
AIDS and the SDGs
A core principle of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and of the AIDS response, is that no one should be left behind. The AIDS epidemic cannot be ended without the needs of people living with and affected by HIV, and the determinants of health and vulnerability, being addressed. People living with HIV often live in fragile communities and are frequently discriminated against, marginalized and affected by inequality and instability—their concerns therefore must be at the forefront of sustainable development efforts.
The AIDS response has advanced the right to health, gender equality, human rights, employment and social protection. It has addressed entrenched social norms, social exclusion and legal barriers that undermine health and development outcomes, and its investment approach is increasingly being adopted to accelerate gains across global health and development.
The United Nations system, including UNAIDS, works towards achieving the entire SDG agenda, which include 10 SDGs that are particularly relevant to the response to AIDS.