Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Recommendations of UK Working Group for 2006 UNGASS Review on HIV and AIDS

Summary: Additional paragraphs to be included in the Draft Political Declaration recommended by the UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development - Working Group on Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

The UK Working Group on Orphans and Vulnerable Children are making recommendations for the draft political declaration for implementing the articles of the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS which relate to special assistance for children orphaned and affected by HIV and AIDS.

More than 14 million children under the age of 15 have lost their mother or father or both parents to AIDS, and that number is projected to reach 25 million by 2010. Articles 65-67 of the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS were drawn up to ensure special protection to children who are orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS and provide a means by which world leaders can be held accountable to a clear timetable of action.

UN Member States will be evaluated on their performance on the DoC according to the 2005 UNAIDS Guidelines on Construction of Core Indicators The UK Working Group on Orphans and Vulnerable Children also draws the attention of Member States to the recommendations of the Global Partners Forum for Children Affected by HIV and AIDS on addressing the blockages to universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support for children affected by AIDS.

The recommendations of the Working Group are as follows:

27. Commit ourselves to intensify our efforts to deliver a multi-sectoral response to protect the rights to care, prevention and treatment for children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS by promoting national child-oriented policies and plans; including developing social protection systems to support orphans and vulnerable children their families and carers;

28. Commit ourselves to providing free health care for children, providing cotrimoxazole to all those children known to be living with HIV and eliminating school fees and associated costs of school attendance;

29. Pledge to support research and development on simple and affordable diagnostics and paediatric ART formulations and ensure that children are included in national and international treatment targets; 

30. Ensure the full enjoyment of human rights for children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS; intensifying efforts to register all births, providing legal frameworks for children to access services and to protect their inheritance rights and encouraging children’s participation in the design of child-focused programmes.

For more information, contact:
UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development - Working Group on Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Grayston Centre, 28 Charles Square, London N1 6HT, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7324 4780
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.aidsconsortium.org.uk/OVCWorkingGroup/OVCIntro.htm

More information

Countries

    Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.