UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative United Nations partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. It is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated action on the HIV epidemic committed to work towards the vision of Zero New Infections, Zero Discrimination, and Zero AIDS-related Deaths.

Established in 1994 by a resolution of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and launched in January 1996, UNAIDS is guided by a Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) with representatives of 22 governments, the UNAIDS Cosponsors, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations, including associations of people living with HIV.

The mission of UNAIDS is to lead, strengthen and support an expanded response to HIV and AIDS that includes preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support to those already living with the virus, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV, and alleviating the impact of the epidemic.

Leveraging the HIV response, UNAIDS works to build political action and to promote the rights of all people for better results for global health and development. Globally, it sets policy and is the source of HIV-related data. In countries, UNAIDS brings together the resources of the UNAIDS Secretariat and 11 UN system organizations for coordinated and accountable efforts to unite the world against AIDS.

In Ukraine, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is present since 1996. UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Ukraine is Mr. Jacek Tyszko.

UNAIDS Division of Labour in Ukraine

The UNAIDS Division of Labour is a framework developed by the UNAIDS Secretariat and the UNAIDS Cosponsor Agencies to strengthen the overall work of the UNAIDS as a programme and to improve the UN system’s delivery of results through strengthening joint working and maximizing partnerships.

The Division of Labour for Ukraine reflects the specific situation in the country, and takes into account Ukraine’s specific needs and priorities. It provides with a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of each UNAIDS Cosponsor Agency, and explains how the UN will provide technical support for Ukraine in the effective implementation of its National AIDS Programme and for achieving the National Targets for Universal Access.

The Division of Labour contributes to the effectiveness and efficiency of the UN collective response as it based on the respective strengths and a rational sharing of tasks identifies the UNAIDS Cosponsor Agency responsible for the coordination of each Area of Division of Labour. The Division of Labour reaffirms the principles of:

• National ownership and country priorities, enabling flexibility and differentiation of the Division of Labour at the country level;
• Partnering for results, to unify and promote integration and synergy among the partner agencies to collectively deliver specific results and to strengthen partnerships, communication and the overall work of the Joint UN Programme of Support ; and
• Mutual accountability of UNAIDS Cosponsors and the UNAIDS Secretariat, as an essential precondition for maximizing the impact of the Joint UN Programme of Support and as a key driver for better results.

To avoid duplication, UNAIDS Cosponsors have outlined their contribution to each area in which they are a convener or/and a partner. The UNAIDS Secretariat’s role and responsibilities focus on issues of leadership; overall coherence, cohesion and coordination across all the Areas of Division of Labour; and mutual accountability of the UNAIDS family for results.

In Ukraine, there are five identified Areas of Division of Labour through which the UNAIDS technical support will be provided. For each of these areas, the Division of Labour has named a Convener and Members of the Division of Labour Team, reflecting the mandates and comparative advantages of the respective UNAIDS Cosponsor Agencies.

The five Areas of Division of Labour for Ukraine are as follows:

1. Protect drug users from becoming infected with HIV and ensure access to comprehensive HIV services for people in prisons and other closed settings
2. Reduce sexual transmission
3. Prevent mothers from dying and babies from becoming infected with HIV
4. Ensure that people living with HIV receive treatment and are prevented of dying from TB
5. Remove punitive laws, policies, practices, stigma and discrimination that block effective responses to AIDS

The additional, cross-cutting area is to focus on the support to strategic, prioritized, and costed multi-sectoral national AIDS plans and their operationalization.

The Convener - either a UNAIDS Cosponsor Agency/Agencies or the UNAIDS Secretariat, serves as an entry point for the Government and other country-level stakeholders to acquire support within the particular Area of Division of Labour. The Convener is primarily responsible for coordinating the provision and/or facilitation of the support in that area, but the Members of the Division of Labour Team also contribute to it by their mandates and specific expertise.