It is important to reaffirm the central role of the family, bearing in mind that in different cultural, social and political systems various forms of the family exist, in reducing vulnerability to HIV, inter alia in educating and guiding children, and take account of cultural, religious and ethical factors in reducing the vulnerability of children and young people by ensuring access of both girls and boys to primary and secondary education, including HIV and AIDS in curricula for adolescents, ensuring safe and secure environments especially for young girls and boys to primary and secondary education, including HIV and AIDS in curricula for adolescents, ensuring safe and secure environments especially for young girls, expanding good-quality youth-friendly information and sexual health education and counseling services, strengthening reproductive and sexual health programmes, and involving families and young people in planning, implementing and evaluating HIV and AIDS prevention and care programmes, to the extent possible.
To address as a priority the vulnerabilities faced by children and their families, women and the elderly, particularly in their role as caregivers; promoting child oriented HIV/AIDS policies and programmes and increased protection for children orphaned and affected by HIV/AIDS; ensuring access to treatment and intensifying efforts to develop new treatments for children; and building, where needed, and supporting the social security systems that protect them.
Note with alarm the rise in the incidence of HIV among people who inject drugs and that, despite continuing increased efforts by all relevant stakeholders, the drug problem continues to constitute a serious threat to, among other things, public health and safety and the well-being of humanity, in particular children and young people and their families, and recognize that much more needs to be done to effectively combat the world drug problem.
Welcome the leadership and commitment shown in every aspect of the HIV and AIDS response by Governments, people living with HIV, political and community leaders, parliaments, regional and sub regional organizations, communities, families, faith-based organizations, scientists, health professionals, donors, the philanthropic community , work-forces, the business sector, civil society and the media.
Recognize that agrarian economies are heavily affected by HIV and AIDS, which debilitate their communities and families with negative consequences for poverty eradication, that people die prematurely from AIDS because, inter alia, poor nutrition exacerbates the impact of HIV on the immune system and compromises its ability to respond to opportunistic infections and diseases, and that HIV treatment, including anti-retroviral treatment, should be complemented with adequate food and nutrition.
Reaffirm that the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is an essential element in the global response to the HIV epidemic, including in the areas of prevention, treatment, care and support, recognize that addressing stigma and discrimination against people living with, presumed to be living with, or affected by HIV, including their families, is also a critical element in combating the global HIV epidemic, and recognize also the need, as appropriate, to strengthen national policies and legislation to address such stigma and discrimination.
Recognize that close cooperation with people living with HIV and populations at higher risk of HIV infection will facilitate the achievement of a more effective HIV and AIDS response, and emphasize that people living with and affected by HIV, including their families, should enjoy equal participation in social, economic and cultural activities, without prejudice and discrimination, and that they should have equal access to health care and community support as all members of the community.
Recognize that access to sexual and reproductive health has been and continues to be essential for HIV and AIDS response and that Government has the responsibility to provide for public health, with special attention to families, women and children.
Commit to develop and implement strategies to improve infant HIV diagnosis, including through access to diagnostics at point-of-care, significantly increase and improve access to treatment for children and adolescent living with HIV, including access to prophylaxis and treatments for opportunistic infections, as well as increased support to children and adolescents through increased financial, social and moral support for their parents, families and legal guardians, and promote a smooth transition from pediatric to young adult treatment and related support and services.
Commit to national HIV and AIDS strategies that promote and protect human rights, including programmes aimed at eliminating stigma and discrimination against people living with and affected by HIV including their families, including through sensitizing the policies and judges, training health-care workers in non-discrimination, confidentiality and informed consent, supporting national human rights learning campaigns, legal literacy services, as well as monitoring the impact of the legal environment on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
Commit to encouraging and supporting the active involvement and leadership of young people, including in communities, families, schools, tertiary institutions, recreation centers and workplaces.
Commit to strengthen national social and child protection systems and care and support programmes for children, in particular for the girl child, and adolescents affected by and vulnerable to HIV, as well as their families and caregivers, including through the provision of equal opportunities to support the development to full potential of orphans and other children affected by and living with HIV, especially through equal access to education, the creation of safe and non-discriminatory learning environments, supportive legal systems and protections, including civil registration systems, and provision of comprehensive information and support to children and their families and caregivers, especially age-appropriate HIV information to assist children living with HIV as they transition through adolescence, consistent with their evolving capacities