E/2002/27 E/CN.6/2002/13 Children’s Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization and the World Bank, to empower women through capacity development programmes, as well as programmes that provide women with access to development resources and strengthen their networks which offer care and support to women affected by HIV/AIDS, “1. Welcomes the outcome of the Organization of African Unity Special Summit on HIV/AIDS in Abuja, Nigeria, in April 2001, and the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS: “Global Crisis — Global Action”, adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-sixth special session, in June 2001; “2. Reaffirms the commitment by Governments to the HIV/AIDS goals and objectives contained in the Political Declaration and further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-third special session entitled ‘Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century’; “3. Also reaffirms the rights of women and the girl child infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to have access to health, education and social services, including counselling, and to be protected from all forms of discrimination, stigma, abuse and neglect; “4. Further reaffirms the human rights of girls and women to equal access to education, skills training and employment opportunities as a means to reduce their vulnerability to HIV infection; “5. 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 better protect themselves from HIV infection; “6. Emphasizes that the advancement and empowerment of women is critical to increasing the ability of women and young girls to protect themselves from HIV infection; “7. Stresses that every effort should be made by Governments, relevant agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, individually and collectively, to place combating HIV/AIDS as a priority on the development agenda and to implement effective prevention strategies and programmes, especially for the most vulnerable populations, including women, young girls and infants, also taking into account the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; “8. Calls upon the international community, relevant agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system and intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations to intensify their support of national efforts against HIV/AIDS, particularly in favour of women and young girls, in the worst-hit regions of Africa and where the epidemic is severely setting back national development gains; 34