"....to leave no one behind...."
"Ensuring that no one is left behind means closing the gap between........, the people who are protected and the people who are punished."
18 Jul 2014Ending the AIDS epidemic.
Ending the AIDS epidemic—four words that hold such hope and promise. Four words that represent more than 30 years of devastation, struggle and loss.
The AIDS epidemic brought the world to its knees before bringing people to their feet.
Activism and research led to one of the most effective global movements of this generation. Global commitment and clear goals paved the way for countries at the start of the AIDS response. Then resources, innovation and communities accelerated its progress.
So much so that today we can say these words with confidence: ending the AIDS epidemic is possible.
There will be no ending AIDS without putting people first, without ensuring that people living with and affected by the epidemic are part of a new movement. Without a people-centred approach, we will not go far in the post-2015 era.
Even though we have seen new HIV infections drop by 38% since 2001, there were 2.1 million people newly infected in 2013. There are also 22 million people who are not accessing life-saving treatment.
How do we close the gap between the people moving forward and the people being left behind?
This was the question we set out to answer in the UNAIDS Gap report. Similar to the Global report, the goal of the Gap report is to provide the best possible data, but, in addition, to give information and analysis on the people being left behind.
Michel Sidibé
