Holding the Line: Wins and Setbacks from the UN HLM2026

Last updated on: 12 August 2026

Every five years, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) convenes the High-Level Meeting (HLM) on HIV/AIDS, where countries agree on new commitments in a Political Declaration that sets the direction for the global HIV response. At the previous HLM, Member States agreed on key targets, including the 95-95-95 treatment goals.

In 2026, negotiations took place in a far more complex political climate, shaped by shrinking civic space, rising anti-gender movements, the impending transition of UNAIDS, and major funding cuts.

Earlier this week, governments, civil society, and communities met to negotiate a new Political Declaration. We reflect on the outcomes, highlight key wins and setbacks, and outline the steps ahead.

The role of the Dutch government and Dutch civil society

At the HLM, European Union (EU) countries negotiate and vote as a bloc. The Dutch government played a key role by coordinating the European position throughout the negotiations.

At the same time, Aidsfonds coordinated a broad civil society coalition, advocating for agreements grounded in evidence and human rights. Many of our recommendations were reflected in the final Political Declaration, underscoring the importance of sustained civil society engagement.

Contentious negotiations

Negotations were highly contentious. Russia and the Holy See led a number of other Member States in trying to remove all references to sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, key populations, the needs of adolescent women and girls, the role of community led organizations in the HIV response, and more. The United States joined in pushing to remove references to gender equality. At the same time, the EU pushed to weaken language around equitable and affordable access to medicines and technologies.

The Political Declaration

The Political Declaration was ultimately adopted with 149 votes in favour, 8 against, and 14 abstentions.

The lack of consensus reflects a deeply polarized political climate and a broader breakdown in multilateral cooperation. Given the strength of the anti-rights movement, this outcome is likely the best that could be achieved. Civil society and rights-focused governments played a crucial role in holding the line.

Still, we believe we can and must do better. Aidsfonds, and more than 500 other HIV response groups from around the world, endorsed a People’s Declaration to demonstrate what communities need to end AIDS.

We’ve outlined the most important wins and setbacks for you below.

Most important wins

Despite the challenges, the declaration includes several important advances:

• Commitment to HIV cure and vaccine research
  For the first time, the declaration includes a strong commitment to innovation in HIV cure and vaccine development. Notably, this was not contested. There was broad agreement among Member States that innovation is essential and potentially game changing.
• Focus on advanced HIV disease and co-morbidities
  The declaration includes the first-ever commitment to addressing advanced HIV disease, alongside stronger recognition of co-morbidities.
• Recognition of maternal mortality and gender-responsive health systems
  There is an important acknowledgment of the need to address maternal mortality through gender-responsive health systems.

Significant setbacks

At the same time, the outcome reflects significant setbacks:

• Insufficient action on financing
  While the declaration acknowledges the funding gap, it does not go far enough to address it. The focus is almost entirely on domestic resource mobilization, with limited commitments to international solidarity through Official Development Assistance (ODA). This is particularly concerning in the context of a funding crisis, with ODA dropping by 23% in 2025 alone.
• Weakened focus on gender equality
  Unlike the 2021 declaration, the 2026 outcome does not strongly emphasize the role of gender equality in ending the HIV epidemic. This is alarming given the growing influence of the anti-gender movement and its impact on the rights of women and girls worldwide.
• Limited progress on decriminalization
  The declaration does not go far enough in calling for the removal of punitive laws that drive the HIV epidemic, including the criminalization of same-sex relationships. In 2025, for the first time in 20 years, such criminalization increased rather than decreased.

Our next steps

Aidsfonds will continue to push for progress and ensure that the commitments made translate into real impact for people most affected by HIV. Central to this approach is keeping communities at the heart of the response, now and until the end of AIDS as a public health threat. For example, Aidsfonds will support local organizations across Southern Africa to strengthen their organisations and their HIV responses through the HIV Instruments’ focus on capacity strengthening.

At the same time, Aidsfonds will work to ensure that new technologies truly reach everyone who needs them. The declaration has great language around access to technology. To ensure that this commitment becomes reality for people across the world, Aidsfonds is building a new portfolio on intellectual property (IP) to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has equitable access to the prevention and treatment advances that science is creating.

Our calls to action

Aidsfonds calls on key stakeholders to build on the outcome of the HLM:

• European Union
  We call on the European Union to recognize the HIV financing gap and capitalize on global support to find a cure for HIV in the next Multiannual Financial framework (MFF). Europe can continue showing its global health leadership by committing to a minimum €200 billion allocation for the Global Europe Instrument, including for investment in HIV cure research, with civil society and communities as key implementation partners.The next Gender Action Plan and Human Rights Action Plan must carry forward the EU’s ambition for a rights-based, gender-transformative and evidence-based HIV response, with a strong focus on key populations, gender equality, and community leadership.
• The Dutch government
  Aidsfonds applauds the Netherlands for their leading role in protecting the central role of communities in public health responses. We call on them to continue to show leadership and safeguard the leadership and governance role of communities, including in the transformation of UNAIDS and the WHO-led processes to reform global health architecture.