About the TB HLM: declaration content and objectives Evaline Kibuchi stop tb partnership-kenya

What is UN HLM A United Nations High-Level Meeting (UN HLM)is convened by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the main decision-making body of the UN representing all 193 UN Member States, and governments. The UN HLM on TB will be the fifth time the UN has called for a high-level meeting devoted to a health issue, the first being the 2001 Special Session on HIV/AIDS, followed by UN HLMs on Non-communicable Diseases, Ebola, and Antimicrobial Resistance.

Why the UNHLM? In the analysis of the MDG goals that ended in 2015, one of the gaps identified as holding back the realization of TB goals was low political commitment. To address this gap to achieve the SGD that followed the MDGS was to seek ways to improve political commitment. UNHLM is one of the ways to address this gap.

History of the TBHLM A campaign was launched by Stop TB Partnership Board and partners in September 2016 . This called for a resolution to have a UN HLM on TB at the UNGA. 2016 by the Global Health and Foreign Policy Initiative, a UN country grouping which includes South Africa, Thailand, Brazil, France, Norway, Senegal, and Indonesia. The resolution was granted

Importance of HLM To secure commitment from Heads of State and government for a coordinated global response, agree to substantially increase financial resources for TB, and lead to millions of lives saved from premature deaths from TB It is the biggest and best opportunity to raise the political priority of TB. It is the most significant political meeting ever held on TB. The meeting will result in a Political Declaration on TB endorsed by Heads of State that will form the basis for the future TB response.

Importance of HLM continued It should endorse measurable targets and commitments from governments and key stakeholders for 2020 and 2025 on which they can be monitored and held accountable through regular reporting. It will be attended by Heads of State, Government Ministers, UN Secretary General and other UN leaders, civil society, community representatives, private sector, UN Ambassadors, researchers, academics, parliamentarians. TB organizations and stakeholders, TB advoacates and person infected and affected by TB.

Who has confirmed? Heads of states from the following countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Egyput, Eswatini, Equitorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbambwe, Uganda.

Political Declaration

So what after the HLM? CSOs to disseminate the contents of the commitments made at the HLM Need for advocacy for implementation of the political declaration Hold the Heads of states accountable to their commitments CSOs to monitor the progress of the implementation of the commitments. Reminder of the Bulls eye: ENDING TB 2030!