Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

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The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS; , ONUSIDA) is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The mission of UNAIDS is to lead, strengthen and support an expanded response to HIV and AIDS that includes preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support to those already living with the virus, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV and alleviating the impact of the epidemic. UNAIDS seeks to prevent the HIV/AIDS epidemic from becoming a severe pandemic.

UNAIDS is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, where it shares some site facilities with the World Health Organization. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group. Currently, Winnie Byanyima leads UNAIDS as executive director. Former executive directors are Peter Piot (1995–2008) and Michel Sidibé (2009–2019).

UNAIDS regularly publishes articles and reports on the status of the AIDS epidemic, including roadmaps to ending HIV as a public health threat and updates on the current scientific findings on vaccines and treatments for HIV infections and AIDS.

The agency promotes the GIPA principle (greater involvement of people living with HIV) formulated in 1994, and endorsed by the United Nations in 2001 and 2006.