Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-07-07-Speech-3-493"
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"en.20100707.32.3-493"2
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"Madam President, first of all, I would like to thank Baroness Ashton for her introduction and both my colleagues, Mrs Kolarska and Michael Cashman, for their words.
I wholeheartedly subscribe to what has been said. I have to say that one of the last things that Michael Cashman just said – that this is a preventable disease – gets me very frustrated. With very simple means and for free – it does not cost a penny – we could prevent so many cases of HIV/AIDS. We could prevent so much misery.
I will look at a couple of key words, starting with stigma. Mrs Kolarska mentioned discrimination and it was also mentioned by you, Baroness Ashton. Even within the European Union, there is still stigma. Look at the fact that within a number of Member States, for example, homosexual people are still not allowed to donate blood. Or that there are still Member States which, against all the rules and all the principles that we stand for, ask people for an HIV negative declaration before they allow them to enter the country, even within the European Union. Those are the things that we should address when we are telling other countries in the world how to behave better. So, if we welcome the lifting of the travel ban in the US, we should apply the same principles within the European Union.
In addition to stigma, there is also the problem of narrow-mindedness regarding sexual morals. I am always shocked to find that there are still people in this House who feel that they cannot endorse the kind of resolution that we will be voting tomorrow because it makes reference to sexual and reproductive health rights and sexual autonomy for women. If we simply recognised those principles and notions, and if we had the support of all the Members in this House, then we could already eliminate so much misery. I fail to understand how people can refuse to endorse these principles and still look people – mainly women, I have to say – in the eye who are suffering from these debilitating diseases. I think that autonomy and rights for women are something they have to come clean on. Recognise the fact that women are in charge of their own bodies and that they decide – not only outside the European Union, but also inside the European Union.
These are all things that do not cost a penny – access to medication and to adequate health services. It is basic. Within the European Union, we consider that a basic human right, which is also the theme of today’s debate. Why, then, do we deny that right to other people or consider it a privilege or a favour? No, it is a fundamental right. In addition, if you are practical, we are in the midst of an economic crisis which hits countries outside the European Union particularly. A healthy labour force is the first precondition for economic development, let us face it. Let us invest in health.
I would therefore like to appeal to those countries who are currently considering cuts in their budgets for development assistance and, in particular, assistance to public health. That should be one of our priorities, and we should not be talking about budget cuts. We should be talking about support to those countries, not forgetting, at the same time, to appeal to the responsibility of the national governments.
In conclusion, I would urge all members of all groups across this House to endorse the resolution tomorrow."@en1
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