Learning Objectives:

How can parliamentarians use their representative role to fight HIV/AIDS?

1. Be familiar with various forms and tools for legislative public outreach;
   
   
2. Understand how and why outreach can be used by parliamentarians in the fight against HIV/AIDS;
   
   
3. Understand the importance of coordinated and joint efforts, for example parliament together with civil society and the media, for an effective response to HIV/AIDS.

Introduction

Engaging citizens in decisions that affect their lives is essential to good governance, a cornerstone of parliamentary procedure. As the representatives of the people, parliamentarians need to be aware of the needs of their constituents, and will be expected to respond to those needs. Therefore, it is very important for parliaments to communicate with the electorate through various forms of public outreach. Parliamentarians are also an important link between the electorate and the executive government, and have an important role to play in voicing the concerns of the people they represent and advocating for changes that will improve their lives to the executive offices and others in government.

Unit 7 will look at various forms of legislative public outreach and how they can be used as tools in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Outreach activities can not only serve to gather important information on how various HIV programs affect the citizens and identify the challenges they face, but also to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS among the population and the parliamentarians themselves. Unit 7 will also examine how parliaments can work in partnership with civil society and the media in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Finally, it will focus on how parliamentarians can act as advocates on key HIV/AIDS issues in their constituencies and vis-à-vis the government.