Advocacy toolkit — Africa united against childhood HIV — Free to Shine campaign

This toolkit proposes three areas for advocacy for first ladies to take the Free to Shine campaign forward, bearing in mind the specific needs of their country:

• ADVOCACY FOCUS 1: Keeping women and girls HIV-free.
• ADVOCACY FOCUS 2: Preventing vertical transmission of HIV.
• ADVOCACY FOCUS 3: Finding missing children and adolescents living with HIV and ensuring that they receive HIV services.

Preventing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths among children, adolescent girls and women remains hugely important, and the commitment of OAFLAD, the African Union and their partners is essential to advancing this global goal.

Important gains have been made in the AIDS response for women and children. An estimated 1.5 million new HIV infections among children aged 0–14 years have been averted since 2010 in Africa. The proportion of pregnant women living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy has increased from 44% in 2010 to 84% in 2018. Nine countries—Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda and Zambia—have achieved the 2018 coverage target of 95% of pregnant women living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy.

However, challenges remain across Africa. Progress in preventing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths among children has stalled. AIDS remains the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. Only half of all children living with HIV have access to antiretroviral therapy. Coverage of services to prevent vertical transmission of HIV has stalled in eastern and southern Africa and decreased in western and central Africa in the past three years.