The new Political Declaration will be adopted by Member States on 8-10 June 2016 during the High Level Meeting. The Political Declaration is a significant international instrument as it will influence the design and financing of national programs and HIV responses in the countries in the next 5 years. However, the current draft of the Declaration is stripped of progressive languages that will hinder the promotion of sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR), comprehensive sexual education (CSE), and removal of punitive laws, which are very significant in the Region. The current draft also did not mention Asia and the Pacific as a region heavily burdened with HIV epidemic.
The Asia Pacific Regional Networks, with the support of over a hundred civil society organisations from countries in the Region, are collectively calling the Member States in the UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS to ensure that the needs of key populations are addressed in the 2016 Political Declaration, to fight for inclusion of critical language regarding decriminalization of key population, and to not leave Asia Pacific behind.
Communities and civil society from the Asia-Pacific region are urging Member States in this UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS to retain the naming of key populations, to ensure transgender people are included and commit to decriminalise key populations.
Ending AIDS in 2030: Do Not Leave Asia-Pacific Behind is a collective call/statement signed by 100+ civil society organisations (CSOs) at a country level. The publication is a direct response of the CSOs in Asia Pacific to the current draft of the political declaration which is presented in a weak language which somehow omits Asia and the Pacific from the face of the epidemic.
