Open Letter to Minister Ville Skinnari
You can download the full letter here.
FINLAND GENDER EQUALITY CHAMPION
Dear Minister Ville Skinnari,
The global fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, is at a turning point. The world has set itself the ambitious target, enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals, of ending the three diseases as epidemic by 2030. We have made tremendous progress. In the twenty years since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has supported programs that have saved over 44 million lives and gotten us ever closer to our 2030 targets. This would not have been possible without the commitment of donors like Finland, who contributed over EUR25 million from 2006 to 2013.
Many lives have been saved, but the three diseases have not gone away. Worse, because of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have lost ground in 2020, for the first time since the creation of the Global Fund. Testing, treatment, and prevention for HIV declined, and, most tragically, deaths from tuberculosis and malaria have increased. We have to stop the backslide. It is in these difficult circumstances that we call on Finland to reengage and make a pledge for the Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund.
To be able to address the setbacks and get back on track to end AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as epidemics by 2030, the Global Fund Investment Case for the seventh replenishment calls for a total of at least US$18 billion in 2023-2025, a 30% increase from the 2019 funding target. The United States, under the leadership of President Biden, have already announced their intention to commit an unprecedented US$6 billion for the Seventh Replenishment, putting us on track to a successful replenishment.
We urge Finland to rejoin the global effort to end the three diseases, and to add its weight to the momentum building around the Seventh Replenishment, to inspire other governments to take action. A pledge by Finland would contribute to:
- Save 20 million lives between 2024 and 2026 in the countries supported by the Global Fund.
- Reduce the death toll across the three diseases to 950,000 in 2026, down from 2.4 million in 2020.
- Avert more than 450 million new infections or cases in the countries supported by the Global Fund.
- Catalyze domestic investments of up to US$59 billion through co-financing requirements and technical assistance on health financing.
- Reduce inequities in health services by addressing gender-related and human rights barriers to access
- Strengthening systems for health and pandemic preparedness to prevent and respond to future pandemics.
- Yield a return on investment of 1:31 with every dollar invested in fighting the three diseases resulting in 31 dollars in health gains and economic returns.
The Global Fund prioritizes lower-income countries with a higher burden of disease, while paying special attention to key and vulnerable populations and the right to health for these groups, including LGBTI+ people, women, and adolescent girls.
The fight against the three disease is a fight for gender equality. The Global Fund spends close to 33% of its resources on programs supporting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SHRH), because HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria disproportionately affect women and girls. Opportunistic infections resulting from HIV are the leading cause of death of women of reproductive age globally, and about one third of all pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from malaria. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Fund supported 11.5 million pregnant women to receive preventive therapy for malaria, and thanks to its investment more than 85% of pregnant women living with HIV now have access to medicine preventing transmission to their babies. Looking ahead, a successful Seventh Replenishment would enable the Global Fund to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women in most affected countries by 72%.
The Global Fund also delivers impact in challenging operating environments. Countries facing conflict or other crises receive about one third of Global Fund investments, and the Global Fund reacts quickly to deploy additional resources in countries in crisis, like Ukraine following the invasion by Russia. Prior to the attack by Russian forces, the Global Fund had invested a total of $850 million in the country, where HIV and tuberculosis rates – particularly multidrug-resistant tuberculosis – are some of the highest in Europe. Global Fund investments have helped to reduce new HIV infections to around a third of the number in 2002, and almost halved the number of people living with tuberculosis. Additional funding was mobilized in less than a week by the Global Fund to ensure that, through the course of the war, people living with HIV and tuberculosis are still able to receive the essential services and treatment to reduce the spread of infectious diseases across the region.
We, the Global Fund Advocates Network, and the civil society and community organizations listed below, hope that you hear our call, and provide a strong pledge and commitment to the Global Fund – to put an end to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
We urge Finland to stand with us to leave no one behind and defend the health of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable.
