Good luck to our MP volunteers

By Kathy Peach: August 9th, 2010

Kathy Peach,  Policy & Advocacy Manager, VSO UK

Last week VSO waved off the first two politicians to volunteer their skills in this year’s Parliamentarian Volunteering Scheme.  Hugh O’Donnell MSP for Central Scotland headed to Uganda while John Mann, Labour MP for Bassetlaw returned to Mongolia where he also volunteered during the 2009 summer recess.

O’Donnell is spending two weeks helping the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda with its lobbying strategy – a crucial activity in a country where one in every ten has a disability.  Mann is continuing his work supporting the Ulaanbaatar City Health Authority develop new models of healthcare.

This is the third consecutive year we’re helping parliamentarians use their advocacy, lobbying, and policy-making skills to tackle poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries and our political alumni have already shown us what an impact these placements can have.

Earlier this year the Cambodian Government confirmed that it will ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities after intervention from volunteer Sharon Hodgson, MP for Washington and Sunderland West, and pressure from development agencies.  The policy change will protect the rights of disabled people, many of whom have lost limbs after stepping upon un-cleared landmines, and will open up education, health care and employment opportunities for many.

It’s successes like this that prove short focused pieces of work of the kind that our parliamentarians undertake really do have an impact.  In many countries unfair and outdated laws, poor investment in public services and failure of governments to follow through on their commitments is keeping millions in poverty.  By sharing their skills and expertise in lobbying and advocacy UK parliamentarians help our partner organisations bring about real change.

Last week Brian Rockcliffe said that he thought Britain should be proud of its Government commitments to international development.  As well as having an impact overseas we hope that parliamentarians use their VSO experience to create valuable support for development in the UK Parliament and add voice to future debates about aid.

Over the next few months we’ll be bringing you news from our parliamentarian and some of their own insights but for an overview of who’s going where to do what visit our newsroom.

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