1. Parliamentarians Discuss Decriminalisation of Drug Use

With the support of UNAIDS, AFPPD organised a parliamentarians’ session at the International Harm Reduction Conference in Bangkok, Thailand on 21 April. It was chaired by Dr Pinit Kullavanijaya, Senator, Thailand and AFPPD Secretary General, and addressed by Dr La Ode Ida, MP and Deputy Speaker of the Upper House, Indonesia; Dr Donya Aziz, MP and Chair of HIV/AIDS Parliamentary Committee, Pakistan; Dr Ouk Damry, MP, Cambodia; Mr Douandy Outhachak, MP and Chair of the Socio-cultural Committee of the National Assembly, Laos; and Dr Prasada Rao, Director of UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific. The session drew over 200 participants.

The panelists stressed that a rational approach to drug use would be part of the solution to problems such as drug trafficking, organised crime, HIV/AIDS and violations of human rights. They agreed that in addition to health services and harm reduction programmes, there needs to be an enabling legal environment in which drug users are treated humanely and are not at risk of abuse when they access these services.

2. Gender Policies Conference in Turkmenistan

Over 100 parliamentarians, women leaders and government officials from selected CIS countries and Turkey met in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from 13-14 April to discuss “International Standards for Gender Policies.” The conference was organised by the UNFPA Regional Division for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in cooperation with the Government of Turkmenistan.

AFPPD was represented by Secretary-General Dr Pinit Kullavanijaya, Senator of Thailand, who was invited to speak at the opening, which was chaired by Ms Shirin Akhmedova, Director of the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights, and was also addressed by Mr Nikolai Botev, Sub regional Director of UNFPA for Central Asia; and Mr Richard Young, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan and UNFPA Representative.

For more information, please contact Ms Jennet Appova, acting Assistant Representative of UNFPA in Turkmenistan at appova@unfpa.org.

3. Thai Senate Hearing on Drugs and AIDS

The Thai Senate Committee on Public Health under the chairmanship of Dr Anan Ariyachaipanich organised the first ever hearing on drugs and AIDS on 7 April. It was attended by members of the committees, officials of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, representatives from UN agencies including UNAIDS, UNODC and WHO, as well as NGOs and a large number of people affected by drug use and HIV. AFPPD helped organise the hearing.

Senator Dr Pinit Kullavanijaya of Thailand, AFPPD Secretary General of AFPPD, concluded the hearing which produced many suggestions and among them was the need to humanize laws on drug and to decriminalize drug use. This recommendation was widely appreciated by all concerned.

4. 42nd Session of the Commission on Population and Development Concludes

The 42nd Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development was held from 1-3 April in New York. After a long and often contentious discussion, the session adopted a guideline for international action over the next five years to achieve the goals and objectives set forth during the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo.

Recognizing reproductive health as a human right, and recalling that at Cairo countries had committed to achieving universal access by 2015, the Commission urged Governments and development partners to improve maternal health, reduce maternal and infant mortality, and prevent and respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by strengthening health systems and ensuring that everyone, particularly those in vulnerable situations, had access to a wide range of health-care services. In countries where abortion was legal, health systems should train and equip service providers to ensure safe access, but not promote it as a method of family planning. For more information, please visit http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/cpd2009/comm2009.htm

5. Partners in Population and Development Advisory Committee Meeting

Partners in Population and Development (PPD), a Dhaka-based organization that promotes South-South cooperation, organised its International Programme Advisory Committee meeting in Bali, Indonesia, from 19-20 May. The meeting was opened by Dr Sugiri Syarief, chairperson of the National Family Planning Coordination Board (BKKBN), Government of Indonesia and also addressed by Mr Rabbi Royan, Senior Technical Adviser of Population and Development Branch of UNFPA; Mr Harry Jooseery, Executive Director of PPD; Mr Jyoti Singh, PPD Permanent Observer to the UN in New York; Dr Haryono Suyono, former Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation of Indonesia.

6. Legal Abortions on NSW State Agenda

Doctors, law reformers and politicians are joining forces to de-criminalise abortion in New South Wales state in Australia. NSW Attorney-General Mr John Hatzistergos issued a statement on 8 March confirming the Government's reluctance to change laws that make abortion a crime in some circumstances.

