MICHEL SIDIBé, ExECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNAIDS
“ the aids response must be the catalyst for improving maternal health and child health, for reducing infant mortality, stopping tB [tuberculosis] deaths among people with hiV and strengthening health systems.”
AGUNG LAKSONO, MINISTER FOR PEOPLE’S WELFARE OF INDONESIA
“within the global community we know what works. the question is, do we have the will? do we have the courage? are we willing to prioritize and replicate what we know works?”
NAFIS SADIK, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARy-GENERAL SPECIAL ENVOy ON AIDS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
“ it is important to bring the urgency faced by the aids crisis to as many people as possible.”
TRUONG VINH TRONG, DEPUTy PRIME MINISTER OF VIET NAM
“ prevention is the best cure.
it is imperative to undertake comprehensive preventive measures. harm-reduction interventions, counselling and improvement of diagnostic capacity are essential to efforts towards the goal of zero new hiV infections. this requires strong involvement of people from all walks of life and social segments, as well as the leadership of governments.”
LOK CHUMTEAV BUN RANy HUN SEN, FIRST LADy OF CAMBODIA
“ Bold decisions are needed to dramatically reshape the response and achieve the Unaids vision of Zero new hiV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero aids-related deaths. cambodia is committed to playing its part in a global movement that can and will make aids a thing of the past.”
HIV IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC : GETTING TO ZERO 104
VIRENDAR SEHWAG, CRICKETER
“i think that too many people stigmatize people living with hiV, but they are no different from anybody else and we need to eliminate discrimination against those living with the disease from society. there also needs to be more awareness of what it means to be living with hiV.”
RATU EPELI NAILATIKAU, PRESIDENT OF FIJI
“ in the pacific, in the area of legislation and reform, much work has been done—legislations have been reviewed. however, progress towards legislative amendments has been slow because hiV-related law reform can be a monumental challenge, given the punitive approach, and the high levels of stigma and discrimination.”
KUMAR SANGAKARRA, CRICKETER
“ as a think wise champion and cricketer, i want to help educate people on how to protect themselves from hiV. it is important that young people around the world have access to the right information to help them make informed decisions and break down stigma and discrimination.”
PRIETy ZINTA, UNAIDS GOODWILL AMBASSADOR
“ in this day and age in our country, we must stand up and say hiV-related stigma and discrimination is unacceptable. it is wrong to discriminate against anyone because of hiV. the starting-point is information and knowledge! if we take action today, together we can reach zero new hiV infections.”
URSULA SCHAEFER-PREUSS, VICE-PRESIDENT, ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
“ Given the tremendous growth in recent decades, the asia and pacific region should be able to extend more adequate and effective services and programmes to key affected populations, particularly the poor and vulnerable. however, many countries are spending too little on public health systems and national aids programmes, leaving key populations exposed to threats that could have been avoided.”
LyN KOK, PRESIDENT & CEO, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK (SCB), THAILAND, AND AMBASSADOR FOR SCB’S HIV INITIATIVE
“time and time again people living with hiV say to me that stigma and discrimination is worse than being infected and death.
education, knowledge and non-discrimination policies are the key to having a society that is more informed and tolerant thus enabling those living with hiV to maximize their full potential and strongly contribute to the society they live in.”
KEVIN RUDD, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF AUSTRALIA
“full equality for women and girls, including protecting the right to be free from violence, is essential. damaging gender stereotypes—
for men, women and transgender people—
inhibit an effective hiV response. responses that seek to remove the dignity of those most at risk of hiV infection degrade us all.”
say What?
RAZA BASHIR TARAR, DEPUTy PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF PAKISTAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS
“ the problem of hiV/aids cannot be dealt with as a health issue alone. it, indeed, is a development issue, as well, since poverty is directly contributing to the spread of hiV/aids.”
TUITAMA LEAO TALALELEI TUITAMA, MINISTER OF HEALTH OF SAMOA
“improving communication, gender power relations, overcoming traditional, cultural and religious barriers, upholding equity, maintaining respect for human rights and strengthening of health systems [all this]
must be prioritized to ensure a more encompassing and engaged response.”
PARK IN-KOOK, PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
“ entire societies need to participate proactively and foster hiV-free environments without any stigma and discrimination. health and social investment to vulnerable groups, including sex workers, drug users and men who have sex with men must be scaled up. punitive regulations and restricted access to health services, from which people suffer, have backfired on efforts to eliminate hiV/aids.”
PAIJIT WARACHIT, PERMANENT SECRETARy, MINISTRy OF HEALTH OF THAILAND
“ it has become clear that the trips flexibilities help to ensure that people living with hiV around the world have access to care and treatment. this is a crucial understanding for the international community to have in order for us to achieve fully the goals of zero aids-related deaths and zero new [hiV] infections.”
NELSON EDUARDO SOARES MARTINS, MINISTER OF HEALTH AND PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL AIDS COMMISSION OF TIMOR-LESTE
“efforts to combat hiV and aids must be linked to campaigns against sexual violence and for the rights of women. we must act together as one global nation in order to protect the lives of our global people and future generations.”
IGOR MOCORRO, PHILIPPINES yOUTH COALITION FOR SExUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND MEMBER OF yOUTHLEAD
“young people need to make informed choices. sexual education in and out of schools is a tool for the freedom of choice to understand that hiV prevention is everyone’s responsibility. we have the passion for change and it’s time for leaders to take young people seriously as equal partners and key actors in society who can make a difference.”
HIV IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC : GETTING TO ZERO 106
TEIMA ONORIO,
VICE-PRESIDENT OF KIRIBATI
“ the creation of an enabling environment which avoids or prevents prejudice, stigma, discrimination and
criminalization remains the major challenge towards our response.”
BERNADETTE CAVANAGH, CHARGéE D'AFFAIRES AI, NEW ZEALAND PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
“ young people are seldom involved as full and meaningful partners in decision-making regarding hiV policies and programmes. we call for an inclusive approach in hiV programming and service delivery which also encompasses those with disabilities.”
DAVID LOZADA, JR, UNDERSECRETARy, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES
“ it is paramount that a zero strategy is sound and realistic, given the
evolving epidemiology of the disease, the emergence of new technology to halt its spread, as well as the collective effort of nations and organizations to end the epidemic.”
VINCE CRISOSTOMO, COORDINATOR OF THE COALITION OF ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL NETWORKS ON HIV/AIDS (THE SEVEN SISTERS)
“the high level Meeting was an important event for 2011 and there are many opportunities for
advocacy coming from the declaration. But we still have mixed feelings and concerns about some of the issues captured within it and will be working to further address this. for [the] asia-pacific, the escap 67/9 resolution is extremely significant and in line with what civil society wants. Using these political declarations, and momentum, the important thing is that all stakeholders come together to ensure universal access for all who need it by 2015.”
JAMES CHAU,
UNAIDS GOODWILL AMBASSADOR
"thirty years and counting, we need to let the world know that aids isn't over. it is unacceptable that more than 7400 every day are still getting infected. it is an outrage that we still haven't turned a fundamental tide against both stigma and also discrimination.
and it defies the heart that our brother and sisters living with hiV are still not living with equal access to treatment. this is their right, this is our responsibility, but together we have every reason to hope."
meChai viravaidya, PoPUlation and CommUnity develoPment assoCiation (Pda), thailand, and Commissioner on the Unaids hiGh level Commission on hiv Prevention
"leaders are not leaders at all unless they act to prevent people from dying. every prime minister, every president would lead the drive against new hiV infections because we have lost more people to hiV than all the soldiers killed on both sides during world war ii. hiV is a major problem and we have to solve it. every leader in the world must be involved."
say What?