UNAIDS: The First 10 Years

UNAIDS The First 10 Years244people’s sexual behaviour in those countries experiencing a decline in new infections. In each ofthese countries, there was strong evidence that people were increasing their use of condoms,delaying the first time they have sexual intercourse and having fewer sexual partners.But only about 10 countries were showing such results. As Piot explained: “We are only atthe beginning of the epidemic in terms of impact and the challenges are enormous. Eventhough HIV prevalence has stabilized in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, they havedone so at unacceptably high rates and new infections are accelerating in Eastern Europe”.The year 2007 also marked the 10 th anniversary of UNAIDS. After a difficult ‘birth’ and firstfew years, UNAIDS is now fully accepted as part of the United Nations ‘family’ and thedevelopment world generally. In a highly symbolic move, the UNAIDS Secretariat now hasits own headquarters in Geneva, a new building shared with the World Health Organization,thanks to the support of the Swiss Confederation.The year 2007 markedthe 10th anniversary ofUNAIDS. The UNAIDSSecretariat now has itsown headquarters inGeneva, a new buildingshared with the WHO,thanks to the support ofthe Swiss Confederation.Stone sculpture infront ‘Eradication’ byZimbabwean sculptorMike MunyaradziUNAIDS/N.GouiranPiot explained: “For the first seven to eight years, I had to justify our existence almost daily.It was very destabilizing”.The future changing aspects of the epidemic will present UNAIDS and the internationalcommunity with new and varied challenges as they respond to and seek to reverse theepidemic. The following pages identify some probable challenges and summarise some ofthe achievements of the last ten years.