The Chairperson of the National Working group of the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV and AIDS Governance Project Dr Chritopher K Kalila, MP says there is need for strategic engagement and networking in SRHR and HIV and AIDS programming in order to adequately address prevailing SRHR challenges.

Speaking when he delivered a keynote address on behalf of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia at 360 Convention Centre in Lusaka on Saturday, 14th July, 2018 at the End of Project Review Multi-stakeholder Workshop for the SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project, Dr Kalila stated that partnerships with global, regional and national stakeholders are key in recording success in addressing SRHR challenges.  He underscored the importance of ratifying global and regional treaties, including the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  Dr Kalila noted that, it was gratifying that the Zambian Parliament through the SRHR project had been able to harness government’s efforts in streamlining the adoption of signed global treaties.  He underlined some of achievements as being, an in-depth study of SDG No.3 as a topic of discussion by the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services that resulted in the assessment of the country’s readiness to harness the implementation of SRHR in line with SDG No. 3.  This was done through oversight of the current situation in selected health systems.  He therefore, thanked the SADC Parliamentary Forum and the Embassy of Sweden for their support towards the project.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum has stated that the SADC Parliamentary Forum has been on a journey towards converting SADC parliamentarians into arrowheads for advocating universal access to sexual and reproductive health rights, HIV and AIDS service.  He added that, with funding from Sweden and Norway, the SADC-PF had been implementing an SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project in seven SADC Member states including Zambia.  Mr Moses Magadza who delivered the remarks on behalf of the Secretary General stated that the workshop was important in reflecting on the milestones of the Project and noted some as being the Political will exhibited by the Speaker and Members of Parliament and attaching of researchers to the project, a gesture that demonstrated the recognition of the value of research in helping the Members of Parliament.

Speaking at the same event, the Principal Clerk of Committees Ms Clare Musonda, who delivered a speech on behalf of the Clerk of the National Assembly stated that the SADC Parliamentary Forum remains relevant as a platform for the exchange of ideas beyond national borders with the aim of resolving some of the pressing issues in the region.  She expressed her gratitude to the Embassy of Sweden and SADC Parliamentary Forum for financing the SRHR, HIV and AIDS and Governance Project.

The SRHR, HIV and AIDS and Governance Project has been running for the past four years from May, 2015 to May 2018 under the auspices of SADC Parliamentary Forum and Embassy of Sweden with a view of enhancing the capacity of parliamentarians, especially women parliamentarians, to intervene and advocate for SRHR issues.