UNICEF is committed to increasing access to quality prevention services, testing, treatment, care and support for children, adolescents and pregnant women. UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022–2025 prioritizes fast-tracking the end of AIDS in children and adolescents, and actions for HIV are integrated throughout UNICEF’s Strategy for Health 2016–2030. UNICEF’s global Gender Action Plan prioritizes HIV and promotes the leadership, empowerment and well-being of adolescent girls. UNICEF’s Adolescent Girls Programme Strategy supports countries to deliver HIV programming.
In 2022-2023, UNICEF supported governments to sustain the gains made to date in the HIV response and safeguard international investments in HIV in the following areas: i) elimination of vertical transmission; ii) closing the treatment gap for children and adolescents living with HIV; and iii) preventing new infections among adolescent girls and improving their access to quality sexual and reproductive health service.
• Generated greater political commitment, action and resources. UNICEF launched the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children by 2030 together with WHO, the UNAIDS Secretariat, the Global Fund, PEPFAR, the International Community of Women Living with HIV, the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+) and the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+).12 African countries have joined the Alliance and committed to country action plans aligned with the vision of the Alliance
• Made further progress towards the elimination of vertical transmission of HIV and triple elimination of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. By 2023, 15 countries and territories have been validated as having halted vertical transmission of HIV. Moreover, 75 countries had a national plan for EMTCT, and 86 countries were implementing a treat-all policy for pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV.
• Continued optimization of paediatric treatment. As part of the Rome Action Plan, UNICEF committed to support the uptake of fixed-dose dolutegravir, abacavir and lamivudine, as well as other new products, in long-term agreements with manufacturers that offer flat pricing for children living in low- and middle-income countries.
• Strengthened access to HIV prevention and treatment for adolescents and young key populations. UNICEF continued to support the global “Adolescent and young key populations partnership” (ayKP network) to conduct a technical update of an adolescent and young key population toolkit and to launch a community of “young champions for equality”.
• Accelerated digital innovations to reach adolescents. UNICEF expanded a digital-first HIV prevention model, “U-Test”, into additional countries in western and central Africa, to engage young people in preventive HIV care and increase their knowledge, access and use of novel prevention and diagnostic tools.
