Photo credit: Paul
Alexander Knox (Hover the mouse button over the images
for further information)
On 20th March 2007,
hundreds of campaigners travelled to Parliament to lobby their MPs
and tell Hilary Benn to ‘Keep the Promise’ on Universal
Access to HIV Treatment by 2010, and ensure that the G8 delivers
on its commitments. Held a week before the Development Ministers
of each G8 country met in Germany, campaigners targeted Benn and
MPs to ramp up the pressure.
As campaigners packed the
meeting, decked out in campaign T-shirts, giant pill costumes and
eyeballs, Hilary Benn affirmed the UK’s commitment to keeping
the promise of Universal Access by 2010 – and delivering the
funding, health systems and affordable medicines needed to make
this a reality. Of course, whether this happens remains to be seen,
and the campaign will continue to hold our leaders to account, and
press for more urgent and bolder action.
Following the meeting 10,000 of the ‘access
denied’ action cards collected so far by groups across the
country were presented in medicine bottles to Hilary Benn, while
campaigners lobbied MPs throughout the afternoon to generate parliamentary
pressure for decisive action and ensure they will be watching the
Government too. Over to you Mr Benn!
Update! (27/03/07)
The G8 Development Ministers meeting in Berlin closed on 27th March.
The chair’s summary of the meeting highlights the issues they
discussed at the meeting, which should be taken forward to the main
G8 summit in June. The summary covers, in general terms, all our
main policy areas, including reducing the prices of medicines. Whilst
the key details remain to be seen, and the real test lies in what
is actually delivered in June, the outcome shows both that our lobbying
really has made a difference in placing issues on the agenda, and
that more work is needed to turn the words into action.
> The
Chair’s Summary: G8 Development Ministers meeting, 27th March
2007
Also, see a response from Gareth Thomas, Under-Secretary of State
for International Development, to a question from one of the MPs
lobbied on the day, asking whether the G8 Development Ministers
will discuss action to reduce the prices of essential medicines.
> See
question
See the Stop AIDS Campaign’s policy
paper > ‘How
the G8 can Keep the Promise of Universal Access by 2010’
Hover the mouse button
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For more information contact: steve@aidsconsortium.org.uk |
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find
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