UNAIDS Secretariat

Overview

The UNAIDS Secretariat, in concert with Cosponsors, drives the global HIV response and mobilizes political commitment and resources. It ensures coordinated strategic focus, effective functioning and accountability across the Joint Programme’s work to support countries and communities in reaching the objectives and global AIDS targets of the 2021–2026 Global AIDS Strategy and the 2021 UN General Assembly Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.

Using an inequalities lens, the UNAIDS Secretariat advocates for global health and social justice including equitable access to HIV services, empowers communities and improves the enabling environment and the sustainability of the HIV response.

Various Secretariat Functions detail the core role and responsibilities of the Secretariat to deliver results through contributing to all Result Areas to achieve the Joint Programme three outcomes (as defined in UNAIDS Unified Budget, Results & Accountability Framework (UBRAF) and save lives in collaboration with convening Cosponsors according to the UNAIDS Division of Labour.

S1. Leadership, advocacy and communication

S1: Engage political and community leaders, high-level platforms, activists, other champions and key stakeholders to address the multisectoral nature of the global AIDS epidemic, reduce inequalities and reach the end of AIDS as a public health threat and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

S2. Partnerships, mobilization, and innovation

S2: Enhance political will, convene strategic initiatives and partnerships, and foster mobilization of sustainable resources. Provide thought leadership, advocacy, knowledge management, and guidance, tools and support for a rights-based, gender transformative AIDS response–– including through innovative and community-led approaches.

S3. Strategic information

S3: Collect pertinent data from countries and report progress towards global HIV response targets. Lead the HIV response tracking and reporting. Enhance countries’ strategic information capacities on the AIDS epidemic and response and guide the reduction of HIV-related inequalities.

S4. Coordination, convening and country implementation support

S4: Work with countries and communities to strengthen national mechanisms for effective coordination and coherence. Support inclusive and sustainable national HIV responses to reduce inequalities and end AIDS as a public health threat through UN Joint Teams on AIDS in countries and other global and regional interagency mechanisms.

S5. Governance and mutual accountability

S5: Mobilize, facilitate and support Member States’ and other PCB stakeholders’ equal and effective engagement in governance of the Joint Programme and in its contribution to the implementation of the Global AIDS Strategy and the 2030 Agenda. Lead the Joint Programme’s mutual accountability mechanisms for results and resources, evidence-informed decision-making, evaluations and transparency to enhance its impact.

UNAIDS Secretariat Performance

In 2024, the UNAIDS Secretariat ensured coordinated strategic focus, effective functioning and accountability across the Joint Programme’s work to support countries and communities in reaching the objectives and global AIDS targets.

Sustained political commitment and advocacy to achieve the Global AIDS Strategy targets. HIV reflected in 16 high-level political meetings and outcome documents, including the UN General Assembly’s Annual Review of HIV, a groundbreaking Human Rights Council’s Resolution on Human Rights in the Context of HIV recognizing the human rights of key populations, an historic reference to harm reduction in a Resolution on Drug Policy of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on the Status of Women Resolution on Women, the Girl Child and HIV.
Mid-term review of the Global AIDS Strategy and new targets by 2030 highlighted progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat and key gaps that require urgent action.
State-of the art strategic information guided the global response, including updated HIV estimates, available across 172 countries. 140 countries submitted a report against Global AIDS Monitoring indicators.
Stronger political commitments, a new framework and guidance to countries for urgent action to accelerate sustainability of HIV response.
Evidence-informed national HIV strategic plans and effective partnerships catalysed, including with Global Fund and PEPFAR.
Successfully coordinated UN support for effective HIV responses in over 80 countries.
Convened global strategic initiatives to accelerate action especially for prevention, education, stigma & discrimination and AIDS in children. For example, the 38 Global HIV Prevention Coalition focus countries boosted HIV combination prevention programmes and investments. The Global Partnership for Action to Eliminate All Forms of HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination guided and led to concrete action in 41 countries.
Coordinated and leveraged the UN convening power for inclusive and meaningful dialogue and partnerships with communities, governments, and other key stakeholders, including close synergies with Global Fund & PEPFAR for effective country support.
Fostered expansion of community-led HIV responses in more than 79 countries.
Improved access to HIV and other health services, including new technologies for all, as well as human rights and gender equality championed for an effective HIV response.
Ensured strong governance and accountability mechanisms, including UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board and its External Oversight Advisory Committee, updated UNAIDS Results and Transparency portal and 90% of evaluations consistently implemented and recommendations tracked.
Resources mobilization intensified and steps taken to ensure a more resilient and fit-for-purpose Joint Programme.

In direct response to a fast-changing landscape, from a shifting geopolitical context to shrinking resources for the global AIDS response and UNAIDS, early 2025, UNAIDS launched a bold transformation to sustain progress and end AIDS by 2030 informed by the work of a High-Level Panel on a resilient and fit-for-purpose UNAIDS Joint Programme in the context of the sustainability of the HIV response. In a moment for global solidarity, UNAIDS’ transformation is about supporting countries in the most efficient and cost-effective way to protect the critical gains made in stopping new HIV infections and preventing AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS will continue to support countries in monitoring their epidemics and making strategic investments for HIV prevention and treatment, as well as addressing human rights and policy barriers. It will convene partners, engage communities and stand with people living with and affected by HIV.