Of the 33.3 million people living with HIV globally, an estimated three million are people who inject drugs. They account for 30 percent of HIV infections outside of sub-Saharan Africa, and up to 80 percent of infections in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
With the "Declaration of Commitment" from the 2001 UN General Assembly Special Session and the 2006 "Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS," the UN established time-bound targets to be met and reported on by countries worldwide.
The commitments aimed to address the needs of people who inject drugs, their families and the communities in which they live through an “urgent, coordinated, and sustained response.”
These commitments remain unfulfilled. People who inject drugs are increasing as a percentage of global HIV infections with devastating consequences for individuals and communities.
What we need now is strong global leadership, concrete national policies and adequate funds to implement and scale up evidence-based services.
World leaders gathering at the 2011 UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS must ensure that these commitments are met as a matter of urgency.
In response to this need for action, the International Harm Reduction Association and its partners (including the Open Society Foundations) issued a global call for action during the 2011 International Harm Reduction Conference.
To sign the declaration, visit www.ihra.net/declaration.