UNESCO supports comprehensive education sector responses to HIV and AIDS focusing on Prevention through education. UNESCO plays a leading role in EDUCAIDS (the UNAIDS Global Initiative on Education and HIV & AIDS) and the UNAIDS Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) on Education, which are viewed as key mechanisms in strengthening the UNAIDS combined effort to achieve Universal Access to prevention programmes, treatment, care and support.

“Though the prevalence of HIV/AIDS continues to be relatively low in Arab countries, risks and vulnerability are high as the epidemic has been on the rise during the past two years” (The Millennium Development Goals in the Arab Region 2007: A Youth Lens). The common system of values and beliefs in the region have been acting as a barrier for the spread of the disease. At the same time, interventional efforts to sustain the low prevalence status are confronted by cultural, social and religious long-standing taboos associated with the sensitivity of the topic and human behaviour related to the disease. No absolute immunity to the threat of further spread exists and countries need to intensify their efforts towards prevention, care and support.

UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States will be focusing its efforts on integrating HIV and AIDS prevention in national education sectoral plans and on capacity building through training activities. UNESCO’s response to HIV and AIDS is carried out within the context of achieving the goals and targets of EFA (Education for All); and the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, adopted at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS) in 2001 – reviewed in 2006