Winnie Byanyima, speaking at the first meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) since her appointment as UNAIDS Executive Director, summarized her priorities for 2020. Noting that, “The global response to HIV and the Joint Programme offers one of the strongest examples of the value of multilateralism and global solidarity,” she added, “2020 provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how the Joint Programme can work even better.”
The Executive Director of UNAIDS said that UNAIDS will intensify its work in four areas: women and girls in Africa; upholding the human rights of all; putting science, innovation and technology in the hands of the people; and funding the global response to AIDS.
Ms. Byanyima noted the enormous progress that has been made in the AIDS response, but told the meeting that, despite the great progress made by some countries and regions, the world as a whole will not achieve the target of a 75% reduction in new HIV infections by the end of 2020. The 45th meeting of the PCB, which concluded yesterday, underscored the importance of countries increasing investment in HIV prevention, with no less than a quarter of HIV spending to be invested in prevention programs.
During the meeting, the PCB also requested a review of UNAIDS’ 2016–2021 Strategy, its implementation, and the results achieved. The findings of the review will be considered in a broad consultation and presented at the next PCB meeting in June 2020 as part of the development of UNAIDS’ next strategy.
“The process for developing the next strategy will be deeply data-driven and consultative, involving UNAIDS staff, our co-sponsors, civil society, people living with and affected by HIV, youth, faith institutions, ministers of health, finance and gender equality, parliamentarians, scientists, donors and the private sector,” said Ms. Byanyima.
In her opening address to the PCB, Ms. Byanyima spoke about the challenges and opportunities ahead in the less than 13 months until the end of 2020, when a set of HIV prevention, treatment and other goals must be achieved, and less than 11 years until 2030, the date by which the world has committed to ending AIDS.
Ms. Byanyima said her priority would be UNAIDS’ greatest asset: its staff. “Much has been done, but there is still a long way to go. Work must continue to rebuild trust between staff and external partners, and to change the culture so that UNAIDS never tolerates any kind of abuse of power, such as harassment, sexual misconduct, or intimidation, and UNAIDS encourages staff to feel safe and speak out.”
The PCB, noting the recent review by the Joint Inspection Unit of UNAIDS' management and administration, welcomed Ms. Byanyima's commitment to establish an annual item on the PCB agenda to cover internal and external audits, ethics and other accountability issues.
In paying tribute to Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director for Management and Governance, who will be leaving UNAIDS in early 2020, Ms. Byanyima thanked her for guiding UNAIDS through the recent reputational crisis and facilitating the leadership transition. Wishing Ms. Carlsson well in her future endeavors, she commended her for driving critical reforms in management and governance, ensuring the protection and support of staff members who have suffered harassment and abuse of power, and leading the implementation of UNAIDS’ Gender Action Plan and Management Action Plan.
The PCB's delegation of non-governmental organizations presented a report on universal health coverage, highlighting the role of communities as critical partners and stakeholders in the design and implementation of universal health coverage, and the PCB made a request for UNAIDS to continue supporting countries to ensure that comprehensive HIV services remain or become available and accessible under a universal health coverage program.
The final day of the meeting was a full-day thematic session on reducing the impact of AIDS on children and young people, which raised concerns that progress in eliminating new HIV infections among infants and ensuring that children aged 0-14 living with HIV treatment and prosperity has slowed alarmingly. The PCB participated with panels on the importance of youth leadership in shaping the HIV response toward holistic approaches.
Representatives of United Nations Member States, international organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations attended the three-day meeting, which was chaired by China, with the United States of America as Vice-Chair and Belarus as Rapporteur.
In: https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2019/december/pcb45