Alliance to host discussion on marginalised communities prior to UN high-level meeting on HIV
04 June 2008
The Alliance is holding a side event looking at the challenges and opportunities around meeting universal access targets for marginalised communities prior to a UN special meeting that will be reviewing progress on HIV.
The United Nations 2008 high-level meeting on AIDS is taking place in New York from 10–11 June. World leaders will be reviewing progress in implementing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, including “universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support by 2010”.
The Alliance is warning that these universal access targets will not be met unless concerted action is taken to meaningfully engage marginalised and vulnerable groups in the global HIV response.
“The concept of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support clearly implies all people should have access to HIV-related services,” said Mandeep Dhaliwal, Head of Policy at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.
“This means that we must address the needs of those most vulnerable to and those most affected by HIV, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and injecting drug users.”
Access to services for these key populations at higher risk remains low. Barely one in four people are accessing HIV treatment and one in five accessing basic prevention services.
The Alliance’s event, Marginalised communities: meeting 2010 targets for sex workers and drug users – an interactive panel discussion – is taking place on 9 June, ahead of the UN meeting on 10–11 June. It will look at the challenges and opportunities for meeting universal access targets for sex workers and drug users.
It is taking place in Conference Room D, United Nations Building, 16:00 to 18:00.
