UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ANNUAL DEBATE ON FOLLOW-UP TO AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HIV/AIDS POLITICAL DECLARATION
12 June 2023
Statement by H.E. The Hon Mitch Fifield, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Australian Mission to the United Nations
Australia really welcomes the encouraging gains in the fight against HIV and AIDS that are highlighted in the Secretary General’s Report. AIDS-related deaths have declined by 68% since they peaked in 2004 and new infections by more than 50% since 1996. The global roll-out of HIV treatment has averted an estimated 16.5 million AIDS‑related deaths between 2001 and 2020.
This brings the response closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. However, as the Report shows, there is still much to be done.
AIDS claimed a life every minute in 2021, and it remains the fourth leading cause of death in Africa. Some earlier gains have stalled, and the overall pace of progress against the AIDS pandemic is slowing.
In our neighbourhood, Asia and the Pacific, last year alone there were six million people living with HIV, with infection rates rising for the first time in decades. So more must be done if we are to end AIDS by 2030.
Multiple factors—including stigma and discrimination, and social, economic and gender inequalities—continue to put key populations everywhere, and women and adolescent girls especially at heightened risk of HIV infection.
Australia has a long history of good support and action on HIV, and is proud to have played a key role in reinvigorating the global AIDS response. With Namibia, Australia co-facilitated the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, with its ambitious targets to guide the response. That is personally one of the most important ventures I've been involved with during my time here in New York.
Domestically, we have taken a cooperative and collaborative approach to reducing the transmission of HIV, delivering effective treatment of HIV and AIDS and minimising social and personal impacts. Supporting human rights, involving key populations, and addressing stigma and discrimination, are key elements of Australia’s response.
This approach has worked well - AIDS is considered virtually eliminated in Australia, and the transmission rate of HIV is among the lowest in the world. HIV has been virtually eliminated among people who inject drugs, sex workers and from mother to child, and community driven interventions and publicly funded health care have significantly contributed to achieving these results.
Australia is committed to working with global partners to eliminate AIDS, as well as fighting the inequality faced by those living with HIV. In 2022 we renewed our multi-year partnership with UNAIDS, and committed $266 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. A shoutout to UNAIDS in the side gallery today, and I acknowledge the tremendous work that they do. I should also mention that we provide direct support to Pacific and Southeast Asian countries for communicable disease prevention, treatment and control.
In March this year, our Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong announced Australia's first dedicated fund to support LGBTI civil society organisations and human rights defenders in addressing social stigma and legal discrimination.
This is the first step towards a dedicated LGBTI human rights engagement strategy – including bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, development and humanitarian assistance. And, next month, Australia will also host the International AIDS Society Conference.
We are alarmed that it’s becoming more difficult to reach consensus on the issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights and ending stigma and discrimination of key populations – as these issues at the very heart of an effective HIV-response.
We simply cannot meet the targets without compassion, understanding, respect and partnership with key populations; not just because it’s the decent thing to do, but because it’s proven to be the most effective approach.
We have the tools to address this epidemic and we know what works: partnerships between governments, affected communities, researchers and clinicians, together with evidence-based programs targeting key populations.
We must galvanise all our efforts – governments, international organisations, civil society, and affected communities – so that together, we can end AIDS by 2030.