Building an AIDS-free future in Africa

ADDIS ABEBA (ILO News) – With 24.7 million people living with HIV in Africa, the 54 countries should accelerate the implementation of their commitment to ending AIDS, urged a new advocacy brief published by the ILO AIDS and UNAIDS. Both UN specialized agencies urge African leaders to:

• integrate the goals of Ending AIDS and Ending Poverty with the goals of eliminating inequality and discrimination;
• scale up investments to effectively address the structural factors – economic, social and legal—that fuel the spread of HIV and perpetuate extreme poverty and inequality;
• respond to the need for universal access to HIV-sensitive social protection – so that services may truly reach the poorest and most marginalized households and communities, especially those engaged in the informal economy.

"Only by including those most vulnerable and ensuring their equal access to decent employment and social protection can we build an AIDS-free future in Africa", stressed the agencies adding that "the HIV burden in Africa remains unacceptably high".

Africa accounts for 71 per cent of the 35.3 million people living with HIV worldwide, 71 per cent of new HIV infections and 74 per cent of AIDS-related deaths, yet, three out of five persons living with HIV still lack access to treatment on the continent.

African leaders have committed to integrating HIV and AIDS into youth and women's employment policies and programmes. They have also committed to integrating HIV responses into social protection programmes. Moreover, Heads of State and Government have committed to addressing HIV and AIDS in the context of labour migration.

Translating commitments to actions

While there is 19% reduction in new infections in Sub-Saharan Africa, new infections are increasing in North Africa. Alarmingly, more than half of all adults in the Africa region do not know their HIV status.

The gender dimensions of the epidemic are starkly apparent and women in the region are highly vulnerable to HIV. In particular, young women (15-24) have double the rate of new HIV infections compared to their male counterparts.

Therefore, it is imperative to ensure effective and sustainable responses to HIV and AIDS in the Africa region through pragmatic policies targeting social protection, youth and women's employment as well as labour migration.

The goal of ending AIDS by 2030 is fully achievable in Africa, but requires high-level political commitment and action from Africa's leaders.

The African Union has a vital role to play in supporting coordination and collaboration among member States in charting a sustainable path to decent work, poverty eradication and inclusive development for all African nations in partnership with other regional and international stakeholders, concludes the ILO/UNAIDS advocacy brief.