27 September 2015: The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the leaders of Kenya and Malawi co-hosted a high-level panel discussion on scaling up efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. UN Messenger of Peace Charlize Theron highlighted how stigma and the lack of support surrounding AIDS is preventing “an entire generation of young people to take control of their health and their future,” and urged empowering youth.

The event took place on the sidelines of the UN Sustainable Development Summit, on 27 September 2015, in New York, US.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé called the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a “window of opportunity to quicken the pace of action” on HIV/AIDS, and warned that the fight against the disease should focus on children and adolescents, particularly girls. He said that girls are up to eight times more likely to be infected with HIV than boys, and the first cause of death among adolescents in Africa is AIDS.

To end the AIDS epidemic, UNAIDS has developed a Fast-Track approach to reach a set of time-bound targets by 2020, including: reducing new HIV infections by 75%; ensuring that 90% of all those living with HIV know their HIV status; ensuring that 90% of people who know their status have access to treatment; and guaranteeing that 90% of people on treatment have suppressed viral loads, keeping them healthy and reducing transmission risks.

Earlier in September, UNAIDS and the Government of Kenya announced they would be working together to track progress in HIV programming, with the aim of ending the AIDS epidemic in Kenya by 2030. The ‘Kenya HIV Situation Room’ will collect data on logistics and service delivery related to HIV to develop a comprehensive understanding on the scope of the epidemic and identify areas in need of intensified effort. [UN Press Release] [UNAIDS Press Release] [IISD RS Story on UNAIDS-Kenya Collaboration]