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

2.  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 The Importance of Building and Supporting Champions

3.  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 Parliamentary Programming (1)

4.  Examples of programmatic interventions:  Sensitising MPs on HIV/AIDS;  Legal reviews/audits of domestic legal environment and recommendations for 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 Parliamentary Programming (2)

5.  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 Parliamentary Programming (3)

6.  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 Challenges