The German Government’s response to HIV and AIDS nationally and globally is based on human rights principles, such as the respect for human dignity, non-discrimination, gender equality, the right to sexual and reproductive health and universal access to health services. Germany follows a multi-sectoral approach that takes into account the social and health policy dimensions in the response to HIV and AIDS.

Key elements of the German Government’s HIV and AIDS strategy are:

• Unbiased awareness and prevention campaigns including the recommendation of behaviour change and condom use to prevent new infections;
• Universal access to voluntary HIV testing, treatment and care for people living with HIV and AIDS;
• Creating a social climate of solidarity and non-discrimination;
• Coordination and cooperation among national and international actors;
• Surveillance systems to establish the epidemiology of new infections;
• Biomedical, clinical and social science research;
• Continuous evaluation and quality assurance of national programmes.

Successes in Germany

HIV prevalence in Germany is among the lowest in the world. In the area of HIV prevention Germany can present remarkable results and innovative and internationally recognized approaches. These include the human rights-based approach, the linking of both targeted approaches for vulnerable groups and mass media approaches addressing society at large, as well as the cooperation and partnership with people living with HIV, with non-governmental organisations and the private sector. In addition, Germany’s HIV response focuses on awareness creation, behaviour change and creating an enabling environment. For example, legal barriers to introducing harm reduction measures for injecting drug users have been removed at an early stage of the epidemic.

German Development Cooperation

Based on the expertise from the domestic HIV response and international experiences, German Development Cooperation has been engaging in the global response to HIV and AIDS since the mid-1980s. Focusing on the prevention of new infections and access to treatment, care and support, Germany stresses the importance of the realisation of human rights as a prerequisite for effective HIV prevention. Establishing the necessary framework conditions as well as empowering and encouraging participation of civil society, are key elements of this approach.

Germany is one of the largest donors with regard to the global HIV response. Since 2008, the German Government has provided approximately 500 million Euros per year for the global response to HIV and tuberculosis and the support of health systems needed for that purpose.

Germany’s Contribution to the XIX International AIDS Conference

Representatives of the German Government, non-governmental organisations, and academics jointly present the German response to HIV and AIDS. The thematic focus of the pavilion is on structural interventions, behaviour-based preventive measures and human rights.

The individual is at the centre of this year’s exhibition: Experts and political decision-makers outline strategies and interventions against the spread of HIV. Role models like Marcel and Zübeyde from Germany, Sushil from Nepal and Zara from Niger share their personal stories and illustrate successful ways of dealing with the challenges associated with the disease.

On this CD-ROM