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Government of Canada Report to the Secretary General of the United Nations on the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS
January 2006 - December 2007
Table of Contents
- Status at a glance
- Overview of the AIDS epidemic
- National response to the AIDS epidemic
- Best practices
- Major challenges and remedial actions
- Monitoring and evaluation environment
- ANNEX 1 - Consultation process for the country report on
monitoring the progress towards the
implementation of the Declaration of
Commitment on HIV/AIDS
- ANNEX 2 - National Composite Policy Index Questionnaire
Foreword
Canada is pleased to submit its fourth report to the Secretary General of the United Nations on the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. Canada’s domestic and international response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic is comprehensive, grounded in human rights and the determinants of health and further seeks to overcome the stigma and discrimination faced by those living with and at risk of HIV/AIDS.
Canada’s approach is built on partnerships, strengthened capacity and knowledge generation and transfer, to effectively support policy and program development to best address the issues. Partnerships and collaborations with governments at all levels, non-governmental organizations, people living with and at-risk of HIV/AIDS, public health and medical practitioners, researchers and scientists remain fundamental to the Canadian response. Canada’s provinces and territories are responsible for the delivery of health care and have made significant contributions to the response to HIV/AIDS both through the funding of medical services and the implementation of strategies to address HIV/AIDS specific to the needs of their populations.
Communities continue to play a significant role by providing their expertise, resources and involvement in the design and delivery of essential services. Since the 2006 report, Canada has pressed forward to further operationalize the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS within its borders, as well as through its global contributions. Several key initiatives have been developed, piloted and launched, demonstrating Canada’s commitment to action. In August 2006, Canada was proud to host the International AIDS Conference, for the third time, an event which enabled countries from around the world to share and learn from experiences in responding to HIV/AIDS. Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR) is an initiative that is but one part of Canada’s support to increasing action to provide much needed medicines in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other epidemics in the developing world. On September 19, 2007, Canada's Commissioner of Patents granted the first-ever authorization under the terms of the World Trade Organization (WTO) waiver to a Canadian generic drug manufacturer to export an HIV/AIDS drug to Rwanda.
The Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada (Federal Initiative), launched in 2005, continues to show progress towards its objectives by establishing a national social marketing campaign, a prevention policy framework, testing and counselling guidelines, a strengthened performance and evaluation system and a variety of funding mechanisms and research programs to support community partners in their contributions to the HIV/AIDS response. A population-specific framework is also under development, which will inform evidence-based, culturally appropriate strategies to address the particular needs of those populations most impacted or at risk of HIV/AIDS. Each of theses objectives were designed in collaboration and consultation with governments, civil society and the Canadian public, and further promoted the involvement of individuals most impacted by HIV/AIDS.
The Declaration remains to be an important tool for Canada, to help guide and inform the development of its strategies. Canada will continue to support key global partners such as UNAIDS, UNFPA, the World Health Organization, PAHO, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Canada looks forward to working with UNAIDS and its global partners into the future, to further the effectiveness of the global response to HIV/AIDS.
