- Over 3,000 students to take part in mock parliament to educate legislators about HIV/AIDS.

-- Six standing committees will prepare a status paper on one of the issues concerning HIV/AIDS

--- At the end of session, draft legislation will be adopted and presented to Union health minister A. Ramdoss

 

  

Mock Parliament (of students) on HIV/AIDS

 

As part of the Centre's commitment to HIV/AIDS prevention, a mock parliament is being held on November 7 to educate legislators on the subject. The effort is spearheaded by Union minister Oscar Fernandes under the aegis of the Parliamentary Forum on HIV/AIDS and Naco. It intends to use youth leaders to sensitize legislators at the national,

state and district levels about HIV/AIDS and its prevention.

 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former PM A.B. Vajpayee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior cabinet ministers will witness 543 student leaders go through Question Hero and Zero Hour on various aspects of HIV/AIDS.

 

About 3,000 student leaders from all over the country will participate. Of these, 543 have been handpicked to play parliamentarians. A dozen MPs have been roped in to train the youth in parliamentary procedure.

 

But the absence of MPs at this forum is worrying organizers. According to a senior Congress leader, as against the expected attendance of 100 MPs, only 30 have confirmed that they will be able to attend the two-day session. "Flying them in when Parliament is not in session is always a difficult task," he said.

 

The mock Parliament will follow proper parliamentary procedure. There will be six standing committees and each will prepare a status paper on one of the issues concerning HIV/AIDS. At the end of the day, they will adopt a draft legislation that will be presented to Union health minister A. Ramdoss.

 

The government is also determined to involve crucial ministries in the effort against HIV/AIDS. The I&B ministry intends to get private channels to provide free airtime for messages on HIV/AIDS. I&B minister Jaipal Reddy has also said that Prasar Bharati will allot a prime time slot to Naco for a daily soap on DD. There is also a move to rework the education policy. Teachers training will include HIV/AIDS education and the subject will also form part of alternate education schemes for young people out of school.

 

(Hindustan times/Delhi edition/3 November 2004/page 7/story by Kumkum Chadha)

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