92% of people infected with HIV/AIDS live in developing countries, two thirds of them in Sub-Sahara Africa. During a 2006 UN High-Level Meeting, donors committed themselves to achieve universal access to prevention, therapy and care by 2010. The same assembly met this month to take stock of the progress made and to look at the challenges ahead.A recent civil society report (in German) assesses the German contribution towards this UN goal. According to the authors, the German government showed considerable efforts regarding the further development of strategies and concepts against HIV/AIDS. Furthermore the report mentions the stronger consideration of civil society contributions and the improved civil society dialogue. It is especially positive regarding the German engagement regarding gender mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS concepts and progress in formulating an EU declaration against the enticement of health workers from developing countries.
Nonetheless, the report criticizes the gap between political declarations and actions. Germany's financial support for general health and HIV/AIDS programmes is still behind its obligations and below average by international comparison. Furthermore there is incoherency with German trade policy (i.e. patent rights).
The civil society report calls for stronger financial contributions to health systems in general and specifically HIV/AIDS therapy, prevention and care.
by Martin Behrens
Read more (in German) about Germany's policy on HIV/AIDS.
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