Peter Piot, head of UNAIDS, made the rounds in DC last week discussing how the global community can achieve the internationally agreed upon target of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. His message has been clear: Without a massive scale-up of prevention programs, we will fall far short of addressing the growing feminization of this disease. PAI welcomes Dr. Piot and his salient message. Now consider the future of this epidemic in countries where men and women desire to protect themselves and plan the size of their families but do not have access to services and supplies-especially condoms and contraceptives-which would make that desire a reality.

HIV/AIDS is an issue of tremendous concern to the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) community. This shouldn't be news, but it bears repeating. And therefore, SRH initiatives are key to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. While stemming the tide of new HIV infections, these programs also curb child and maternal mortality, prevent the spread of other sexually transmitted infections and alleviate global poverty. So, why isn't SRHR a core component of every global initiative to fight HIV/AIDS? It should be. PAI has joined many in challenging the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to make it so.

Integrating sexual rights into family planning and reproductive health programs is essential to ensuring that people have safe and healthy sexual lives, according to a new report issued by the World Health Organization. This confirms what many sexual and reproductive health and rights advocates have known for years: A comprehensive, rights-based approach to reproductive health that includes non-judgmental, culture and gender sensitive services is the most effective way to improve reproductive health around the world.

PAI praises the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) for pledging an initial 3 million pounds – the equivalent of over US$5 million – to a new fund supporting health organizations that have lost U.S. funding since the re-imposition of the Global Gag Rule. We also commend the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) for creating the fund, which will significantly reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions worldwide.

Population Action International (PAI), represented by President & CEO Amy Coen, was among an esteemed group of world leaders, corporate executives, academics and civil society representatives in New York this month at the inaugural meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.

Only one month after President Bush's controversial recess appointment of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Bolton is leading the United States in another attempt to rewrite a landmark consensus document and in doing so is further isolating this country from the international community – precisely the behavior anticipated by those who opposed Bolton's appointment.