The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, has appointed Dr Jantine Jacobi to head the Gender and AIDS Team in the UNAIDS Secretariat.  She will also provide leadership within the Secretariat for the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS.

Dr Jacobi led the work on the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, developed through the Global Task Force, under the leadership of the Executive Director of UNAIDS. She also had leadership responsibilities for the operationalization of "universal of access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support". Prior to her work on the 3by5 Initiative on antiretroviral treatment, Dr Jacobi served as UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Uganda, and Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus.

Before joining UNAIDS, she worked with WHO on child health, the reproductive health portfolio and AIDS in Nepal, Zambia and Namibia, respectively. Jantine pursued advanced studies in several areas, including applied epidemiology, gender and reproductive health, health systems management, and most recently a Master in Business Administration at universities in The Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Gender and AIDS team in the UNAIDS Secretariat will focus on the roll-out of the recently launched Agenda for Accelerated Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, the Outcome Framework priority area "Stop Violence against Women and Girls", and ensuring a gender-responsive UNAIDS Secretariat. Jantine will also provide leadership within the Secretariat for the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS.

The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS has been through a number of transitions to adapt to the changing environment and most pressing needs. We therefore would like to build on the discussions of the Steering Committee on how to advance the AIDS response for women and girls, and assess how the Coalition can support the roll-out of the Agenda for Accelerated Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, as well as engage other partners committed to this important cause.