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Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

UNAIDS, launched in 1996, is the main UN umbrella organization that advocates for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS recognizes HIV/AIDS as a major threat to the world’s development. As such, to halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015 is one of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). UNAIDS also sees the existence of HIV/AIDS as an impediment to the achievement of the other five MDGs.

UNAIDS in Sierra Leone

The violation of women’s rights escalates the rate of HIV infections throughout the African continent. Sexual oppression combined with a high biological receptiveness of viral transmission, put women at risk. As a consequence, violence against women threatens to destroy whole communities.

UNAIDS points out that the lack of education about the virus is a growing liability. Studies have confirmed that better educated young girls tend to start having sexual relationships later in life. Studies have also shown that women (for biological reasons) are more vulnerable than men to sexually transmitted diseases and other opportunistic infections like HIV. Worldwide, women between the ages of 15 and 24 account for half of new HIV infections.

The challenge is to find creative ways to change the social conditions that deny young women the ability to control practices that increase their vulnerability for contracting HIV. In many instances, women are still seen as sexual objects. The majority of young women cannot protect themselves against AIDS because they have to rely on their male partners who may decide whether or not to use a condom.

Women are recognized as a fundamental force in the quest to eradicate poverty and maintain the stability of families and societies. Without improving the status of women, we cannot expect any real progress in society, especially in the battle against AIDS.

The UNAIDS Country Office in Sierra Leone was established in January 2005. The primary role of the Office is to facilitate the joint UN action and optimal UN support to the national response as well as supporting and strengthening the links between the UN System, Government, Civil Societies, people living with HIV/AIDS and other Development Partners.

UNAIDS has provided support to the Government of Sierra Leone in the following:

• Development of Policy documents HIV/AIDS/STIs; Blood safety supply and Education Sector on HIV/AIDS
• Development of guidelines; Voluntary Confidential Counseling and Testing (VCCT), Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) and treatment of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART)
• Development of proposals to leverage additional financial support from the World Bank (Sierra Leone HIV/AIDS Response Project (SHARP) implemented by the National HIV/AIDS Secretariat); Global Fund on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the ADF Financed Project in support of a sub regional programme for refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and their Host Communities in the Mano River Union Countries and Cote d’Ivoire.
• Assessment of the situation of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) and development of a strategic plan
• Development and finalization of the 2006-2010 National HIV/AIDS Strategic Framework
• Prevention programmes for uniformed personnel, vulnerable populations including refugees and organizing World AIDS Day
• Conducted and published a recent national Behavioral Surveillance Survey
• Conducted an assessment on the implementation of the “Three Ones Principles” in Sierra Leone
• Mapped and documented a database of all organizations involved in HIV/AIDS activities in the country
• Identified key obstacles (at country level) that hinder Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support
• Engaged the Private Sector as key partners in the fight against the epidemic

To learn more,visit www.unaids.org.