| UNAIDS is the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. It is the leading advocate for global action on HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS brings together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations to help prevent new HIV infections, care for those already infected and mitigate the impact of the epidemic. UNAIDS aims to help mount and support an expanded response - one that engages the efforts of many sectors and partners from government and civil society. Partner agencies include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and World Bank. Based in Geneva, the UNAIDS secretariat works on the ground inmore than 75 countries. | | | | Major Projects in the Pacific Sub region | An estimated 74,000 people in Oceania are living with HIV. Although less than 4000 people are believed to have died of AIDS in 2005, about 8200 are thought to have become newly infected with HIV. Among young people 15-24 years of age, an estimated 1.2% of women and 0.4% of men are living with HIV in 2005. HIV infections have now been reported in every country or territory in Oceania, with the exception of Niue and Tokelau. Although the epidemics are still in their early stages in most places, preventive efforts need to be stepped up. More than 90% of the 11200 HIV infections reported across the 21 Pacific Island countries and territories by end-2004 were recorded in Papua New Guinea where an AIDS epidemic is now in full swing. | | | | UN Pacific HIV/AIDS Strategy: | Priority objectives of the UNAIDS in the Pacific is closely aligned with the 3 main components of the Pacific Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS 2004-2008. - To increase capacity of Pacific Island Countries to achieve sustainable response to HIV/AIDS;
- To strengthen coordination of the regional level response to mobilize resources and expertise to help countries achieve their targets; and
- To assist Pacific Island Countries to achieve and report on their national and international targets in response to HIV/AIDS
UNAIDS Pacific works through the UNAIDS Team based in Fiji and Samoa to provide technical and funding support to national HIV/AIDS coordinating bodies and NGOs working in the HIV/AIDS field to implement national HIV/AIDS policies and strategies. UNAIDS has special initiatives working with some of the most vulnerable communities in the Pacific, including uniformed personnel, men who have sex with men, commercial and tranactional sex workers and intravenous drug users. |
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