E/2004/27 E/CN.6/2004/14 “Recalling the agreed conclusions adopted at its forty-sixth session, entitled ‘Women, the girl child and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)’, “Recalling also the Declaration and Plan of Action contained in the final document of the special session of the General Assembly on children, entitled ‘A world fit for children’, and recognizing that their implementation is a major contribution to protecting the rights and promoting the well-being of children, “Welcoming General Assembly resolution 58/236 of 23 December 2003, entitled ‘Follow-up to the outcome of the twenty-sixth special session: implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS’, “Noting with grave concern that the majority of new HIV infections occur among young people and that women and girls are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, “Noting also that women’s unequal legal and social status heightens their vulnerability to HIV, “Recognizing that populations destabilized by armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters, including refugees, internally displaced persons, and in particular women and children, are at an increased risk of exposure to HIV infection, “Deeply concerned that the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, through its devastating scale and impact, constitutes a global emergency, and that it disproportionately affects women and girls, and emphasizing that violence against women and girls as well as social, cultural, biological and economic factors can increase their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, “1. Stresses that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are fundamental elements in the reduction of their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and emphasizes that the advancement of women and girls is key to reversing the pandemic; “2. Reaffirms the need for Governments, supported by relevant actors, to continue to implement the commitments on HIV/AIDS contained in the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and to work towards effectively reflecting in their national policies and strategies the gender dimension of the pandemic, in line with the time-bound goals of the Declaration; “3. Urges Governments to take all necessary measures to strengthen women’s economic independence and to protect and promote their human rights and fundamental freedoms in order to allow them to protect themselves from HIV infection; “4. Also urges Governments to strengthen initiatives that would increase the capacities of women and adolescent girls to protect themselves from the risk of HIV infection, principally through the provision of health care and health services, including for sexual and reproductive health and through prevention education that promotes gender equality within a culturally and gender sensitive framework; 43