E/2004/27 E/CN.6/2004/14 Recalling further 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”,37 and recognizing that their implementation is a major contribution to protecting the rights and promoting the well-being of children, Recalling 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”, Recalling also Commission on Human Rights resolution 2003/29 of 29 April 2003, entitled, “Access to medication in the context of pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria”, Welcoming the launch, on February 2004, by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and its partners, of the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS, which seeks to raise awareness of the effects of HIV/AIDS on women and girls and to stimulate and increase activity in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Acknowledging that prevention, care, support and treatment for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS are mutually reinforcing elements of an effective response and must be integrated in a comprehensive approach to combat the epidemic, 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 disproportionately affects women and girls and that the majority of new HIV infections occur among young people, Concerned that women’s unequal legal, economic and social status and violence against women and girls as well as other cultural and physiological factors increases their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, Also concerned that women and girls have different and unequal access to and use of health resources for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, 1. Stresses with deep concern that the HIV/AIDS emergency, with its devastating scale and impact, requires urgent actions in all fields and at all levels; 2. Stresses also 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; 3. Reaffirms the need for Governments, supported by relevant actors, including civil society, to intensify national efforts and international cooperation in the implementation of the commitments on HIV/AIDS contained in the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS35 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; __________________ 37 General Assembly resolution S-27/2, annex. 19