* Updated 23/04/09
 
 
New members for the Commission

With the passing of Commission on AIDS in the Pacific Chairman – Dr. Senipisi Langi Kavaliku in November 2008 we weclome two news members.
They are Honourable Misa Telefoni (HT) Retzlaff MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Commerce, Samoa and Honourable Dame Carol Kidu CBE, MP, Minister of Community Development, Papua New Guinea.

Dr. Kavaliku will continue as the posthumuous Chairman of the Commission. He was a gentle and wise leader who encouraged us all to work in a way which “enhanced the capabilities of Pacific peoples to lead free and worthwhile lives” – words that he used many times during his chairmanship of the AIDS Commission.

Click here to read more about the new Commission members

Latest News

Launching in New York

(LtoR) Prasada Rao, UNAIDS Regional Director for Asia and Pacific, Honourable Misa Telefoni Retzlaff, Chairman of the Commission on AIDS in the Pacific, Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secetrary-General and Maire Bopp Dumont representative of PLHIV community at the launch of the report of AIDS in the Pacific at the United Nations in New York on 2 December 2009 Credit: B.Hamilton

Good Practises

The Commission on AIDS in the Pacific would like to highlight in its report the many good practices in the region that are being used to respond to HIV.  These could relate to:

HIV prevention;
Access to treatment
Care and support for people affected by HIV
Responding to stigma and discrimination
Responding to gender or income inequalities
Protecting the rights of vulnerable and at risk populations
Innovative partnerships between groups capacity building
Policy or legal reform
Health sector strengthening
Responding to STIs

The report will not be able to include all good practices included, but is considering including all in the technical annex of the report.
Please complete the attached template and email to Tracey Newbury on newburyt@unaids.org by Friday 24 April.

 

Research Work Begins
 Part of the AIDS Commission’s objectives is to identify research gaps and commission research and report the findings of those researches. Towards this end, two research papers have been commissioned.
The Burnet Institute has been awarded research piece 1: “Review and synthesis of data to describe the current status, trends and future projections of the HIV epidemic in the Pacific region”
The University of New South Wales has undertaken research on: “The Effectiveness of Financing and Aid Coordination in Responding to the HIV Epidemic in the Pacific Region”
A further two papers will be contracted on:
• How AIDS interacts with the Four Pillars of the Pacific Forum’s Pacific Plan: economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security
• How to secure and sustain the meaningful involvement of communities
The Terms of Reference on all of the Commission research work can be viewed here

Read more in the media/publications section.
Asia Commission Lessons

The principle mandate of the Commission is to conduct an objective analysis of the present epidemiological status of AIDS in the Pacific after 20 odd years.

It will look at the medium to long term implications of AIDS on the health, social and economic environments of people, communities and the impact and developmental consequences of the AIDS epidemic in the Pacific. (see full Terms of Reference)

UNAIDS is providing financial support for the Commission and serving as the Secretariat, through the Regional Support Team in Bangkok and the UNAIDS Pacific office in Fiji.

The Commission is fully cognizant of the great efforts undertaken by the governments; civil societies; donor partners, and regional and international organizations and how much these efforts have benefited the countries and people of the Pacific.

The Commission also recognizes the work of the Pacific Forum and the mandate with which it has tasked the Pacific community via its Secretariat, SPC.

In undertaking this independent review, the Commission hopes to provide various strategies which may, after due considerations by governments, civil societies, development partners and regional and international agencies be of assistance in each Pacific Island country as they continue to move forward to achieve national and regional goals.

It is our hope also that the Commission's work will support the Pacific Forum , the Pacific Community and civil society organisations and other partners to meet the Pacific leaders vision as per the Auckland Declaration - the enhancement of capabilities of people "to lead free and worthwhile lives".
The AIDS pandemic is having enormous health, social and economic consequences.

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