The Global Fund Advocates Network, with support from the 250 civil society and communities organization listed below:
- Aadhar NAP+ BHAUUDESHIYA Santha Amravati
- Action for Health Initiatives, Inc. (ACHIEVE)
- Adhar Bahuddeshiya Sanstha
- Africa Japan Forum
- African Network of Adolescents and Young Persons Development (ANAYD)
- Agra Positive People Welfare society, AGRA
- Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
- AIDS-Fondet (the Danish AIDS Foundation)
- Aidsfonds
- Aidspan
- AKTA
- Allahabad network for people living with HIV /AIDS society
- APCASO
- Ashar Alo Society (AAS)
- Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM)
- Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV (APN+)
- Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW)
- Asia Pacific Transgender Network
- Association d’Assistance au Développement (ASAD)
- Association for Prevention of Septic Abortion, Bangladesh (BAPSA)
- Association Of People Living With HIV (APLHIV)-Pakistan
- Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO)
- Ayarhep
- Aye Myanmar Assoication (AMA)
- Azamgarh positive network of people living with HIV/AIDS Society
- BAMANEH
- Banaras Network for Positive People Living with HIV/AIDS Society
- Bandhu Social Welfare Society (Bandhu)
- BAPSA
- BGMEA TB Control Project
- Bhilwara Network for people living with HIV/ AIDS sansthan
- Bihar Network For People Living With HIV/AIDS Society
- Bikaner Network for Peoples Living With HIV Sansthan(BNP+)
- BKMEA TB Control Project
- Blossomtrust
- Blue Diamond Society
- Blue Star CBO
- BRAC
- Cam Pha Blue Sea
- Cambodia People living with HIV Network (CPN+)
- Cambodian Women for Peace and Development
- Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC)
- Caritas PSE
- Center for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI)
- Centre for Environment, Human Rights & Development Forum – CEHRDF
- Churu Network for People Living With HIV/AIDS Sansthan
- Club des Amis Damien “CAD”
- Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (COWLHA) Malawi
- Coimbatore Network for Positive People (CNP+)
- Communities Delegation Stop TB Partnership
- Community and Family AID Foundation – Ghana
- Community Health and Inclusion Association (CHIAs)
- Community Social Development Foundation
- Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) – Zimbabwe
- Concerned Women for Family Development (CWFD).
- Council of People Living with HIV AIDS of Kerala (CPK+)
- CPE
- Cuddalore District HIV Positive Society (CDS +)
- Cultura LLC
- Damien Foundation
- Deoria network for people living with AIDS Society
- Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM)
- Dharmapuri District HIV Positive Welfare Society (DDPWS+)
- Dindigul District HIV Positive Society (DDS+)
- Disability Peoples Forum Uganda
- Diversity And Solidarity Trust Sri Lanka
- Drug Users Network (DUNE)
- Eastern Africa National Network of AIDS and Health Service Organization (EANNASO)
- ECOM – Eurasian Coalition on Health, Rights, Gender and Sexual Diversity
- Equal Asia Foundation
- Estrela+ Timor Leste
- Fatayat NU Jawa
- Female Plus
- FKPB Batang
- Friends Frangipani Inc-PNG
- Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
- Friends-International (FI)
- Gaya Patriot Bekasi
- Geeta Mahila uthan ssmiti
- Global Coalition of TB Advocates
- Global Health Italian Network
- Good Health Community Programmes
- Gujarat state network of people living with HIV AIDS GSNP
- Gujarat State Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GSNP+)
- Guruprasad
- Hadoti Network for People Living With HIV/AIDS Samiti Kota
- Hai Duong Belief CBO
- Hathras positive peoples welfare society
- Health Action Coordinating Committee
- Health and Development Alliance (HEAD)
- Health Care Community of Positive Peoples, Ambajogai
- HEED Bangladesh
- Hi Voices
- Home Coming
- Home4Youth Association
- Hope for Future Generations
- Human and Natural Resose Development Foundation
- Humraz Male Health Society
- IAKMI Sulawesi Tenggara
- IDUCARE
- Igat Hope Inc.
- Image Social Welfare Organization
- Impact santé Afrique
- India Working Group on Health Advocacy
- Indonesia AIDS Coalition
- Innovations for Development
- INSET
- International Youth Council-Yemen (IYCY)
- Jabalpur Network of people Living with HIV/ AIDS Society
- Japan Advocacy Network for Drug Policy
- Jaringan Indonesia Positif (JIP)
- Jaunpur Network for HIV positive People Living with AIDS Society
- Friends of the Global Fund, Japan (FGFJ)
- Kalinga Network for People Living With HIV/AIDS (KNP+) Odisha
- Kelompok Kerja Bina Sehat
- Khawaja Sira Society
- Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance (KHANA)
