What is the UN High Level Meeting on Tuberculosis?

A United Nations High-Level Meeting (UN HLM) is convened by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the main decision-making body of the UN representing all 193 UN Member States, and governments. Agreement to hold a dedicated UN HLM on a specialized topic is taken in exceptional circumstances through a UN resolution and vote, with the purpose of reaching agreement on cooperation measures and solutions on important global issues among Heads of State and governments. The UN HLM on TB will be the fifth time the UN has called for a high-level meeting devoted to a health issue, the first being the 2001 Special Session on HIV/AIDS, followed by UN HLMs on Non-Communicable Diseases, Ebola, and Antimicrobial Resistance.

How did we get here?

Following a campaign launched by the Stop TB Partnership Board and partners in September 2016 at its Coordinating Board Meeting in New York, the resolution calling for a UN HLM on TB was tabled in December 2016 by the Global Health and Foreign Policy Initiative, a UN country grouping which includes South Africa, Thailand, Brazil, France, Norway, Senegal, and Indonesia. The resolution, and specifically the text calling for the UN HLM on TB, was agreed unanimously by UN member states through a vote in the UN General Assembly.

The UN High-Level Meeting on TB will be organized under the direction of the UN General Assembly. The meeting will take place at UN Headquarters in New York in 2018. The exact date has yet to be decided and will be agreed in the ‘modalities resolution’ which will be agreed by UN member states.

Why is the High Level Meeting Important?

The High-Level Meeting on TB is the biggest and best opportunity to raise the political priority of TB. It is the most significant political meeting ever held on TB. The meeting should result in an ambitious Political Declaration on TB endorsed by Heads of State that will form the basis for the future TB response. It should secure commitment from Heads of State and governments for a coordinated global response, result in a substantial increase in financial resources for TB, and lead to millions of lives being saved from premature deaths from TB. It should also endorse measurable targets and commitments from governments and key stakeholders for 2020 and 2025 on which they can be monitored and held accountable through regular reporting.

How can I get involved?

• Register to attend the Civil Society Hearing: Read more here
• Stay up to date with all the activities, calls, briefings, and information-sharing by joining the TB Civil Society Listserv and the GFAN Listserv
• Engage with the Affected Communities and Civil Society Advisory Panel – this group of 15 advocates were selected through a competitive process to represent YOU in the HLM process.