Children and aids newsletter

Peter Power, T.D, Minister of State for Overseas Development, Ireland, framed the proceedings by emphasizing the opportunity of the forum to review and translate into action the comprehensive evidence emerging from the work of the Joint Learning Initiative on Children affected by HIV and AIDS (JLICA) and the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) over the past two years. He outlined how Ireland has prioritized its response to children affected by HIV and AIDS and other causes and is investing significant resources in interventions to benefit children and Ireland's response is focused on contributing to the alleviation of child poverty and vulnerability, recognising HIV and AIDS as a key determinant of this.

Power highlighted the clarity of the evidence in directing the Global Partners towards the most effective actions needed to make a difference in the lives of children affected by HIV and AIDS globally and the need to build coherence, consensus and commitment among the key stakeholders. He also stressed:

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  the crucial role that civil society plays in the response;
  
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  that prevention needs to be at the core of the response – especially for hard to reach populations and the most vulnerable;
  
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  mutual accountability between donor and recipient countries and the importance of strengthening partner governments and civil society;
  
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  HIV as key determinant in child poverty.
  

He also highlighted the important role of children and young people in this year's forum as key “agents of change” and the need in general to systematically ensure participation of young people in both international events and in the response to the pandemic.