In its 20th Meeting held on 25-27 June 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland, the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Body (PCB) adopted the following decision:

"[UNAIDS PCB] 5.3 Acknowledging work being done by UNAIDS on a guidance note on HIV and sex work, recommends UNAIDS to continue consultation with relevant stakeholders, including affected groups in developing this guidance."

The UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work was first made available in April 2007 and was signed by 9 UNAIDS "Co-Sponsors" (UN system organisations that make up UNAIDS); the tenth co-nsponsor - UNESCO - didn't sign on to the Note.

The Guidance Note immediately faced protests and criticism from wider civil society including sex workers organisations around the world, who pointed out that the Note was contrary to evidence-based and rights-based approaches to HIV prevention and treatment among sex workers, did not meet GIPA principles and contradicted UNAIDS own Policy Position Paper on Intensifying HIV Prevention.

By request from the NGO Delegation and Brazil Governmental Delegation, and with advocacy efforts of civil society observers in the meeting, including Andrew Hunter of the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers, UNAIDS PCB took this decision that demands from the UNAIDS Secretariat and Co-Sponsors to continue the development of the guidance note and include civil society and affected communities in the preparation process.

This is a positive example on how civil society can contribute to the decision making process in UNAIDS through NGO Delegation, "friendly" governments and civil society observers with PCB.