ECOM Participated in the Meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board

The 38th Meeting of the UNAIDS PCB was devoted to reviewing UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé’s report on the recent United Nations High Level Meeting to End AIDS, the report of the NGO delegation on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of people most affected by HIV, as well as the Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF). In addition, a third day was devoted to the thematic segment of the meeting on the role of communities in ending AIDS by 2030.

As an NGO observer, Marcus was invited to make interventions in the plenary session before the member states’ delegations and other observers. Marcus spoke out against the exclusion of ECOM from the recent High Level Meeting in New York, stating that: “By voting for the exclusion of these organizations, conservative governments have sent the message that they do not care about the lives of MSM and trans* people and that they do not intend to address the HIV epidemic threatening these populations.”

Commenting on the NGO report on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of key populations, Marcus highlighted that “access to quality information and services related to sexual and reproductive health and the ability to live free from violence, discrimination, and stigma are essential to ensuring that MSM, trans* people, and members of other key populations are able to enjoy the full realization of their rights and live healthy and productive lives.”

The thematic segment was devoted to the role of communities in ending AIDS by 2030. Marcus shared examples of best practices in community advocacy from Ukraine, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan, highlighting the ability of empowered communities to breakdown structural barriers that prevent their access to HIV services. He also called upon member states to ensure that communities are actively involved in the HIV response and are provided with the necessary resources and support to effectively carry out their work.

The delegates of certain friendly member states, such as the United States, the Netherlands, Monaco, France, and Canada, highlighted the need for greater emphasis and attention on key populations and the importance of investing in communities and community-led responses to the HIV epidemic. The Ukrainian delegate also personally congratulated Marcus on his interventions.

Unfortunately, conservative member states pushed back on issues such as sexual and reproductive health and rights and praised the Political Declaration from the High Level Meeting to End AIDS, despite its many shortcomings with respect to key populations.