ISLAMABAD, May 19: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) and Unesco will sign a memorandum of understanding here on Friday to prevent and control the spread of HIV/Aids in Pakistan. The agreement will be signed by Dr Aldo Landi, UNAIDS Coordinator, and Jorge Sequira, Director/Representative of Unesco in the presence of UN resident coordinator.

The expected duration of cooperation is three years, starting on the day of the signing of the MoU.

The UNAIDS will support Unesco and the UN country team’s efforts on effective action on the epidemic, strategic information to guide policy and action, civil society engagement and partnership development, tracking, monitoring and evaluation of the epidemic and the response as well as financial, technical and political resource mobilization.

It will also facilitate and support coordination and communication within the UN as well as with the government, civil society, people living with HIV and development partners for an effective scaled up country response.

It will extend support for the achievement of the goal, objectives and targets of Unesco-UNAIDS joints global initiative on HIV/Aids and education.

The Unesco office in Pakistan will work with UNAIDS to develop collaborative activities to engage government and civil society organizations for the introduction of HIV/Aids prevention education at various levels of the education system.

Furthermore, Unesco will support and implement prevention education initiatives aimed at the cut-of-school youth and adult illiterates and develop advocacy and training materials to build the capacity of the organizations implementing adult literacy and non-formal basic education programmes in the area of HIV/Aids prevention education.

In addition, Unesco will provide technical assistance for studies on socio-cultural issues relating to stigma and discrimination.