International HIV/AIDS Alliance and UNAIDS renew collaborating centre agreement
30 January 2008
The Alliance and UNAIDS have renewed their commitment to work together to support the global efforts to reach universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for all those in need, with the signing of a new agreement for the Alliance to act as a UNAIDS collaborating centre.
The previous agreement, which ran from 2004 to 2007, enabled, among other things, a strong civil society mobilisation to intensify HIV prevention efforts, focusing particularly on empowering vulnerable women to lead the change on HIV and on underlining the key role of civil society in national responses and within the Three Ones. The renewed agreement builds on these achievements and will focus on strengthening civil society responses to HIV.
Specifically, the agreement sets the framework for a stronger partnership between UNAIDS and the Alliance to increase efforts to reach universal access. These efforts aim in particular to promote the direct involvement and leadership of civil society in the response to HIV – including of people living with HIV and key populations. The Alliance and UNAIDS will work together to promote a human rights-based approach and evidence informed policy and good practice to facilitate universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The agreement also highlights the need for joint work to increase technical and financial resources and country-level public, private and civil society partnerships.
“We are delighted with this renewed partnership that will scale up our community empowerment objectives and our joint impact on the HIV epidemic,” said Alvaro Bermejo, executive director of the Alliance. “The Alliance is committed to bring all its leverage in this partnership as part of its contribution towards universal access.”
“A united front is vital these days as AIDS and the responses to AIDS continue to change at a considerable rate. Increased and more strategic collaboration is critical to securing greater impact, paving the way towards universal access,” said UNAIDS director of partnerships and external relations Elhadj As Sy at the signing of the renewed agreement.
Read the full text of the new collaborating centre agreement.
