STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA AND PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION Hon. Dr. THEO-BEN GURIRAB  ON OCCASION OF THE COMMEMORATION OF THE WORLD AIDS DAY 2009 IN NAMIBIA IN CONJUCTION WITH SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PARLIAMENTARY FORUM (SADC PF) 1st DECEMBER 2009

Fellow Namibians!,

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Every year on the 1st of December, the people of the world commemorate World AIDS Day, in order to reflect and remind ourselves that we have an elephant in

the house that we need to keep fighting. HIV/AIDS has become a global emergency and for us in Southern Africa. The epidemic not only threatens to halt development, but to reverse gains made in various sectors.

The global summary of the HIV/AIDS epidemic with respect to 2008 by the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS shows that 33.4 million people were living with HIV all over the world last year. There were 2.7 million new HIV infections globally, and an estimated 2 Million people died due to AIDS related illnesses. UNAIDS statistics show that more than 25 million people have died of AIDS related illnesses globally since 1981.

The SADC region, where we live, now has the dubious distinction of being the epicentre of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Of the total number of people living with HIV all over the world, about 22 million of them are in our region, and the African continent is now home to more than 14 million orphans.

Globally, this year World AIDS Day is being commemorated under the theme: Universal Access and Human Rights. In Namibia, we are marking the day under the national theme: Make HIV Prevention a National Priority.

At the regional level, we salute governments that have made remarkable strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS, especially on the treatment front. Our neighbour Botswana, now boasts of 97 per cent coverage of Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) with respect to prevention of mother–to-child transmission (PMCT).

In Zimbabwe, HIV prevalence in pregnant women has dropped significantly and here in Namibia, we have almost achieved our target of 90 per cent ART coverage for all eligible people living with HIV. Epidemics in Malawi and Zambia are also reported to have stabilized. Still, a lot has to be done.

Access to medication and treatment is a human right issue. As we are all committed to human rights, we have an obligation to promote human rights. Human rights are a key component of the global response to the HIV epidemic as reflected in this year’s World AIDS Day, global theme. It gives me great pleasure to report that as a region, we are in the right direction in this regard.

At the 24th Plenary Assembly session of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), last year, elected representatives of the people of Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe unanimously adopted the SADC PF Model law on HIV & AIDS in Southern Africa.

The model law is aimed at assisting SADC member parliaments, to address all the relevant areas in need of legislative reform as we respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is our yardstick, providing guidance on how HIV-specific Acts can be legislated and implemented in the respective countries of the region.

If I may quote from Part V of the document, in Article 36, section (1) it says “The State shall take all the relevant measures to provide access to affordable, high quality anti-retroviral therapy and prophylaxis to treat or prevent HIV or opportunistic infections for people living with HIV including children living with HIV and members of vulnerable and marginalised groups�.

At a SADC PF-SADC Tribunal workshop in August this year, top judges and other legal experts from all over SADC, who gathered in Gaborone, agreed that the Model law is based on a human rights approach and is set to be a useful point of reference.

Fellow Namibians!,

Ladies and Gentlemen!

While we acknowledge the progress that has been made at regional and national levels in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we in Namibia realize the need for turning off the tap of new HIV infections hence the theme we have adopted this year nationally. It is only through successful prevention of new infections that we can manage to keep those of our people that already require treatment on treatment. This is in line with the new HIV/AIDS prevention campaign within our Regional Parliamentary work known as “50 x 15�, which seeks to reduce new infections by 50 percent by 2015 and be in line with the Millennium Development Goals.

With the prevailing global financial crisis now upon us, it is imperative that we explore ways of halting new infections, so that we safe guard meagre resources available for meeting our other development goals like MDGS and Vision 2030. Parliamentarians can and should play a key role in making this prevention initiative work by spreading the word in their constituencies and ensuring that the necessary resources are allocated.

Various studies have been done to determine what is driving the HIV epidemic in Namibia. We now know the drivers according to the recently released Ministry of Health and Social Services report, which seeks to assist us in developing a new national prevention strategy for combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and place it as a national priority.

As Parliamentarians and representatives of the people, we can reflect on concerns of all people, including those living with or affected by HIV, and should come up with legislation, policies and strategies that reduce the vulnerability of various sectors of our population.

As opinion leaders and decision-makers, we can promote the respect for HIV/AIDS related Human Rights among our constituents. Furthermore, as Law makers, we can design, adopt and oversee the implementation of legislation that promotes and advances effective HIV prevention, care and treatment programmes from the constituency level.

These piece of legislation,  will be domesticated and implemented with the urgency expected of us, to empower those sections of our population that are most at risk for various reasons.  At a regional level, there is urgent need to ensure that immigrants in our countries –who are often neglected- are incorporated into our national policies so that their health needs are met.

In conclusion, I wish to take this opportunity to register our sincere gratitude to all our development partners who have relentlessly stood by us as we confront this pandemic.

I THANK YOU ALL! GOD BLESS OUR COUNTRY!

Hon. Dr. THEO-BEN GURIRAB (MP), Speaker of the National Assembly

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Statement By The Speaker Of The National Assembly Of The Republic Of Namibia And President Of The Inter-Parliamentary Union Hon. Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab On Occasion Of The Commemoration Of The World Aids Day 2009 In Namibia In Conjuction With Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF)