Parliamentarians from around the world attending the 20th International AIDS Conference met in Melbourne at the State Parliament of Victoria on 21 July to discuss the latest developments and challenges in the HIV response, and to share ideas and best parliamentary experiences in responding to the HIV epidemic.

The meeting stressed the importance of political leaders and called on their renewed commitment to help tackle the main barriers that hinder an effective response to HIV, including stigma, discrimination, restrictive intellectual property norms and other legal barriers that affect people living with HIV and members of key populations. Parliamentarians are critical to advancing the vision of ending AIDS by 2030 through their leadership, advocacy role and ability to authorize and oversee AIDS spending.

Members of parliament reviewed progress made in improving legal environments in their own countries and acknowledged the importance of human rights to the HIV response. They also discussed examples of parliamentary leadership and collaborations between countries and regions to ensure that all people have access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services.

Organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, UNAIDS and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the meeting was attended by the Speaker of the Parliament of Australia, Bronwyn Bishop, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Luiz Loures, who gave keynotes addresses, and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, who made closing remarks.

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