March 4, 2016

Mr.
Michel Sidib
Executive Director
UNAIDS
Geneva, Switzerland
Dear Michel,
Your tenure at UNAIDS has been marked by remarkable leadership in the global fight against AIDS,
particularly the courageous way you have promoted rights-based HIV strategies for vulnerable groups
and key populations, efficient management of HIV funds, and greater awareness of the benefits of HIV
treatment.
Over the past year however, UNAIDS advocacy has included a more congratulatory tone, with
emphasis on ending and getting to zero and fast track when referring to the future of AIDS. While
we understand that your intention is to promote hope, the framing of these campaigns - when reported
in the press and shorthanded into conversations, imply to the broader world that we are near the end of
the epidemic, and that efficiencies in health service delivery will get us there alone. Further, these
overly simplified campaign slogans give dangerously short shrift to the ongoing needs of persons living
with HIV for the foreseeable future.
We fear that the growing impact of this language by UNAIDS in its campaigns is resulting in apathetic
leadership by countries most impacted by HIV and continued shortages in bilateral and global network
support. One example of this is the text of the UNAIDS publication just released in the run up to the
High Level Meeting:
"Analysis of global data shows that the world has a narrow five-year window of opportunity in which to
front-load HIV investments and deliver focused and effective action. Strong leadership from
communities, cities and countries will be required. Adopting a Fast-Track approach over the next five
years will close the gaps faster and reach the people who are being left behind. By using investments
more efficiently, annual HIV resource needs will begin to decline after 2020. From this point the world
will be firmly on course to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030."
We are stunned UNAIDS makes no reference in this document to unfinished business worldwide in
meaningfully and respectfully addressing persistent HIV epidemics among women and girls in Eastern
and Southern African, and gay, bisexual men/men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who
inject drugs, and transgender women worldwide. There is still a critical need for significant additional
funding to meet accelerated global HIV-related targets. Our response in the next 5 years will require
modern, bold approaches more honestly aligned with up-to-date, evidence-based understandings of
todays HIV epidemic. Poorly worded, political euphemisms invisibilize the truths about HIV and the
communities HIV are impacting the most. The recently released UNAIDS publication suggests
accelerated global HIV targets can be achieved through further efficiencies alone, and that declining
resources after 2020 are to be expected and welcome. This serves no one, least of all, women and girls
in Eastern and Southern African, and gay, bisexual men/men who have sex with men, sex workers,
people who inject drugs, and transgender women.

Text from the recent UNAIDS publication runs counter to your own strong leadership on the need to
fully fund targeted, tailored, evidence-informed, and rights-based responses. We fear that language
used in the document will likely deter heads of state from feeling compelled to attend the HLM or to
commit to anything significant through their surrogates who may attend, and concerns us greatly.
Plainly put, this document undermines advocacy efforts currently taking place in the lead up to the Highlevel meeting. UNAIDS could better serve the needs of the global movement by collaborating and
consulting with civil society more carefully and by sharing respected modeling of long term HIV
resource needs, particularly for groups that continue bearing the brunt of the HIV epidemic (e.g., those
contained in the UNAIDS Lancet Commission on HIV Report).
UNAIDS has calculated that we need US$ 31.3 billion in 2020 to reach the UNAIDS 2020 fast track
targets. At current levels, this means a gap of US$ 9 billion globally. Sustaining and scaling up
investments from multilateral, bilateral and domestic resources is a critical priority to end AIDS by
2030. This should include a fully funded Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This Global
Fund Replenishment Conference this year offers a critical opportunity for donors to start mobilizing at
least 13 billion for its Fifth Replenishment.
The timing of the release of this document could not have been worse, as the AIDS movement prepares
for the High Level Meeting, Durban and the Global Fund Replenishment.
While many have misgivings about the feasibility and over-simplicity of the 90 90 90 Fast Track Goals,
there can be no question of the ambition and enthusiasm of these targets. So much so, that most have
embraced them, in solidarity with your leadership. But our support is being fractured by UNAIDS
consistent oversimplification of what needs to be done to ensure the success of the HIV response and
support the health and well-being of persons living with HIV in the longer term. We feel UNAIDS
positioning on this issue undermines the larger goals of the HIV response. We stand ready to support
UNAIDS in developing clear, evidence-driven and human rights based implementation strategies.
As friends and supporters of the UNAIDS mission, we strongly urge you to withdraw this document and
replace it with a more appropriate call for the significantly greater resources and political leadership still
desperately needed to ensure the success of the AIDS response.
A rights-based, evidence-informed global AIDS response must be fully funded. Without decisive action to
counter this harmful narrative, our collective achievements, countless lives and the future are at risk.
Not to do so, would enable governments, who are already backtracking and lacking commitment, to
deprioritize AIDS even further. We simply cannot afford to let this happen.
With deepest regards and in solidarity
Coalition of Asia-Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS (7 Sisters)
Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA)
Stop AIDS Alliance
Instituto Vida Nova Integrao Social Educao e Cidadania, Brazil
MOPAIDS Movimento Paulistano de Luta Contra a AIDS, Brazil
Alliance India, India
Vivir. Participacin, Incidencia y Transparencia, A.C., Mexico

