United Nations Security Council Resolution 1983
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1983, adopted unanimously on June 7, 2011, after recalling meetings on HIV
/AIDS
in Africa
and in the mandates
of peacekeeping
operations, as well as resolutions 1308
(2000), 1325 (2000), 1820
(2008), 1888
(2009), 1889
(2009), 1894
(2009) and 1960
(2010), the Council encouraged the inclusion of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support in its peacekeeping mandates.
The adoption of Resolution 1983 marked the second time HIV/AIDS and the impact on international peace and security had been discussed by the Security Council. The resolution, tabled by Gabon
, came ahead of a three day high-level meeting concerning the international community
's response to HIV/AIDS.
30 years ago, more than 60 million people had been infected, 25 million had died and 16 million children were orphaned by AIDS. It recognised that the issue required an "exceptional and comprehensive global response" as it posed a threat to all societies. Council members emphasised the role of the General Assembly
and Economic and Social Council
in addressing HIV/AIDS. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS) was praised for its response to HIV/AIDS in appropriate forums.
The preamble of the resolution recognised the impact HIV/AIDS had in society, particularly in conflict and post-conflict situations through mass movements of people, sexual violence
and limited access to medical care. The Council noted, therefore, that it was important to end conflict-related violence and empowering women to reduce their risk of exposure to HIV. There was also concern at the rise in health-related issues by United Nations personnel. Furthermore, the protection of civilians by United Nations peacekeeping operations could contribute towards fighting HIV/AIDS, and welcomed initiatives by countries to implement HIV treatment, care, prevention and support.
and the empowerment of women and urged assistance in this context.
The resolution recognised that United Nations peacekeeping operations were important factors in the response against HIV/AIDS, and welcomed its inclusion in its peacekeeping mandates, stressing support was needed to address the social stigma
and discrimination
associated with the disease. The Secretary-General was urged to consider a variety of HIV/AIDS-related issues in his activities concerning the prevention and resolution of conflict, and strengthen efforts to implement the zero-tolerance sexual exploitation
policy.
The Security Council encouraged the use of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support in its peacekeeping missions, such as through counselling, testing programmes and assistance provided to national institutions; such efforts needed to be intensified, according to the resolution. Finally, co-operation among states was welcomed and encouraged in the role of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1983, adopted unanimously on June 7, 2011, after recalling meetings on HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and in the mandates
Mandate (international law)
In international law, a mandate is a binding obligation issued from an inter-governmental organization like the United Nations to a country which is bound to follow the instructions of the organization....
of peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
operations, as well as resolutions 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308, adopted unanimously on July 17, 2000, in the first resolution to address the impact of HIV/AIDS worldwide, the Council asked countries to consider voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counselling for troops deployed in peacekeeping operations.Speaking...
(2000), 1325 (2000), 1820
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1820
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1820 was unanimously adopted on 19 June 2008.- Resolution :The Security Council today demanded the “immediate and complete cessation by all parties to armed conflict of all acts of sexual violence against civilians,” expressing its deep concern that,...
(2008), 1888
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1888
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1888 was unanimously adopted on 30 September 2009.- Resolution :The Security Council decided this morning to specifically mandate peacekeeping missions to protect women and children from rampant sexual violence during armed conflict, as it requested the...
(2009), 1889
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1889
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1889 was unanimously adopted on 5 October 2009.- Resolution :The Security Council this morning called for a wide range of measures to strengthen the participation of women at all stages of peace processes, focusing on the period after peace agreements have...
(2009), 1894
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1894
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1894 was unanimously adopted on 11 November 2009.- Resolution :Expressing deep regret that civilians continued to account for the vast majority of casualties in armed conflicts, the Security Council reaffirmed today its readiness to respond to the...
(2009) and 1960
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1960
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1960, adopted unanimously on December 16, 2010, after recalling resolutions 1325 , 1612 , 1674 , 1820 , 1882 , 1888 , 1889 and 1894 , the Council requested information on parties suspected of patterns of sexual violence during armed conflict to be made...
(2010), the Council encouraged the inclusion of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support in its peacekeeping mandates.
The adoption of Resolution 1983 marked the second time HIV/AIDS and the impact on international peace and security had been discussed by the Security Council. The resolution, tabled by Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, came ahead of a three day high-level meeting concerning the international community
International community
The international community is a term used in international relations to refer to all peoples, cultures and governments of the world or to a group of them. The term is used to imply the existence of common duties and obligations between them...
's response to HIV/AIDS.
Observations
The Security Council was concerned that since the beginning of the HIV epidemicEpidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
30 years ago, more than 60 million people had been infected, 25 million had died and 16 million children were orphaned by AIDS. It recognised that the issue required an "exceptional and comprehensive global response" as it posed a threat to all societies. Council members emphasised the role of the General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
and Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
in addressing HIV/AIDS. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV epidemic....
(UNAIDS) was praised for its response to HIV/AIDS in appropriate forums.
The preamble of the resolution recognised the impact HIV/AIDS had in society, particularly in conflict and post-conflict situations through mass movements of people, sexual violence
Sexual violence
Sexual violence occurs throughout the world, although in most countries there has been little research conducted on the problem. Due to the private nature of sexual violence, estimating the extent of the problem is difficult...
and limited access to medical care. The Council noted, therefore, that it was important to end conflict-related violence and empowering women to reduce their risk of exposure to HIV. There was also concern at the rise in health-related issues by United Nations personnel. Furthermore, the protection of civilians by United Nations peacekeeping operations could contribute towards fighting HIV/AIDS, and welcomed initiatives by countries to implement HIV treatment, care, prevention and support.
Acts
Council members emphasised that urgent action was needed to curb the impact of the HIV epidemic in conflict and post-conflict situations, through local, national, regional and international initiatives. The Council noted the "disproportionate burden" of HIV/AIDS on women that continued to affect gender equalityGender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
and the empowerment of women and urged assistance in this context.
The resolution recognised that United Nations peacekeeping operations were important factors in the response against HIV/AIDS, and welcomed its inclusion in its peacekeeping mandates, stressing support was needed to address the social stigma
Social stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
and discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
associated with the disease. The Secretary-General was urged to consider a variety of HIV/AIDS-related issues in his activities concerning the prevention and resolution of conflict, and strengthen efforts to implement the zero-tolerance sexual exploitation
Sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian response
The sexual exploitation and abuse of beneficiaries by humanitarian workers first came to public attention with the release of a report in February 2002 of a joint assessment mission looking into the issue...
policy.
The Security Council encouraged the use of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support in its peacekeeping missions, such as through counselling, testing programmes and assistance provided to national institutions; such efforts needed to be intensified, according to the resolution. Finally, co-operation among states was welcomed and encouraged in the role of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.
See also
- Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDSJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDSThe Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV epidemic....
- List of countries by HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1901 to 2000 (2009 – 2011)
- United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in AfricaUnited Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in AfricaThe United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa is a diplomatic position that deals with the deadly disease on the continent where the issue is most pressing.-External links:* , United Nations, 21 May 2007...