This catalytic funding reaffirms New Zealand’s leadership and long-standing commitment to public health, equity, and regional solidarity in the Pacific.The UN Resident Coordinator for Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, Mr Dirk Wagener, noted the timeliness considering the rapidly growing cases in the country.“The Pacific is facing a turning point in its HIV response. I sincerely thank the Government of New Zealand for its decisive and compassionate leadership. This funding is more than a contribution—it is a signal of shared responsibility and a boost to regional health security.”“The United Nations remains firmly committed to supporting the Government of Fiji in averting further transmission and in saving lives. Our collective response must be fast, focused, and grounded in human rights, equity, and dignity.”New Zealand’s NZD 4 million contribution will strengthen efforts already underway, including: expansion of community-based HIV testing and treatment services; roll-out of harm reduction programmes, including the introduction of needle and syringe programmes for people who inject drugs; implementation of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for populations at substantial risk of HIV infection; and strengthening peer-led and community-based support models to improve treatment literacy and adherence while reducing stigma.
  This announcement builds on the momentum generated at the Development Partners’ Roundtable on Fiji’s HIV Outbreak Response, convened in June 2025 by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the United Nations.The Roundtable brought together government and key bilateral and multilateral partners—including New Zealand, Australia, the United States, the European Union, Germany, France, Spain , Canada China, Japan, Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia as well as UN agencies—to align strategic support and coordinate resources in response to what is now the world’s fastest-growing HIV epidemic.
  As detailed in the 2025 UNAIDS Global AIDS Update, since 2010, Fiji has recorded a 3091% increase in estimated new HIV infections. In 2014, fewer than 500 people were living with HIV. By 2024, this number had surged to an estimated 5,900 (range: 4,500– 8,900). Shockingly, only 36% of people living with HIV in Fiji were aware of their status last year, and just 24% were receiving treatment.In response to these alarming figures, the Government of Fiji declared a national HIV outbreak in January 2025.The United Nations continues to support the response through the Joint UN Team on HIV, which is led by UNAIDS and includes the active engagement of UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, UNDP, UN Women, ILO, and UNODC. These UN agencies are also playing a lead role in the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce, as well as in technical working groups on prevention, treatment, diagnostics, data, and community engagement—ensuring evidence-based and community-driven responses are delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
  The United Nations calls on all partners to sustain momentum and ensure the HIV outbreak response is fully resourced and community-led. This includes continued investment in Prevention scale-up, integrated service delivery, and the long-term sustainability of the national HIV programme.
 

This year’s International Women’s Day theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment” recognizes and upholds the rights of women and girls in all their diversity. It aligns with key frameworks such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly Goal 5), and the UN system-wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan.Despite gains since the Beijing Platform for Action was adopted in 1995, globally, one in 10 women still live in poverty; over 2.7 billion women are legally restricted from having the same choice of jobs as men; nearly 60 percent of women’s employment is in the informal economy, and in low-income countries, it is more than 90 percent; around 257 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe, modern methods of contraception; and, one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by their intimate partner or family member. Furthermore, nearly half of the world’s 281 million international migrants are women and a shocking 71 percent of women and girls are victims of human trafficking worldwide.In the Pacific, we have seen strong commitments made at the regional level through the Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration, the Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights, and the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.While there have been decades of progress to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, some Pacific countries have seen an increase in the Adolescent Birth Rate or teenage pregnancy and child marriage, particularly of girls—with adverse effects on the health, education and well-being that span their life course. Furthermore, Pacific Island Countries have the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the world - at just 5.8 percent.Gender inequality persists across our region - despite many countries being matrilineal - with disparities in access to employment, political and social participation, and in access to education, social protection and health.Marginalized women and girls, including those from indigenous communities, women with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals, face unique challenges that must be recognized and addressed with sensitivity and urgency. Climate change and natural disasters increase risks and inequalities, particularly if women and girls in all their diversity, are not integral to all phases of humanitarian preparedness and response. Our Pacific solutions must be inclusive, holistic, and reflective of the diverse experiences of women and girls in our region.Violence against women and girls in the Pacific is among the highest in the world—about twice the global average. Between 75 and 90 percent of all market vendors in the Pacific are women and yet women are often excluded from market governance and decision-making.And so, while we have reason to celebrate today, we know we have a lot of work to do.Gender equality is key to advancing progress in human rights, climate action, and sustainable development, which is the focus of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the Pacific.The Gender Equality Acceleration Plan’s emphasis on empowering women as leaders and amplifying their voices aligns with this regional context. International Women’s Day 2025 provides a platform to celebrate these achievements while mobilizing collective action to address the structural barriers that persist. Therefore, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment across the Pacific. We call upon governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities to commit to actionable steps that promote gender equality and empowerment. Let us strengthen partnerships that leverage diverse voices and expertise. Let us amplify the calls for justice, for equality, and for a brighter, safer and more prosperous future for women and girls everywhere. 

