The Joint United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immuno deficiency Syndrome
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is the joint programme of the United Nations system that coordinates international efforts to combat the spread of HIV infection and AIDS.
UNAIDS' core activities are aimed at supporting countries in implementing effective HIV prevention measures, ensuring access to treatment and care, reducing stigma and discrimination, and achieving the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat.
UNAIDS' key activities include:
• providing technical and expert support to countries in developing and implementing national HIV response programmes;
• promoting increased access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and medical care for people living with HIV;
• collecting and analyzing data on the spread of HIV infection, preparing analytical materials and recommendations;
The governing body of UNAIDS is the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB). The Council consists of 22 voting member states, representatives of the UNAIDS international co-sponsoring organizations, and a number of specialized NGOs as observers.
The Republic of Belarus collaborates with UNAIDS to implement national approaches to HIV prevention and treatment, as well as to improve the system of care for people living with HIV.
This collaboration is coordinated by government agencies, primarily the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, in collaboration with UN agencies and other stakeholders.
Through its collaboration with UNAIDS, Belarus receives expert, informational, and methodological support, participates in the international exchange of experience, and utilizes the Organization's recommendations in improving national mechanisms for the response to HIV infection.
The main areas of collaboration are:
• improving preventive measures aimed at preventing new cases of HIV infection;
• developing a system of HIV testing and counseling;
• increasing the availability of antiretroviral therapy and medical support.
The Republic of Belarus was elected to the UNAIDS PCB as the representative of the regional group of countries representing Eastern Europe and Central Asia in 2017–2019, 2020–2022, and 2023–2025.
Representatives of the Republic of Belarus participated in regular and special sessions of the PCB, which addressed issues of strategic planning, financing, and evaluation of UNAIDS.
The Republic of Belarus's collaboration with UNAIDS facilitates the application of international experience in HIV prevention and treatment, the development of a national response to the epidemic, and the achievement of the goals of the global HIV/AIDS strategy.
