UNESCO is committed to reducing the impact of the HIV epidemic. As one of the founding members of UNAIDS and one of the ten Cosponsor organizations, its response to HIV and AIDS is one of its key priorities.

UNESCO’s contribution is interdisciplinary. Efforts to combat HIV and AIDS are driven by the scientific discovery, research and scientific knowledge of the virus. The Organization therefore has a vital role to play in the promotion and support related to the dissemination of scientific information on: the biology of infectious organisms generally, and specifically about HIV advances in basic research in the area of HIV and AIDS and its role in combating the pandemic. Specific activities are conducted in cooperation with experts and other organizations involved in combating HIV and AIDS.

The World Foundation for Aids Research and Prevention was created in January 1993 and is headed by Professor Luc Montagnier, who, together with Professor Robert Gallo, discovered the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) virus in 1983. A non-governmental organization (NGO) under the auspices of UNESCO, the Foundation’s primary objective is to set up a worldwide network of research and prevention centres to stimulate international co-operation and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge.