness and response could turn out to be.
At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many additional benefits from investments in health and development in the HIV countermeasures. Pioneered in the HIV response, community service delivery is helping to overcome the unique barriers posed by COVID-19.
A set of 10 recommendations for getting the world back on track includes: defeating inequalities and outreaching all people living with or at risk of HIV infection, to reduce annual new HIV infections to less than 370,000 by 2025 and annual deaths from AIDS to less than 250,000; setting HIV prevention priorities to ensure that 95% of people at risk of HIV infection have access to effective HIV prevention by 2025; and the eradication of new HIV infections among children.
The report stresses out that social and structural factors that contribute to inequality are critical. The document highlighted, for example, how gender inequality, reinforced by harmful gender norms, virtually deprives women of access to HIV-related services, as well as services for sexual and reproductive health perpetuating gender-based violence and limiting decision-making, including the right of women and girls to refuse sex, negotiate safer sex and reduce the risk of HIV infection.
In addition, it shows that vulnerable, marginalized, and criminalized communities such as gay men and other men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, sex workers, transgender people, prisoners, and migrants are also exposed to a higher risk of HIV infection compared to the general population because they do not receive the information and services they need for HIV treatment, prevention, and care.
The UN Secretary-General describes why communities of people living with HIV, at risk of or affected by HIV, play a central role in the HIV countermeasures. Initiatives led by people living with HIV, women, key populations, youth, and other stakeholders identify and address key inequalities and gaps in service delivery, advocate for the rights of their members, and improve coverage, scale, and quality of health services.
In his report, Mr Guterres praised the recently adopted UNAIDS Global AIDS Response Strategy 2021–2026: Eradicate inequality, eradicate AIDS. “The UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 builds on the lessons of countries, cities, and communities that have accelerated their measures as HIV response over the past five years,” said Mr Guterres. The Global AIDS Community and UNAIDS, looking through the lens of inequality, have developed a strategy with ambitious and detailed new targets to reach the most vulnerable ones first”.
Read also view the report in our Resource Center by clicking the link.