2006 High-Level Meeting on AIDS

Hello everybody,

after the closure of this year’s UNPFII I was assigned to attend the General Assembly’s (GA) High Level Meeting on AIDS. The comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the targets set out in the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, which was adopted by the GA in June 2001, was a major agenda item.

One thing has been thoroughly made clear: There is still much to be done if HIV/AIDS is to be fought effectively.
One statement made by a North European delegate made the point very clear. She said that if HIV/AIDS had a white face, was of middle income and carried a suitcase, it would have been much more successfully combatted than it is today. But because HIV/AIDS is mostly to be found among the poor and the marginalized of the world’s population there is still a vast gap between made promises and commitments and real accomplishments such as the delivery of health services, the provision of condoms, access to life-saving drugs and prevention tools.

It is a shame that legal, regulatory, trade and other barriers still block effective HIV prevention, treatment, care, commodities and services. And it as an alarming sign that women and children are among the most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

The GA has eventually come up with a Draft Political Declaration, which you can access under www.un.org/ga/aidsmeeting2006/declaration.htm

So, this message is for everybody! I don’t want to preach, but sitting right next to people living with HIV/AIDS, has somewhat sensitized me to this issue even more. The fact that some of them are suffering from this disease because they were lacking the information and knowledge or because condoms were not made available, makes me say the following:
Guys, please make sure you ALWAYS use a condom.
And girls, make sure your man uses a condom. Be aware of how privileged you are.

“One love” (Jamaican Youth Ambassador)

Ozlem