The AIDS response has been like no other.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General

The world has exceeded the AIDS targets of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6 and is on track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Fifteen years ago, AIDS was shattering families, communities and entire nations.

But the AIDS epidemic also united the world behind efforts to stop and reverse the toll, and to ensure that people everywhere have access to life-saving medicines. Millennium Development Goal 6 played a central role in this massive global mobilization to scale up action against one of the most complex and devastating development challenges of our times.

The AIDS response has been like no other. From the start it has put the focus on people and put their needs first. It has been a turning point for the recognition of health as a human right. And it has brought extraordinary results on treatment and prevention alike.

The world has achieved the AIDS targets of Millennium Development Goal 6. The epidemic has been halted and reversed. In the year 2000, fewer than 700 000 people were receiving antiretroviral medicines; today, some 15 million people have access, meaning that we have reached one of the most important treatment goals in history.

Over that same period, new HIV infections have declined by 35%. I am particularly encouraged by the progress in making sure all children are born HIV-free. Today there are 58% fewer new HIV infections among children than there were 15 years ago. I am confident we can get to zero new HIV infections among children soon.

We have also brought to light the darkness of discrimination. None of this could have happened without the leadership of people living with HIV and the partners on the ground around the world who believed that we could effectively fight stigma — and who made sure that we did.

This milestone shows that, together, we can set ambitious, even aspirational, goals, achieve them and then reach for more. Indeed, a new objective is now before us: ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

‘We have also brought to light the darkness of discrimination.’

The activism of the AIDS response has brought important lessons for our future work across the development agenda. We now realize the importance of the full physical, emotional, sexual and mental health of the individual. We also recognize that we must have the courage to address difficult issues affecting society — human rights, education, security, the law, gender equality and social inclusion.

Ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 is ambitious, but realistic, as the history of the past 15 years has shown. We also know that it is essential to a fair and equitable future. I look forward to working with all partners to build a sustainable, equitable and healthy future for all.

Ban Ki-moon
United Nations Secretary-General
July 2015

How AIDS changed everything — MDG 6: 15 years, 15 lesson of hope from the AIDS response celebrates the milestone achievement of 15 million people on antiretroviral treatment — an accomplishment deemed impossible when the MDGs were established 15 years ago.

For more information on UNAIDS report on the 15 years since Millennium Development Goal 6:
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/campaigns/HowAIDSchangedeverything