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PROMOTING PARLIAMENTARY ACTION ON THE HEALTH & HUMAN RIGHTS OF KEY POPULATIONS

PROMOTING PARLIAMENTARY ACTION ON THE HEALTH & HUMAN RIGHTS OF KEY POPULATIONS. 20 th INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE MELBOURNE JULY 2014. The Importance of Building and Supporting Champions. Majoritarian demand for reform is usually absent thanks to the AIDS paradox

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PROMOTING PARLIAMENTARY ACTION ON THE HEALTH & HUMAN RIGHTS OF KEY POPULATIONS

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  1. PROMOTING PARLIAMENTARY ACTION ON THE HEALTH & HUMAN RIGHTS OF KEY POPULATIONS 20th INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE MELBOURNE JULY 2014

  2. The Importance of Building and Supporting Champions Majoritarian demand for reform is usually absent thanks to the AIDS paradox Lawmakers often reject the epidemiological evidence out of ignorance, or on ideological grounds Some play to popular prejudice, which they may share, and promote repressive reform Leaders who accept the evidence and are willing to build and expend capital to promote reform are both exceptional, and essential for change to occur Attitudinal change usually follows, rather than leads, reform

  3. Parliamentary Programming (1) UNDP now operates parliamentary development programming in 68 countries (up from 6 in 1994) Spread of programming in many ways matches priority profile of virus: 7 projects in Europe/CIS; 24 in Sub-Saharan Africa; 10 in MENA region; 18 in Asia/Pacific; 9 in Caribbean/Latin America Scope of programming is becoming more thematic Since Global Commission, 10% of programmes (Cote d’Ivoire, Suriname, Gambia, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Lebanon, Myanmar) have added a thematic HIV component, with more moving in this direction

  4. Parliamentary Programming (2) • Examples of programmatic interventions: • Sensitising MPs on HIV/AIDS; • Legal reviews/audits of domestic legal environment and recommendationsfor law reform; • Technical support to draft legislation that ensures protection/rights of people living with/at risk of HIV/AIDS • Improving oversight /follow up on implementation of government HIV/AIDS policy; • Supporting committee work in the revision of existing policies/laws that impact on HIV/AIDS • Knowledge products – eg Handbook for MPs (with IPU); guidance to COs on entry points • Knowledge exchanges – eg supporting 2 parliamentary events at this IAC designed to reach 80+ global MPs & act as a call to action with identified support

  5. Parliamentary Programming (3) • Case study – proposed new HIV law reform promotion output in parliamentary programming: TUNISIA • Significant UNDP programme since beginning of “Arab Spring” • Adopted liberal constitution January 2014 – religious freedom, gender equality, right to privacy • National AIDS strategy calling for msm decriminalisation • Leading figure in Islamic-aligned party calling for sex work law reform • Significant regional implications of successful reform • Potential model for other regional programming

  6. Challenges • Interventions need the consent of the Parliament, so a progressive speaker, assembly president, clerk, or secretary-general (or at least one who is not opposed) is needed • Local UN system needs a similarly well-disposed figure • Need to strengthen links between programming in parliament and CSOs to support parliamentary champions • Need to ensure good information flows to UN system from local sources

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