LSIPR 50 2018: Michel Sidibé

Name: Michel Sidibé

Organisation: UNAIDS

Position: Executive Director

Michel Sidibé has been the executive director of UNAIDS, the joint United Nations (UN) programme campaigning for global action on the HIV/AIDS pandemic, since 2009.

His vision to see a world where there are no new HIV infections, no discrimination, and no AIDS-related deaths has been instrumental in driving recent progress in the response to AIDS. Sidibé’s
role in calling for the elimination of new HIV infections among children has contributed to the 60% reduction in new paediatric infections since 2009, according to UNAIDS.

The millennium development goals of the UN, which were international development goals set by the UN in 2000, included a commitment to having 15 million people with HIV on antiretroviral therapy by the end of 2015. This objective was achieved nine months ahead of schedule, and grew to 20.8 million people receiving treatment by June 2017.

The UN sustainable development goals were subsequently set in 2015, with the aim of eradicating the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. Under Sidibé’s leadership more countries have adopted a “fast-track” approach to meet this target, by also setting measurable targets for 2020 to ensure the 2030 goal is met.

As part of the sustainable development goals, UN member states also committed to “leaving no-one behind”. This includes addressing the stigma and discrimination barriers which hinder access to HIV treatment, care, and support. Sidibé’s human rights-based approach to tackling AIDS not only aims to end the public health epidemic, but also aims to affirm the dignity of those living with HIV.