Report of the UNAIDS Leadership Transition Working Group

The UNAIDS Leadership Transition Working Group was convened in July 2008 by GEG and the Center for Global Development as an independent ad hoc panel with the mandate to formulate a set of recommendations for the next executive director and the governing Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS.

Sparked by the question do we need UNAIDS?, the working group agreed that there are important reasons for UNAIDS to continue. First, the nature of HIV/AIDS – its relationship to issues of human rights and political marginalization and its profound and multisectoral determinants and consequences – calls for a response above and beyond many past responses to health conditions. Second, the commitments at national and global levels to support the response to HIV and AIDS must be fuli lled, and UNAIDS is uniquely positioned – as a special part of the United Nations – to ensure this. Third, given its engagement with both UN member states and civil society, UNAIDS can promote prevention, care, and treatment approaches based on both scientific evidence and respect for human rights.

Read the report in full – UNAIDS: Preparing for the Future.