20 December 2012: The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) will hold a three-week online consultation on HIV and global health in January-February 2013, as part of the global thematic consultation on health in the post-2015 agenda, according to the UN Non-governmental Liaison Service (NGLS).

The consultation will include a focus on UNAIDS’ vision for 2015: “Zero new infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.”

According to NGLS, UNAIDS has suggested that lessons learned from the successes achieved through the international HIV response can help inform the international sustainable development agenda. It lists five messages of relevance: the critical importance of health, human rights and gender equality for all, based on good governance and social justice; taking a people-centered approach; using single issues of global importance as levers for change; promoting innovation and cross-sectoral approaches; and drawing from an overall vision to create concrete goals, that may include diversified investments, overcoming discrimination, and “flagship science.”

UNAIDS pledges to: engage the full participation of HIV/AIDS-affected communities in designing the post-2015 development agenda; support UN Member States in communicating progress on the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS; and ensure that HIV issues are covered in the post-2015 development agenda. [NGLS Press Release] [Web platform for global thematic consultation on health] [UNAIDS Website]