Transforming Our World: Comments from CSOs No 1: Response of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

On Sunday night August 2nd, the finalized post-2015 Agenda and sustainable development goals which will be signed off by Heads of State at the SDG Summit in September was adopted followed by a standing ovation at the UN and a lot of emotion in the room.  A truly historic moment where 193 countries of the world agreed on how to ensure a better future for humanity. 

A time to celebrate all the work we have done together as civil society over the past three years advocating for our  issues,  starting with the UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel Report, followed by the UN Open Working Group’s Outcome Document, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and finally, the post-2015 “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. While the adopted document might not include all the issues we fought very hard to obtain until the end (for example explicit attention to the rights and needs of LGBTI people, comprehensive sexuality education and sexual rights), a large number of strong and historic commitments have been made that the world can be held accountable for in the coming fifteen years: 

• A commitment to universal human rights
• A commitment to leaving no one behind and reaching the most vulnerable and most in need
• A commitment to ending AIDS
• A commitment to achieving quality universal health coverage
• A commitment to achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights
• A commitment to achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment
• A commitment to empower people living with HIV and AIDS 
• A commitment to the social, economic and political inclusion of all
• A commitment to reducing inequalities of outcome and eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices

This agenda is truly universal. It applies to high-income, middle-income and low-income countries alike. There is a large emphasis throughout the document on achieving equality, empowerment of all citizens and inclusiveness.  Governments have agreed on a systematic  follow-up and review at the national, regional and global levels in relation to the progress made in implementing the goals and targets over the coming fifteen years to support accountability to the world’s citizens.  Each country will decide how these aspirational and global targets as well as the global indicators currently being developed by the UN Statistical Commission will be incorporated into future national planning processes, policies and strategies and how they will guide country-specific progress. 

It is crucial to engage in this process. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides us with a powerful advocacy tool to asks our governments the right questions:

1. What national prevention and treatment targets will  need to be set in the country to achieve the end of AIDS?
2. What political and legal measures will need to be taken to reach the most marginalized (all of them!) and protect their human rights?
3. What needs to be in place to achieve universal health coverage?
4. Which accountability mechanisms need to be in place to ensure full and meaningful participation of civil society to hold government to account?

The work has not  yet been done. The coming year gives us additional opportunities to advocate for a continued strong commitment to ending AIDS and to leaving no one behind. The first ever UNGASS on Drugs, the  next High Level Meeting on AIDS and the IAS 2016 will all be crucial for ensuring that the commitments made in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the new UNAIDS, Global Fund and WHO HIV strategies and guidelines are translated into concrete plans, targets and funding.