A letter was sent to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, H.E. Mr Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson.
Since the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) in 2002, Iceland has contributed USD 1,170,707 to the Global Fund for the fight against the three diseases.
Iceland is a leading country in advancing gender equality and women’s rights with its strategy for International Development Cooperation focusing on the promotion of human rights and gender equality, peace and security, as well as the fight against poverty, social injustice, disparity in living conditions and hunger. Iceland places special emphasis on gender equality and environmental sustainability as cross-cutting themes. The Global Fund priorities complement Iceland’s efforts to promote gender equality among others with its investments promoting gender equality and addressing human rights barriers through its grants. The Global Fund insists on the meaningful engagement of women throughout the design and implementation of the programmes it funds, has a strong focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and devotes more than one-third of its funding to Health Systems Strengthening (over USD 1 billion per year). Global Fund grants support comprehensive sexuality education and programmes to address gender-based violence and also provides funding for education and economic empowerment programmes for adolescent girls and young women, who are disproportionately affected by HIV. Increased investments in the Global Fund will ensure that all these efforts are fast-tracked to achieve human rights, gender equality and social justice including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).