Unaids
To address these challenges, all stakeholders – policy-makers, CSOs and their networks, associations for people living with HIV, religious leaders and the United Nations (UN) – have recently renewed their commitments to reaching universal access. UNAIDS will ensure that these commitments are followed, while capitalizing on the recent political and social changes in a number of MENA countries that can provide new opportunities to work more effectively with key populations. Some of these commitments include: •
The June 2010 Dubai Consensus Statement, which calls for accelerated action towards universal access to HIV prevention, tratment, care and support in the MENA region; expansion and improvement of service provisions with a focus on prevention and quality treatment; strengthened strategic information; secured financial resources for a sustained HIV response; and creation of an enabling environment within individual country contexts.
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The Regional Health Sector Strategy 2011–2015, endorsed by all Ministers of Health at the 57th Session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee in 2010, which includes specific strategies to address the challenges related to the HIV health sector interventions, measurable regional targets, and recommendations developed by national AIDS programme managers to implement the regional strategy.
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The September 2010 Djibouti Declaration of Commitment and Call for Action, which calls for universal access to HIV services for mobile people, migrants and other marginalized populations residing or passing through the ports of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
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The April 2011 Riyadh Charter endorsed by all Gulf Cooperation Council members that reaffirmed their political commitment to respond effectively to HIV. The participants agreed on the need to combine efforts to better understand and know their countries’ epidemics, and to develop strategies that are focused, results-oriented, evidence-informed and embedded in human rights. A follow-up meeting is planned in November 2011 to initiate the implementation of the charter.
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The recent Civil Society Organizations consultation in October 2011 in Cairo, which discussed the findings of the CSO mapping in the region, concluded with detailed roadmap that will be implemented by all partners from the CSOs, associations for people living with HIV, national governments, the UN system and donors.
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The endorsement of the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS12: intensifying our efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS in June 2011 by all MENA Heads of State, which is a sign of their political will to intensified efforts in HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, and in advancing human rights to reduce stigma and discrimination.
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Resolution adopted by the General Assembly in June 2011
Leaders have demonstrated strong political will through regional and global commitments.