Negative role of Government of India delegate on Voting right to NGOs in the UNAIDS PCB

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum members,

The 20th UNAIDS PCB (Programme Coordinating Board) held in Geneva on June 25-27

was a unique and very important than the other ones held in the past in terms of

many things e.g. number of participants from all the 3 sections i.e. Member

states (Government delegates), Co sponsors (UN agencies) and Civil Society

observers, key issues raised by NGOs delegates and debate held thereon and the

statement delivered by the delegate of Government of India on the issue of

voting right to the NGO delgation in the PCB etc.

The issue of voting right to the PCB NGO delegation was discussed widely in the

plenary to send the issue to the ECOSOC to take a resolution in order to make it

a legal right. At one time there was a stalemate for few moments as the

discussion was taking a hot turn when some of the country delegates outright

supported the NGOs' demand whereas many couldn't take a clear stand.

In such a situation the PCB NGO delegation requested the Chairman for a 5

minutes interval to discuss the matter with other NGO observers present in the

plenary. It was decided unanimously among the NGOs that they should request the

chairman for a vote of the house on the issue, but when the NGO delegation put

this before the plenary after 5 minute interval the scenerio was entirely

changed in the house as the Member States (The delagates of country Governments)

had decided their stand. Ultimately the NGO delegation constrained to withdraw

its request for vote of the house.

What surprising not only to me (being NGO delegate for Asia Pacific and and an

Indian citizen), but for all those who were present in the house, particulalry

the CS observers including many NGOs from around the world was the opinion

expressed by the delegate of India Government.

What he spoke on the issue (I can't quote the exact words, but it is essence of

what he spoke in the house) during the debate was " The NGO delagates should tell

us as what they want to achieve by the voting right in the UNAIDS PCB? " The tone

he spoke in looked as he was not in favour of the right to vote to the NGO

delegation in the PCB.

Whole the house was seriously and surprisingly looking at the diction and

intonation he was speaking in as no one else spoke in such a negative tone ?

Later, many of the CS observers asked me personally as why this kind of attitude

had been shown by the representative of India Government while all were

expecting their support for the NGOs, but I was not in a position to respond

their question as I was shocked too on his statement. He left the house before I

could see him personally to discuss the matter.

The NGO observers participating in the PCB expresed their views critically on

the opinion of the delegate of India Government, like -- " we, the NGO delegats

want to achieve whatever they (the government delegates) want to " , " right to

vote is a fundamental right of every one in the democracy, so why should we not

ask for that? " , " when every Government delegate in the PCB speak for equal

participation of the NGO delgates in the PCB how can they deny us for the voting

right? " etc.

I wonder as whether the delegate spoke in the UNAIDS PCB 20th meeting on behalf

of India Government (though the authorised delegate was another one), was

authorised by the MoH or NACO to take such a stand on the issue of right to vote

to the NGO delagation? If yes, it is a serious matter for the CS people of the

country as a whole, and if not, how did he speak in such a negative way?

I look for your comments.

with regards,

Bhawani

Bhawani Shanker Kusum

Secretary & Executive Director

Gram Bharati Samiti (GBS)

NGO Delegate for Asia Pacific, UNAIDS PCB

Amber Bhawan, Amber 302 028 Jaipur India

Tel.: 91-141-2531242 Fax.: 91-141-2530719

E-mail: gbsbsk@... www.gbsjp.org