A/HRC/12/50 with HIV in 2007, and that a disproportionate number of them are presently in sub-Saharan Africa, and also deploring the 25 million lives lost to HIV/AIDS since the epidemic was identified, Recalling the urgent need to scale up efforts significantly towards the goal of universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support by 2010, affirmed by Governments in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, adopted by the General Assembly at its High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS on 2 June 2006, and emphasizing the concern at the increasing instances of multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination, and reiterating that such discrimination affects the enjoyment of human rights and can lead to particular targeting of people living with HIV/AIDS and members of key populations affected by the epidemic, as well as increased vulnerability to HIV, and also recalling the importance that States adopt or strengthen programmes or measures to eradicate multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination, in particular by adopting or improving penal or civil legislation to address these phenomena, Expressing appreciation for the important role played by the engagement of civil society in the response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Welcoming the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property, adopted by the World Health Assembly on 24 May 2008, Welcoming also progress in expanding access to HIV treatment, particularly the 35 per cent increase in the number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy from 2007 to 2008, noting, however, that while nearly 3 million people in low- and middle-income countries were estimated to be receiving antiretroviral medicines as of the end of 2007, an estimated 9.7 million in need lacked access to such life-saving medicines, an estimated 1 million end-stage HIV/AIDS patients had no access to treatment for moderate to severe pain, and many people in need failed to receive treatment for tuberculosis and other HIVrelated opportunistic infections, Noting with particular concern that, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the World Health Organization, women and girls are disproportionately affected by the epidemic in that they comprise an increasing proportion of the people infected, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where women account for 57 per cent of those infected, and young women aged from 15 to 24 years are three times more likely to be infected than young men of the same age, Welcoming resolution 53/2 of 13 March 2009 of the Commission on the Status of Women and the recognition of the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls and the need to increase significantly and coordinate political and financial commitment to address gender equality and equity in national HIV and AIDS responses, and recognizing the need to link the AIDS response more closely with the overall response to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly those related to health, and underlining in this regard the interrelated nature of health- and gender-related Millennium Development Goals, Emphasizing, in view of the increasing challenges presented by HIV/AIDS, including apparent trends to enact criminal and other laws that are counterproductive to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support efforts, and the ongoing application of HIVspecific restrictions on the entry, stay and residence of HIV-positive people, the need for intensified efforts to ensure universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all in order to reduce vulnerability to HIV, prevent HIV/AIDSrelated discrimination and stigma and reduce the impact of AIDS; Recognizing the need for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to expand significantly and strengthen its work with national Governments and to work with 55