SUVA/BANGKOK, 23 January 2025—The Government of Fiji has declared an HIV outbreak in response to a sharp increase in reported newly diagnosed cases during 2024. A targeted 90-day containment plan will speed up immediate, high-impact interventions while the HIV Surge Strategy approved last September will guide the AIDS response until 2027. UNAIDS will continue to support the generation of strategic information, technical planning, program innovation and resource mobilisation as Fiji implements short- and longer-term plans to prevent new infections and ensure people living with HIV benefit from life-saving services. For these strategies to work, those most vulnerable to HIV infection must be able to safely access the information and care they require. They should also play a leading role in the design and delivery of those services.“Prioritization of HIV by the Government is critical for not only the people of Fiji, but the entire Pacific,” said Eamonn Murphy, Regional Director of UNAIDS Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe Central Asia. “Rising new infections in Fiji put the entire Pacific region at risk. Political will is the essential first step. There must also be community leadership and regional solidarity to ensure these strategies work.” As Minister for Health and Medical Services, Hon. Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu noted yesterday, there were 1093 newly-reported cases from January to September 2024. This is three times as many as there were in 2023. According to the Ministry, reported cases have increased nine-fold over the last five years. The rapid rise in newly-diagnosed cases met the national criteria for declaring HIV a national outbreak.Preliminary Ministry of Health numbers show that among the newly-diagnosed individuals who are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy, half contracted HIV through injecting drug-use. An additional concern is that over half of all people living with HIV who are aware of their status are not on treatment.“Fiji has the second fastest growing HIV epidemic in the Asia and the Pacific region. These data do not just tell the story about a lack of services,” Mr Murphy explained. “They indicate that even when people know they are HIV-positive, they are fearful to receive care. There must be a deliberate effort to not only strengthen health systems, but to respond to the unique needs of the most affected populations, including people who use drugs. Perpetuating prejudice against any group will slow progress. We must work together to make it safe and easy for people to access the information, services and support they require. In the words of Minister Lalabalavu ‘discrimination and stigma will only serve to make our current situation worse’.”The HIV Outbreak Response Plan calls for a combination of prevention approaches including the introduction of harm reduction programs for people who inject drugs. Since the sexual transmission of HIV remains a significant factor, other key approaches are condom distribution and pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP. (PrEP is treatment taken by an HIV-negative person to reduce the risk of contracting HIV if they are exposed.) Through the Australian Government’s Indo-Pacific HIV Partnership, UNAIDS is supporting Fiji to scale up these comprehensive prevention approaches. The United Nations in Fiji recognizes the Government’s decisive leadership in addressing the HIV epidemic and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the national response.“The declaration of an HIV outbreak and the launch of high-impact interventions, such as needle syringe programs and PrEP, mark a critical turning point in Fiji’s efforts to combat the epidemic,” said Mr. Dirk Wagener, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Fiji. “We commend the Hon. Minister for Health and Medical Services for his bold leadership in taking this pivotal step. The Joint UN Team on HIV, with UNAIDS as its Secretariat, stands ready to provide coordinated and sustained support to ensure the success of these strategies and to protect the most vulnerable.”The HIV Surge Strategy includes tactics for Fiji to achieve the Global AIDS Strategy targets—95% of all people living with HIV aware their status, 95% of diagnosed people on antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of people on treatment achieving a suppressed viral load. People who attain viral suppression through treatment adherence and monitoring will live normal healthy lives and a person with an undetectable viral load cannot pass on the virus through sexual intercourse. This is known as Undetectable equals Untransmittable (U=U). “HIV treatment is effective. It not only keeps people living with HIV healthy, but can help prevent new infections,” explained Renata Ram, UNAIDS HIV Adviser in Fiji. “Every Fijian has a part to play by making our homes, communities, schools, workplaces and places of worship, spaces that support and care for people rather than shame and exclude them.” 

The quake impacted approximately 80,000 people, leaving 14 people dead, more than 250 injured, and temporarily displacing more than a thousand. The humanitarian response, led by the Government of Vanuatu, mobilized swiftly after the event to provide life-saving assistance to those most in need. The Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT), which includes the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, promptly collaborated with national and international partners to bolster the government's efforts. Immediate funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund, UN agencies and international partners has been essential in the aftermath, facilitating the swift deployment of resources and support to the affected communities.The response focused on supporting the most vulnerable communities and temporarily displaced people. Key activities include strengthened health services through mobile clinics and temporary medical facilities, restoration of critical water supplies and distribution of hygiene kits, provision of emergency shelter and essential non-food items, implementation of critical protection measures, delivery of food aid, and support for the continuity of education through the establishment of Temporary Learning Spaces, mental health and psychological support. Emphasizing the significance of joint response, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator/PHT Chair Mr. Dirk Wagener said, "This coordinated effort underscores our shared commitment to leave no one behind. Together with the Government of Vanuatu, the Pacific Humanitarian Team and partners, we are not only addressing immediate needs but also focusing on recovery and rebuilding to create a more resilient future for affected communities."While addressing immediate needs, the PHT continues to collaborate with the Government of Vanuatu to ensure a seamless transition into the early recovery phase. The United Nations and humanitarian partners remain committed to supporting national-led recovery and resilience efforts, ensuring that affected communities receive the necessary assistance and that none is left behind. #ENDSFor Further Information contact: Debbie Singh Strategic Communications SpecialistOffice of the UN Resident CoordinatorEmail: debrah.singh@un.org |Tel: O +679 278 7513