Judge Martn Vzquez Acua Court of Appeals, Argentina

Instituto para el Desarrollo Humano, Bolivia
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
Kimirina, Ecuador
Mujer Y Salud, Uruguay
Fundacion para estudio e Investigacion de la Mujer, Argentina
RedTraSex (Red de Mujeres Trabajadoras Sexuales de Latinoamerica y El Caribe)
Action for Health Initiatives (ACHIEVE), Inc., Philippines
AIDS-Fondet, Denmark
GESTOS Soropositividade, Comunicao e Gnero, Brazil
Latin American Council of AIDS Service Organizations (LACCASO)
SOMOSGAY, Paraguay
Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations (APCASO)
Centre of Integral Orientation and Investigation (COIN), Dominican Republic
Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC)
Global Action for Trans* Equality
Youth Advocates Myanmar (Link Up), Myanmar
Fundacion Ecuatoriana Equidad, Ecuador
International Drug Policy Consortium
International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW)
Network of Sex Workers Projects (NSPW)
Pangea Global AIDS, USA
ICASO
Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF)
International Civil Society Support (ICSS)
Rose Alliance, Sweden
Osservatorio Italiano sull'Azione Globale contro l'AIDS, Italy
The Malawi Network of AIDS Services Organisations, Malawi
Coalition PLUS, France
EANNASO, Tanzania
Fundacin Salud por Derecho (Right to Health Foundation), Spain
Uganda Youth Coalition on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and HIV, Uganda
Aye Myanmar Association (AMA), Myanmar
Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO), Kenya
Guyana Community of Positive Women & Girls (GCWAG), Guyana
Jamaica Community of Positive Women (JCW+), Jamaica
Women Organized to Respond to Life-threatening Diseases (WORLD), USA
Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD), Canada
Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network (CANN), Canada
African Council of AIDS Service Organizations (AfriCASO)
Project Inform, USA
Amigos Siempre Amigos (ASA), Dominican Republic
Grupo DIGNIDADE, Brazil
Fundacin Diversencia, Bolivia
Centro Amigos Contra el Sida (CAS), Guatemala
Red GAYLATINO Latin America
Centro Amrica Rediversa, Red Centroamericana de Hombres Gay y otros HSH (Organizations from
Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua)

Mecanismo Social de Apoyo y Control en VIH, Colombia

SOMOSGAY, Paraguay
Gustavo Pecoraro, Argentina
Dr. Rafael Mazn, USA
Andr Mere, Per
Regional Interagency Task Team on Children and AIDS (RIATT-ESA)
Regional Psychosocial Initiative (REPSSI)
Child Rights Network for Southern Africa (CRNSA)
HIV-Sweden
Youth Voices Count (YVC), Trailand
Susu Mamas Papua New Guinea Inc, Papua New Guinea
Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center, US
Association Roumaine contre le Sida, Romania
Coalition des organismes communautaires qubcois de lutte contre le sida), Canada
Association de lutte contre le sida (ALCS), Morocco
Radanar Ayar Rural Development Association, Myanmar
Aye Nyein Metta Organization, Myanmar
Lotus MSM Network, India
Youth LEAD (Asia Pacific Network of Young Key Populations)
Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+)

AIDS Accountability International

HIV Young Leaders Fund (HYLF)
Health GAP (Global Access Project)
International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS
UNAIDS PCB NGO Delegation
African Black Diaspora Global Network (ABDGN), Canada
Eurasian Coalition on Male Health (ECOM)