As Sonal Giani steps down as an NGO Delegate to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB), we recognize her significant contributions and acknowledge the unfortunate reality that her departure is happening amid an increasingly difficult political climate. Her tenure was marked by firm advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights, gender equality, and inclusive global health policies—work that remains urgent as challenges to these issues grow.

To people living with and affected by HIV around the world, and our civil society and community-led partners and allies,

We recognize the difficulties many of you may be facing due to the US funding freeze and the extreme uncertainty surrounding the HIV response – and indeed, we are experiencing these same challenges in our organizations, and in our lives. As the NGO Delegation, our aim is to provide an update on recent engagement efforts with UNAIDS leadership since the stop-work orders and spending freeze took effect.

UPDATE: The thematic segment of the 56th PCB Meeting, originally set for 26 June 2025, has been postponed to the 58th PCB Meeting on 1 July 2026. This decision follows the PCB Bureau’s determination that additional budget-related agenda items require the full three days of the 56th meeting. The postponement is pending formal approval by PCB Member States.

We mourn the loss of Jacqueline Rocha Côrtes, a trailblazing activist whose life was dedicated to fighting for the rights of people living with HIV, particularly those in the transgender community. Jacqueline passed away on 14 August 2024, in São Paulo.

The NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board is gathering input for our 2024 report on Community Leadership in the HIV response, and we need your voice!

We are excited to announce the call for case studies for this year’s NGO report, which will focus on Community Leadership. This annual report sheds light on critical issues relevant to the global HIV response. This year, we’re spotlighting the indispensable role of community-led activities in achieving the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

We are seeking community proposals for thematic segments at the 56th and 57th PCB meetings, scheduled for June and December 2025. In line with the decision made at the 53rd meeting in December 2023, this call emphasizes the importance of community involvement in shaping the agenda to reflect the most pressing issues in the global HIV response.

The NGO Delegation is calling for nominations to appoint a representative to the Expert Advisory Committee on Evaluation, an independent body providing essential advice and guidance to the UNAIDS Evaluation Office. This voluntary position seeks candidates with substantial experience in monitoring and evaluation, as well as strong connections to global civil society working in HIV.

Civil society and the NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board are celebrating the adoption of a crucial resolution on human rights in the context of HIV and AIDS at the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The continuous underfunding of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS has now trickled down to the Joint Programme’s governance. It is threatening the meaningful involvement of civil society in shaping the Joint Programme. The NGO Delegation reveals that multiple unsuccessful attempts have been made to engage UNAIDS and its funding Member States regarding the financial shortages.