Stronger Leadership Needed to Conquer AIDS, Says UNFPA Leader

UNITED NATIONS, New York — With efforts to prevent HIV brutally insufficient, brave and committed leadership is urgently needed to boost HIV prevention in the AIDS programmes of nations around the world, according to Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

"Unless greater action is taken, millions more people will become infected with HIV by the end of the decade," Ms. Obaid warned. "And without a significant reduction in new infections, it will not be possible to keep pace with the number of people with HIV/AIDS in need of treatment. We must scale up prevention with, and within, treatment and care."

"Although there are a growing number of proven prevention strategies, fewer than one in five people at risk have access to these interventions," she added. "As a result, close to 5 million people were newly infected last year alone. Therefore, expanding the delivery of life-saving prevention information, education and services is absolutely critical."

Ms. Obaid was speaking at a round table on HIV/AIDS prevention, which was part of a special one-day General Assembly meeting to review progress and to discuss the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. UNFPA; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime convened the round table. A summary of discussions will be sent to next September’s Millennium summit, which will review the world’s progress in implementing its development goals.

A major front in the battle against HIV/AIDS are young people who, Ms. Obaid said, have the energy and conviction to be leaders. "We must listen to young people," she stressed. "We must support their leadership so that together we can conquer HIV/AIDS in their own lifetimes." Investing in young people, she said, "is the only way to bring about long lasting change." It should be combined with life skills and education on HIV and AIDS for young people, both within and outside school.

"We must reduce rising infection rates among women and adolescent girls," said the UNFPA Executive Director, highlighting the fact that these groups are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection owing to social and economic inequities. "We must ensure universal access to education, and sexual and reproductive health services and reproductive rights if we are to meet the UNGASS and Millennium development goals and targets."

Methods of reducing infection rates include promoting and protecting women's rights; providing them with methods they can control, such as female condoms; and changing practices that put women and girls at risk.

"If we focus like a laser beam on scaling up education, information and services, we will reach those in need," said Ms. Obaid. "If we keep the promises we have made, we will achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. We will combat HIV and AIDS. We will restore hope where there is now despair, and we will replace scepticism with confidence."

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UNFPA is the world’s largest multilateral source of population assistance. Making motherhood safer for all women is at the heart of the Fund’s mandate.

Contact Information:

Abubakar Dungus
Tel.: +1 (212) 297-5031
Email: dungus@unfpa.org