As Youth Stop AIDS campaigners, we need to influence political parties and candidates in the lead up to the General Election. The next few weeks will be critical. We need strong commitments from the next government to help end AIDS globally by 2030.
Right now you’ll be hearing from lots of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) – people who are standing in the election and who are all desperate for your vote! PPCs are eager to hear the views of local people – so this is a prime opportunity to let them know the type of country you want to live in.
What are the issues?
Progress in the global HIV response is too slow. There are huge funding gaps and we are off track to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of ending AIDS globally.
With expensive and escalating drug prices, all political parties need to take bold steps to put people’s health above corporate wealth, ensuring that medicines are accessible and affordable for all.
To achieve the SDGs, the next government must commit to meet the 0.7% Gross National Income (GNI) target for overseas development aid and target this spending to ensure we leave no one behind.
Download our Election Pack for info on how to take action, including:
Encourage young people to vote!
Make sure you’ve registered to vote and encourage others to do the same. Set up a stall on campus or your local area using this step by step guide and resources from YouthVoteUK. Deadline to register to vote is the 26th November.
Contact your Prospective Parliamentary Candidates.
In less than 3 minutes, you can contact your candidates and help ensure the next government champions ending AIDS by 2030.
Find out who your candidates are and get their contact details by entering your postcode here.
Use (or adapt) this email for each candidate you want to contact. Be sure to include your name and your address at the end of the email.
When you get a response, please fill in this form.
Attend or set up a Hustings
Hustings are local events in which your election candidates answer questions from the local community. They are open for everyone to attend. Have a search online or contact your political candidates to see when your local one is.
Here are some questions to ask at hustings:
1. What measures will your party take to get HIV spending back on track to meet Global Goal target of ending AIDS by 2030?
2. How will your party ensure that medicines developed with public funding are affordable for the NHS and in developing countries?
3. Channel 4 Dispatches revealed that a US-UK trade agreement could lead to the UK spending an extra £500 million per week on medicines. How will you ensure that drug prices are not affected by any trade agreement with the US?
Download our Election Pack for more support.
Write a blog or contact your local or student press
Let us know if you’d be interested in writing something for your local or student paper on a topic surrounding the election and our campaigning. A member of the Youth Stop AIDS team will be happy to help, reach us on youthstopaids@restlessdevelpment.org.
There’s only a small window of opportunity to ensure the next government champions ending AIDS by 2030.
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