- Khulna Mukti Seba Sangstha (KMSS)
- Kindness Coallition
- Korean Advocates for Global Health
- Korean Advocates for Global Health (KAGH)
- KP Mahakam Plus Kaltim
- KP Yayasan Pontianak Plus
- Kushinagar welfare for people living with AIDS Society
- Lanka Plus
- Lensa Sukabumi
- Lhak-Sam, Bhutan Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (BNP+)
- LHL International
- Life Care Society for Underprivileged (HP)
- Life vs Addiction Treatement & Rehabilitation Centre
- Lighthouse Social Enterprise
- LKKNU Kalsel
- LKPBNU
- Love Life Society
- Malaria No More Japan
- MAMATA
- Maryknoll Sisters
- Mau Positive Network of People living with HIV/AIDS Society
- MDG Achieving Organization
- Medan Plus
- Men’s Health Social Service (MHSS)
- Mithuru Mithuro Movement
- Moradabad Network Positive Welfare Society
- Nalgonda Youth positive society people living HIV/AIDS (NYPS+)
- NAPUD [Network of Asian People who Use Drugs]
- Nari Matree ( NM )
- National Anti Tuberculosis Association of Bangladesh (NATAB)
- National association of PLWHA In Nepal (NAP+N)
- National TB Network Nepal (NTBNN)
- National Transgender Network Sri Lanka
- Network for chennai People Living with HIV/AIDS (NCP+)
- Network for Positive People in Trichy (NPT+)
- Network of Asian People who Use Drugs (NAPUD)
- Network of Aurangabad By People Living with HIV
- Network of Hingoli by people living with HIV Hingoli
- Network of Kolhapur by People living with HIV/AIDS
- Network of Maharashtra by People Living with HIV/AIDS (NMP+)
- Network of Parbhani Distrct By People Living With HIV/AIDS
- Network of PLHIV(NOP+),
- Network of Solapur by People living with HIV AIDS
- Network of TB Champions Kenya
- Nishkriti
- NONGOR
- Paribar Kallayan Samity (PKS)
- Perambalur District Network For HIV Positive People (PDNP+)
- PETIK
- Pime Sisters Khulna
- Pinoy Plus Advocacy Pilipinas, Inc.
- Place Tokyo
- PNG National Key Population Advocacy Consortium
- Positive Action Foundation Philippines Inc. (PAFPI)
- Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group (MTAAG+)
- POSITIVE WOMEN SOCIETY NETWORK
- PPTI Balikpapan
- Pratapgarh Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS
- Prayas Network of Positive People Welfare society (PNPP)
- PT Foundation
- Pudukkottai District HIV Positive people Welfare Society (PDPS+)
- Pusako
- Puthuvai Cluny Social Service Trust
- Queer Voices of Bhutan
- Rajarata Gami Pahana
- RDRS Bangladesh
- Rekat Peduli Indonesia
- Resource Integration Centre (RIC)
- Results Australia
- Results Canada
- Results UK
- RFSL, Sweden
- Saburai Support Group
- Sanjeevan Bahu-udeshiya Samaj Seva Sanstha, Nagpur
- Sarthi Kalyankari Sanstha Bhandara (NBP+)
- Saviya Development Foundation
- Senior Independent Advisor
- Siddharth Nagar welfare for people living with HIV/AIDS Society Basti
- SPEK-HAM
- Spirit Paramacitta
- Srikandi Perintis Mandiri
- Stop TB Canada
- Stop TB Partnership Japan
- Stop TB Partnership Promoting Parliamentary Federation
- STOPAIDS
- Strategic Alliance for Research and Development
- Strategic Poverty Alleviation Systems-SPAS
- Strumphet Alliance Network (SPAN)
- Subrang Society
- Survival Advocacy Network
- Tamilnad Network of Positive People
- Tamilnadu Positive Women Network (TPWN+)
- TB Champions Association of Botswana
- TB Community Representative
- TB people Ukraine
- Terengganu Family Planning Association
- Thanjavur district network of positive people TDNP+
- The Leprosy Mission International-Bangladesh (TLMI-B)
- The Sun Kien Giang
- TICAD NGO Liaison Group
- Tilottama Voluntary Women’s Organization
- Tiruvannamalai District HIV Positive Society(TDHPS+)
- Touched by TB
- Treasureland Health Builders Initiative
- Trisuli Plus
- Tuticorin District HIV Positive People Welfare Society (TDPS+)
- Ujjain HIV AIDS Network Pipul’Society
- UN Foundation/United to Beat Malaria
- UTPS
- Uttar Pradesh Welfare for People Living with HIV/AIDS Society
- Venasa Transgender Network
- Victory Plus Yogyakarta
- Vietnam Community Network to Fight Tuberculosis (VCTB)
- Vietnam Network of People living with HIV (VNP+)
- Vietnam Platform for Supporting Vulnerable Populations
- Virudhunagar District HIV Ullor Nala Sangam
- Vision makers
- Wahana Cita Indonesia
- Wasaib Sanwaro
- Wonosobo Youth Center
- World Mission Prayer League (LAMB hospital)
- WOTE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS CBO
- Y-Chapter
- Yash Foundation
- Yen Bai Violet Afternoon CBO
- YKMNU Jawa Tengah
- Young Out Here Sri Lanka Trust
- Youth for Health Center NGO
- Youth Foundation of Bangladesh
- Youth LEAD
- Youth Survival Organisation
- Youth Voices Count, Inc.
- ZNNP+