HIV and AIDS at the G8: Must try harder

Textual description (image: Protester opposite the Houses of Parliament)

In 2005, G8 leaders pledged HIV treatment for all by 2010, but the cash needed to keep this promise has never materialised. Despite the fine words, AIDS killed 3 million people last year.

In the lead up to this year’s G8 summit, an incredible 25,000 ActionAid campaigners contacted MPs, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, calling for a funding plan to achieve the Gleneagles commitments and stop the AIDS pandemic in its tracks.

So what’s the verdict? Was 2007 the year when the world’s richest countries finally matched their rhetoric on AIDS with action, or was the German G8 Summit just one more let down?

What the G8 Promised

1. $60 billion ‘over the coming years’ to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and strengthen health systems: A DISAPPOINTING RESULT
We didn’t get the funding plan we called for, and the promised $60 billion is the same amount that the G8 have committed to spend anyway. This pledge is woefully short of what’s needed to reverse the AIDS pandemic and tackle other killer diseases. On the other hand, we now have a definite figure we can hold the G8 to.

2. HIV treatment for five million in Africa by 2010: FAIL
In 2005 the G8 promised that by 2010, everyone who needs HIV treatment would get it. According to the World Health Organisation, this will mean at least 10 million people, possibly many more. The G8’s promise to treat 5 million seriously backtracks from what was agreed in 2005, and will mean a life or death lottery for most people with HIV in developing countries. Without the watchful eyes of campaigners, this backtracking may have been even worse.

3. An agreement to fully finance the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, by $6-8 billion per year by 2010: IMPROVING
The G8 recognised the need to give more money to the Global Fund. A key test will be Global Fund conference in Germany this September.

4. $1.5 billion to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV, ensuring universal coverage by 2010: PASS
This is the G8’s most specific commitment on this vital issue. Currently only 11% of HIV positive women can get treatment to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies.

5. $1.8 billion to help provide child-friendly HIV medicines in the context of ‘universal access’: MUST TRY HARDER
It’s great that the G8 have pledged some money to get HIV medicines to more than half a million children who urgently need them, but $1.8 billion is not nearly enough to achieve treatment for all by 2010.

6. A commitment to promote and protect the rights of women and girls, and tackle sexual violence and coercion especially in the context of preventing HIV infections: A GOOD FIRST STEP, BUT MORE MUST BE DONE
ActionAid is part of the Women Won’t Wait Campaign, which is calling for real commitments to end violence against women and halt the feminization of AIDS pandemic. We’re glad the G8 have flagged this important issue, but future progress depends on solid action to guarantee women’s rights.

Overall

2007 will be remembered as the year when the G8 paid lip service to the scale of the global AIDS crisis, but did little to halt it. But while world leaders may have put the rights of people living with HIV on hold, campaigners have much to be proud of. We scored some important victories, and by taking action in huge numbers have kept HIV and AIDS high on the political agenda.

photo : ©Fionnuala Murphy

Fact file

Every 15 seconds a young person contracts HIV.

Video report