|
MP Joins International
Committee
Neil Gerrard, MP for
Walthamstow, has been appointed as one of the members of a new Advisory
Panel established by the Inter Parliamentary Union. The IPU is the
international organization of Parliaments of sovereign States. It was
established in 1889. The Union is the focal point for world-wide
parliamentary dialogue. The IPU supports the efforts of the United
Nations, whose objectives it shares, and works in close co-operation with
it. Over a hundred and forty national parliaments are currently members of
the IPU.
A new Advisory Panel
has been set up by the IPU to scale up Parliamentary involvement in policy
making on HIV/AIDS.
The first meeting of the IPU Advisory Group on HIV/AIDS was held in Geneva
on 18 and 19 September. The Group met to discuss the need for more active
involvement of parliaments in scaling up the worldwide response to the
pandemic. The Group’s major focus will be advocacy, primarily within
parliaments, and subsequently to influence governments and the general
public.
Nine MPs from across the world have been appointed to the Group, and Mr
Gerrard is one of the nine. All are MPs actively involved in HIV/AIDS work
in their national parliaments, and the other members are from Brazil,
India, Philippines, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sweden, and
Uganda.
“I
am very pleased to have been asked to participate in the work of the IPU”
said Mr Gerrard. “The intention of the new Panel is to influence work on
HIV/AIDS in parliaments across the world, and to develop new policy
initiatives for the Inter Parliamentary Union. It is a great opportunity
for international collaboration between MPs who are interested and
involved in this issue and we hope to stimulate improved work by
legislators. Over the coming months we will be working together to try to
achieve this.”
The IPU is the
international organization of Parliaments of sovereign States (Article
1 of the Statutes of the Inter-Parliamentary Union).
It was established in 1889.
The Union is the focal point for
world-wide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and co-operation
among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy.
To that end, it:
-
Fosters contacts,
co-ordination, and the exchange of experience among parliaments and
parliamentarians of all countries;
-
Considers questions
of international interest and concern and expresses its views on such
issues in order to bring about action by parliaments and
parliamentarians;
-
Contributes to the
defence and promotion of human rights -- an essential factor of
parliamentary democracy and development;
-
Contributes to better
knowledge of the working of representative institutions and to the
strengthening and development of their means of action.
The IPU supports the efforts of the United
Nations, whose objectives it shares, and works in close co-operation with
it. It also co-operates with regional inter-parliamentary organizations,
as well as with international intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations which are motivated by the same ideals.
Over a hundred-forty
national parliaments are currently
members of the IPU.
Seven regional parliamentary assemblies are Associate Members. Most
members are affiliated to one of the
six
geopolitical groups
that are currently active in the
IPU.
November 2006
|
