On December 1, 2015, World AIDS Day, the Government of Flanders reaffirms its support for the global fight against HIV and AIDS. For many years, Flanders has been working to contain this disease and it intends to continue its efforts in the years to come.
Flanders is partner of the leading UN agency for the coordinated fight against AIDS, called UNAIDS, and donates 3 million euro (2015 - 2018) for the fight against HIV in the eight worst-affected countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
The fight against HIV is also included in the Flemish development cooperation and the bilateral cooperation with countries of Southern Africa. Since 2014 the Government has approved three grants for a total value of 3.5 million euro to projects which principal objective is the fight against the HIV virus.
The government also looks at the bigger picture, being sexual and reproductive health. The Special Programme for Research in Human Reproduction of the World Health Organization - until recently led by Professor Marleen Temmerman – will receive 1.5 million euro Flemish support over the next two years. Next to HIV, this programme also does important research on combatting the high maternal and infant mortality rates, on controversial topics such as access to safe abortion, adolescents' access to information and services related to sexual and reproductive health. The Flemish development cooperation also pays attention to this aspect of healthcare.
Effort and resources are also put into the development of new prevention methods. The Government supports the International Partnership for Microbicides with an amount of 150,000 euros. This partnership works around the development and testing of a vaginal ring with an HIV-killing substance, called a microbicide. This will give (young) women – the group most effected by HIV in sub-Saharan Africa – a new weapon to protect themselves from infection.
The end of AIDS by 2030 is one of the ambitious Sustainable Development goals of the UN. The foreign policy and the development cooperation of Flanders strives to achieve this goal.
WHO - Sexual and reproductive health programme