After a long public campaign, the abortion law in Victoria state was amended in November 2008. Abortion is now available on demand until 24-weeks gestation in that state. Greens MP Ms Lee Rhiannon said change would be tougher in NSW because of the number of social conservatives in power. Ms Rhiannon said abortion remained a serious criminal offence in NSW, attracting a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

7. Media Training for Pacific Parliamentary Champions

Four parliamentary champions in the Pacific region on HIV/AIDS and youth participated in a training workshop on using the media as a tool for advocacy. Facilitated by Representatives from UNFPA and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the workshop was held at SPC’s regional office in Suva from 31 March to 3 April.

The champions were endorsed last year at conferences of the Pacific Parliamentary Assembly on Population and Development (PPAPD) and the Forum Presiding Officers and Clerks (FPOC). The HIV/AIDS champions are Ms Francesca Semoso, Deputy Speaker, Bougainville House of Representatives, and Mr John David Tangi, Leader of the House, Parliament of the Cook Islands, who conducts HIV/AIDS advocacy in the Pacific and internationally. Mr Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiataua, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa and Vice Chair of AFPPD, and Mr Atapana Siakimotu, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Niue, were similarly endorsed as champions for youth advocacy.

8. UNDP Assists Palau Parliamentarians

UNDP identified a number of needs and gaps to help Palau’s parliament perform its representation. Towards the end of the 2008, the UNDP had completed and submitted a comprehensive needs assessment of the parliament to its presiding officers. The assessment was a result of Palau’s interest in being involved in the UNDP’s parliamentary support programme in 2008-2012 cycle. The assessment also recommends ways in which Palau can improve the efficiency and effectiveness in the parliament “in its legislative, oversight and representative functions.” Both houses of Congress have formed a working group to move the process forward.

9. African First Ladies Summit Tackles Health and Education

First ladies from 16 African countries with representatives from another six countries met in Los Angeles, California where they discussed women’s health and education, AIDS and other challenges facing the African continent. The meeting was convened by the groups African Synergy and US Doctors for Africa. The first lady of California, Ms Maria Shriver, wife of Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger, greeted the delegations.

The first ladies met with NGOs, the business community and development groups to highlight healthcare and issues affecting African women. The newly appointed US ambassador at large for Global Women’s Issues, Ms Melanne Verveer, pledged the support of the Obama administration in combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infectious diseases, and addressing issues such as maternal health care.

10. Indigenous MPs Meet in Caracas

The Indigenous Parliament of the Americas (PIA) met on 30 March in Caracas at the Venezuelan National Assembly to discuss the fundamental issues faced by the indigenous peoples of the continent.. The event was attended by legislators and deputies from Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Central American Parliament, and Venezuela.

AFPPD with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will also organise an indigenous parliamentarians’ event in Asia later this year.

11. British MPs Tackle Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (APPMG) of the UK convened a meeting at the House of Commons in London on 23 April to mark the World Malaria Day. The theme of the meeting was “the contribution of malaria control to reaching the MDGs.” The key speakers were Stephen O’Brien, MP and Chair of APPMG and Shadow Health Minister; Michele Barzach, Chair of the Friends of the Global Fund Europe; Professor Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director, Roll Back Malaria Partnership; Dr Esther Tallah, Manager, Cameroon Coalition Against Malaria.

12. Parliamentarians Discuss Gender Perspective of Disaster Reduction

The International Conference on Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction was held in Beijing, China, from 20-23 April. It explored how women and men can participate equally in driving early warning systems, risk assessments, preparedness exercises and national and local plans to implement disaster risk reduction policies. More than 200 participants, among them ministers and parliamentarians from 50 countries, attended the three-day conference. The conference was organised by the All-China Women’s Federation and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.

13. Calendar of Events

• APDA/AFPPD Asian Regional Seminar on ICPD+15 and AFPPD Executive Committee meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 2-3 May
• 2nd steering committee meeting for the 5th APCSRHR, in Beijing, China, from 15-16 May
• SAARC Parliamentarians Conference on Advocacy to Achieve Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services, in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 28-30 July
• 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) in Bali, Indonesia, from 9-12 August, organised by AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific
• Global NGO Forum on ICPD at 15 in Berlin, Germany, from 2-4 September, organised by UNFPA and the Government of Germany
• 5th Asia-Pacific Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Beijing, China, from 17-20 October
• International Parliamentarians’ Conference on ICPD+15 in Cairo, Egypt, from 20-21 October
• AFPPD Asian Women Parliamentarians’ and Ministers’ Conference on “ICPD+15 and Gender Issues” (date and location to be determined)
• Parliament staff training by AFPPD on “programme management and Log Frame,” in Chiang Mai, Thailand (date to be determined)
  

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