Singer and UN AIDS Ambassador Annie Lennox addresses international parliamentarians as delegates pledge renewed support for MDGS

2 December 2011

The International Parliamentary Conference on the Millennium Development Goals today closed on a high note when world renowned musician and UN AIDS Ambassador Ms Annie Lennox OBE addressed the assembled international parliamentarians and development actors. Ms Lennox was joined by Rt Hon. Lord Malloch-Brown KCMG PC, former Foreign and Commonwealth Minister and Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, in a discussion on the role of parliamentarians as advocates for global development chaired by House of Commons Speaker Rt Hon. John Bercow MP.

A prominent HIV/AIDS activist, Ms Lennox used her address, which coincided with World AIDS Day, as an opportunity to call for greater action from parliaments in tackling the HIV/AIDS epidemic and working towards the MDGs. She expressed the hope that the week's exchanges 'have helped to create a sense of renewal of purpose towards the MDG targets.' She went on to outline her own efforts, and her particular interest: 'My main passion is aligned to the rights of women and children, as a woman and as a mother.'

Concluding, she reminded the parliamentarians present that 'we are all citizens of the world and have a responsibility to look after those living in it... As Nelson Mandela said, "it's in your hands." And it really is in your hands.'
The conference then drew to a close with the premiere of a bespoke piece of interactive theatre produced by the People’s Palace Project, Queen Mary University and the State of the Nation Crew, Theatre Royal Stratford East in partnership with CPA UK.

The play, in which actors spoke verbatim words of people living with HIV/AIDS, included hard-hitting messages such as 'As a society we need a re-education of the importance of humanity and compassion,' challenging attitudes toward HIV/AIDS and encouraging parliamentarians to advocate against the stigma and discrimination that is so often faced by those suffering from the disease.

Also addressing the parliamentarians, in a session entitled 'Keeping the promise on women's and children's health,' Rt Hon. Alan Duncan MP emphasised that 'a major part of [the UK's] development philosophy is that we have to put girls at the heart of everything we do.' Ms Eveline Herfkens, former Dutch MP and founder of the UN Millennium Campaign, took up this theme, highlighting parliamentarians' legislative function and urging those assembled to revise legislative frameworks that discriminate against girls.

The conference, which began on 29 November at the Houses of Parliament, saw some 100 participants including both Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth parliamentarians produce a communiqué committing delegates to continuing and expanding their work towards the challenge of achieving the MDGs by the 2015 deadline.

It contains specific principles such as national ownership, good governance, accountability, respect for human rights, gender equality, inclusivity and partnership, to be adopted by parliamentarians. Other outputs include a set of individual pledges made by each delegate, and a toolkit to enable parliamentarians to become champions for the MDGs in their respective parliaments.

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