Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Children and AIDs from UNICEF
We tend to forget here in the West how devastating the AIDS epidemic has been in some countries. Here is something to give you some background.
Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS was launched in October 2005 with the goal of putting the ‘missing face’ of children at the centre of the global HIV/AIDS agenda. In the year since, the world’s response to protect and support AIDS-affected children remains tragically insufficient. But in important and positive ways, that is beginning to change.
This report takes stock of some of the most important actions and changes for children affected by HIV/AIDS that have taken place in the first year of Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS. Among other developments, the report finds that children and AIDS had by 2006 become more clearly integrated into national policy frameworks, including national plans of action (NPAs) and poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs) in at least 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It finds increasing numbers of children now receiving treatment as a result of improved testing, lower drug prices and simpler formulations. It reports that in several countries, behaviour change has translated into declining HIV prevalence among young people. And the disparity between orphans and non-orphans in access to education has been reduced in several countries. Over the past year, there has been a broad, growing recognition of the need to intensify and accelerate actions towards universal access to comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support. Commitment to this goal by 2010 was affirmed by Heads of State and Government and their representatives participating in the 2006 High-Level Meeting on AIDS held at the United Nations in New York, 31 May–2 June 2006.
Further, this report reviews progress towards support strategies identified as critical elements of a child-focused response. It seeks to illuminate some of the ways in which Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS has shown relevance and promise, as well as some of the ways it has failed to spur the global, regional and country mobilization required to address the problems facing children affected by AIDS. It will explore how Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS needs to move forward in the next year to achieve its ambitious goals.
Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS was launched in October 2005 with the goal of putting the ‘missing face’ of children at the centre of the global HIV/AIDS agenda. In the year since, the world’s response to protect and support AIDS-affected children remains tragically insufficient. But in important and positive ways, that is beginning to change.
This report takes stock of some of the most important actions and changes for children affected by HIV/AIDS that have taken place in the first year of Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS. Among other developments, the report finds that children and AIDS had by 2006 become more clearly integrated into national policy frameworks, including national plans of action (NPAs) and poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs) in at least 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It finds increasing numbers of children now receiving treatment as a result of improved testing, lower drug prices and simpler formulations. It reports that in several countries, behaviour change has translated into declining HIV prevalence among young people. And the disparity between orphans and non-orphans in access to education has been reduced in several countries. Over the past year, there has been a broad, growing recognition of the need to intensify and accelerate actions towards universal access to comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support. Commitment to this goal by 2010 was affirmed by Heads of State and Government and their representatives participating in the 2006 High-Level Meeting on AIDS held at the United Nations in New York, 31 May–2 June 2006.
Further, this report reviews progress towards support strategies identified as critical elements of a child-focused response. It seeks to illuminate some of the ways in which Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS has shown relevance and promise, as well as some of the ways it has failed to spur the global, regional and country mobilization required to address the problems facing children affected by AIDS. It will explore how Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS needs to move forward in the next year to achieve its ambitious goals.
View the full document (PDF *, 2.1 MB)
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