New modeling indicates that if program coverage is reduced by half, an additional 1.1 million children may contract HIV and 820,000 more could die from AIDS-related causes by 2040, resulting in a total of three million infections and 1.8 million deaths among children. Maintaining current service levels could still lead to 1.9 million new infections and 990,000 AIDS-related child deaths by 2040 due to slow progress. “The world was advancing in the HIV response, yet there were persistent gaps even before sudden global funding cuts affected services,” stated UNICEF Associate Director of HIV and AIDS, Anurita Bains. “Countries responded swiftly to mitigate funding cut impacts, but ending AIDS in children is at risk without focused actions. The choice is clear – invest now or risk undoing decades of progress and losing millions of young lives.”
Latest Global Picture
As per the latest 2024 data, before funding cuts globally disrupted services, 120,000 children aged 0-14 contracted HIV, and 75,000 died from AIDS-related causes, equating to about 200 child deaths each day. Among adolescents aged 15-19, 150,000 acquired HIV, with around two-thirds being girls, who accounted for 85% of new infections in this age group in sub-Saharan Africa. Only 55% of children with HIV received antiretroviral therapy compared to 78% of adults, leaving approximately 620,000 children untreated. Sub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden, with 88% of children living with HIV and over 80% of new infections and AIDS-related child deaths occurring there.
Concerns Over Judicial Independence in Pakistan
Pakistan’s newly adopted constitutional amendment, passed without broad consultation, threatens judicial independence and raises serious concerns about military accountability and the rule of law, cautioned UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. The amendment, adopted on 13 November, establishes a new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) for constitutional cases, effectively stripping the Supreme Court of this role. It revamps judicial appointments and transfers, raising concerns over judicial independence, as the President – advised by the Prime Minister – has already appointed the FCC’s first Chief Justice and judges. “These changes collectively risk subjecting the judiciary to political interference and executive control,” said Mr. Türk. “Neither the executive nor legislative should control or direct the judiciary, and the judiciary should be shielded from political influence in decision-making.”
Erosion of Checks and Balances
The amendment also grants lifetime immunity from criminal proceedings and arrest to the President, Field Marshall, Marshall of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet, reported the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). “Sweeping immunity provisions like these undermine accountability, which is fundamental to the human rights framework and democratic control of the armed forces under the rule of law,” said the UN human rights chief.
More Anti-Discrimination Laws Needed to Support Minorities
“Diversity is our earliest teacher,” said UN human rights chief Volker Türk at the opening of the Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva on Thursday. The forum serves as a global platform for issues concerning ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities. Thursday’s discussion focused on the root causes of exclusion, discrimination, and intergroup tensions.
Legal Protections Rolled Back
Mr. Türk lamented that minorities are disproportionately affected by poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. “We observe land grabs and displacement, cultural suppression, and even forced evictions from ancestral lands for tourism and commerce,” he said. He added that even in democratic countries, some governments are rolling back legal protections, reducing quotas on participation and hiring, and authorizing raids and surveillance. The digital realm fares no better, with about 70% of hate speech targets on social media being minority groups, he continued.
Fighting Discrimination and Hatred
To break the “vicious” cycle of discrimination and hatred, more anti-discrimination laws need adoption, Mr. Türk emphasized, noting that less than a quarter of countries have such legislation. Furthermore, minorities must be invited to participate in politics and workplaces; human rights should be included in educational curricula, and minority rights defenders need protection, he added. Finally, he called for investment in reliable data systems to hold accountable those who violate minority rights.
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