The Robert Carr Fund is the world’s leading international fund focused on funding regional and global networks led by and involving and serving inadequately served populations (ISPs). As a cooperative effort of donors and civil society, the Robert Carr Fund is structured to maximize participation, empowerment, equity, transparency and accountability in our fundraising and grant making. The Robert Carr Fund works to mobilize and deliver core and strategic funding for regional and global networks to achieve four outcomes:

• Protecting and promoting human rights
• Improving access to HIV services
•Mobilizing and monitoring national and international funding for human rights and health
• Building capacity of civil society and community networks

Our goal: Improved health, inclusion and wellbeing for inadequately served populations (ISPs) This satellite event will celebrate and showcase the work and impact of civil society networks in the HIV response and will launch the recently agreed Robert Carr Fund strategy charting the fund’s course through to 2024. It will also focus on the COVID 19 crisis, the impact on communities and networks and the work of civil society networks in responding to the global pandemic.

In ratifying the sustainable development goals (SDGs), United Nations Member States have pledged to achieve a series of ambitious health and development goals by 2030, including ending AIDS as a public health threat and achieving universal health coverage. In many low- and middle-income countries, these efforts are complementary. However, there are also areas of potential tension should either of the two responses make major decisions without regard for the other. For example, an increasingly targeted HIV response that misses potential opportunities for integration, or a UHC response that chooses not to include HIV in the UHC benefit package. Investing strategically in areas of convergence between the two responses is an important strategy for ensuring greater mutual benefit and progress for both the HIV and UHC agendas. The session will increase knowledge and engagement around potential opportunities for greater synergy between the HIV and UHC responses.

Even before COVID-19, AIDS was becoming a forgotten pandemic. Global attention has now shifted to a new crisis, but millions still continue to become infected with HIV and die of AIDS-related illnesses. Join us for a proactive discussion about lessons learned and not learned over the past 30 years of fighting AIDS, as we try to answer the question: Have we sacrificed progress or gained insight in trying to fight both epidemics at once?