A new high level task force, made up of prominent African leaders, is set to advocate for concerted action to end to the entrenched combination of biological, behavioural and structural issues that continue to leave women and girls bearing the burden of responding to the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Southern and Eastern Africa.
The Task force launched on Wednesday (7 December 2011) at the 16th International Conference on AIDS in Africa (ICASA), being held this week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (4-8 December).
Dr. Fatma Mrisho, chair of the Task Force and Executive Chairperson of the Tanzania AIDS Commission, said that gender inequality remains a stubborn barrier to combating HIV infection amongst women and girls in sub Saharan Africa, where in some countries; girls are six times more likely to be infected by HIV than men and boys of the same age.
Dr. Mrisho added that, despite countless declarations and agreements at continental and regional levels, gender inequality exists and there is still an urgent need to translate commitments into concrete action on the ground.
“To reach the vision of universal access and gender equality we need to move as quickly as HIV does. This is essential for protecting individuals, families and societies from the impact of the epidemic and for advancing gender equality, human rights and dignity for all,” Dr Mrisho said.
With a region that has 60 per cent of the global epidemic’s HIV burden global yet only 10% of global HIV expenditure, the need to prevent new infections is urgent- especially when considering the stark reality that for every two people put on treatment another five became infected.
The task force was established in Windhoek, Namibia in April this year (2011). It is made up of 16 senior government officials, civil society representatives and United Nations regional directors.
The members will seek ways to build political buy-in from all levels of society to act and implement key recommendations on gender inequality.
Dr. Mrisho said the task force will conduct high level political advocacy in support of accelerated country actions and monitor implementation of key commitments in the region. It will also focus on reducing new HIV infections by half, eliminating mother-to-child-transmission, and will promote sexual and reproductive health rights for women living with HIV.
She stressed that there is also urgent need to address gender based violence against women, where resources remain woefully inadequate to prevent violence and provide services to victims.
“The gains we have made in our response to HIV and AIDS over the last decade are tenuous and will collapse if we don’t remain resolute in our determination to address HIV from a women and girls perspective”, added Elhadj As Sy, UNICEF regional director for East and Southern Africa, who was also at the session.
Well represented,thanks for the efforts.Hope u make me push on,lol
You are welcome Annita and thanks.