Noticias

Simón Cazal, in representation of the Latin American region in the NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS PCB, participated on the high-level panel during the virtual consultation on the UNAIDS 2016-2021 strategy, accompanied by activists of SOMOSGAY. The specific objective of the meeting was to create a space for regional debate to discuss the input obtained throughout the regional surveys and other subregional consultations and provide recommendations to upgrade the overall 2016-2021 strategy of UNAIDS.

The panel was composed by Ambassador María Cristina Perceval, Representative of the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations, Dr. Mirta Roses, Member of the Board of the Global Fund representing the Latin America and the Caribbean region and Dr. Rafael Mazin, Senior Advisor for HIV, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis and STI for PAHO-WHO, among other experts. The Consultation allowed an open space for dialogue with all partners in the region on what must change to meet the 90-90-90 goals by 2020, decide on what the regional priorities of UNAIDS should focus in during the upcoming years and provide input for the Global Consultation on the strategy, to be held in Geneva in April 2015.

"When analyzing all countries in the region, it is important to recognize the disparities in developing countries in Latin America. I get to speak now as a citizen of Paraguay, one of the countries with the highest economic growth in the region, but at the same time, one of the most deficient as to guarantee human rights, universal protection and services in general” said Simon Cazal during his presentation. "Confronting homophobia as a public health problem is, undoubtedly, one of the unresolved matters of our responses to HIV. If we do not address this scourge, we will be building on a foundation of quicksand and nothing will be durable. SOMOSGAY urges no fear of mentioning homophobia as a problem” reaffirmed Cazal.

Participants of the consultation also had the opportunity to send inquiries and questions via social networks, so that panelists could respond to these during the live transmission, in real time.

ABOUT THE VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS

The years between 2016 and 2021 provide the global community a brief window of opportunity in which to significantly bend the curve of the epidemic. This is why UNAIDS is holding two virtual consultations, each at crucial stages in the process of designing the new strategy, providing the participants with the opportunity to reflect on an early draft of the strategy.

More info: http://www.unaidsstrategy2021.org/