Thank you Mr/Madam Chairperson,
The Swedish government very much welcomes the discussion on HIV/Aids at this years CPD meeting since HIV/Aids is one of the most serious challenges today, affecting so many sectors of society. Sweden focused at an early stage of our analysis on HIV/Aids as a broad development issue. This was clear in the strategy developed in 1999 outlining Sweden's International Response to HIV/Aids and is also part of Sweden's new Policy for Global Development. The broad political consensus in the Swedish Parliament regarding the work with HIV/Aids and sexual and reproductive health and rights has enabled us to pursue a common, broad-based and strong policy on these issues for many years.
The Swedish government has placed sexual and reproductive health and rights and the fight against HIV/Aids at the top of our development agenda and it is a strategic priority in our bilateral cooperation. To strengthen coordination and implementation of our development-related HIV/Aids work the Swedish Government has appointed an HIV/Aids-ambassador. We have also set up an HIV/Aids secretariat within our development agency in Stockholm and have strengthened our field presence through a regional HIV/Aids team in Lusaka and regional HIV/Aids advisors in New Delhi and Phnom Penh.
Together with UNFPA, Sweden is hosting a high-level meeting next week in Stockholm on Poverty, the MDGs and Reproductive Health and Rights. It will be a strategic meeting to ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights are reflected in the High-level meeting on the follow-up of the Millennium Declaration. The Swedish Government supports the proposal in the Millennium Project Report to use the ICPD-goal of universal access to sexual and reproductive health as a target for the MDG 5 on improving maternal health.
Achieving all the MDGs, especially the goals on poverty eradication, maternal health, child mortality, gender equality and HIV/Aids, will require an increase of available resources for sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV/Aids. The Swedish Government has substantially increased financial support to UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNIFEM the Global Fund against HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and IPPF. Sweden also gives financial support to UNAIDS' special initiative: the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS. Increased research cooperation on HIV/Aids is a central part of Sweden's efforts, including development of new technologies concerning vaccines, microbicides and female condoms.A broad approach is essential to halt the pandemic and underlines the need to integrate the agendas of HIV/Aids and sexual and reproductive health and rights. HIV/Aids prevention is about changing attitudes and behavior, increasing knowledge through sexuality education, and ensuring access for all to sexual and reproductive health information, care and services. We see condom programming and commodity security as vital components of a broad prevention strategy.
In our view, programs that focus on abstinence do not provide participants with comprehensive knowledge, but rather reduce their opportunities to protect themselves against HIV/Aids as well as other sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Our experience demonstrates that young persons can make responsible choices regarding their sexuality if we ensure that they have the correct information and are empowered to do so. Young persons should be involved in the design and implementation of programs that concern them.
We believe that real progress in the fight against HIV/Aids can best be achieved if all persons, regardless of sex, class, ethnic background, sexual orientation, or physical disabilities, can enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Women must have the right to decide if, when and with whom they have sex. We have seen very positive outcomes of programs focusing on men and boys. Another vital part of the rights-based agenda is the right to non-discrimination for persons living with HIV/Aids. Involving persons living with HIV/Aids strengthens the design and implementation of programs.
We have to find ways to mitigate the impact of the epidemic. In our view there is a need to develop competence and capacity, especially at the national level, to assess the impact and long-term consequences of the epidemic for use in the responses in all sectors of society. Sweden, in partnership with other development actors, is prepared to both directly and indirectly contribute to strengthening the health sectors and increasing the availability of trained health personnel in poor countries, especially those worst affected by HIV/Aids.
The dialogue with representatives of the civil society in developing countries is of key importance to the Swedish Government, including organizations and networks of persons living with HIV/Aids. Civil society organizations are in many countries important actors when it comes to delivering services. They also have crucial roles to advocate and raise public awareness, including on issues of stigmatization and exclusion. We support and salute their efforts.
Thank you.