UNFPA and UNDP in partnership with the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) in Malaysia held a one day forum on ‘HIV/AIDS Epidemic, Drug Addiction and Quality of Life’ in Kuala Lumpur on 12 March 2006.

The Forum was launched by Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, Minister of Health, through a statement read by Datuk Dr. Shafie Ooyub, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health. The launch was witnessed by Honourable Datuk Hajah Rohani Abdul Karim, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Based Industry and Dr Richard Leete, UNDP Resident Representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam and UNFPA Representative. Local celebrity, Joanna Bessey, was also there to lend her support.

The Forum was targeted at women Parliamentarians, which includes the House of Representatives, House of Senate and women State Assemblies from 14 States and also women from political parties and NGOs. More than 80 Parliamentarians attended this forum. As elected representatives of the people, policy makers and leaders in society, these women play a key role in supporting the work of the government and advocating for greater political commitment to the Millennium Development Goal of halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

The Forum helped raise the level of awareness and understanding of the linkages between drugs, HIV/AIDS and poverty among women Parliamentarians. During the Forum, there were three panel discussions on the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malaysia, the drug epidemic in Malaysia and HIV/AIDS and quality of life. The conclusions will be forwarded to all State governments and relevant ministries.