More about UNITE - UNITE NETWORK

More about UNITE - UNITE NETWORK
more about
UNITE
values and mission
message from the president
the global board
the secretariat & team
our partners
documents
FAQ
values and mission
Vision
the promotion of efficient and sustainable policies for improved global health systems worldwide.
Mission
UNITE is a global network of parliamentarians committed towards the promotion of efficient and sustainable policies for improved global health systems worldwide, in alignment with the UN SDGs.
Values
INSPIRE, CONNECT, EMPOWER! We reject all forms of violation of human rights, stigma, and discrimination.
priority areas
of work
Considering the current global health crisis and consequences it has triggered around the world, UNITE’s activity follows a matrixed approach to global health, working with parliamentarians and partners to accelerate action taken with a focus on three cross-cutting priority areas:
Human rights and equitable access to health
working to ensure that everyone, everywhere can achieve the highest attainable standard of health, with an emphasize on vulnerable and marginalized populations facing greater difficulties in access to health services. Actions must be taken to prevent a higher burden on these populations with a special focus on women, children, and adolescents’ health.
Strengthening of health systems
supporting the development of modern, agile, and qualitative health systems focused on patient needs and delivering maximum value, capable of generating wellbeing for all and respond to main global health challenges.
Global Health architecture and security
building robust multilateral cooperation t global and regional level with the aim of equipping health systems to prevent and tackle outbreaks of epidemic diseases and ready for the next pandemic main global health threats.
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theory of
change
UNITE is committed to support parliamentarians’ work at the global, regional, and national level, to make sure no life is limited by infectious diseases and to promote efficient and sustainable policies for improved global health systems worldwide.
UNITE’s ambition of influencing and promoting global health policies is mainly manifested in the work developed by its policy desks, where UNITE’s theory of change is directly applied in a day-to-day basis. In collaboration with strategic partners, UNITE’s policy desks are a hub of exchange between champion parliamentarians and civil society organizations advocating for policy reform where windows of opportunity open. The policy desks provide policy making guidance and/or directives on how to concretely impact and improve a specific area of policy.
Promoting
Promoting political accountability
Raising
Raising political awareness on the human cost of infectious diseases and unprepared health systems
Involving
Involving parliamentarians and all citizens in active political advocacy to influence global health policy
Mobilising
Mobilising global political will to promote stronger and more resilient health systems worldwide
Ensuring
Ensuring strong political leadership to lead advocacy efforts globally
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message from the president
Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite
Founder
President
of UNITE
Dear Members and Stakeholders,
As we entered a decisive year for global health, I want to express my deep appreciation for your continued dedication to our shared mission. Across the world, health systems remain under pressure, multilateral consensus is being tested, and inequalities persist — yet the resolve of those committed to advancing health equity has never been stronger.
In this complex environment, the need for bold political leadership has never been more urgent. Parliamentarians — as advocates, legislators, and leaders — are uniquely positioned to drive lasting health reforms, ensure accountability, and protect those in most vulnerable conditions. Now, more than ever, global health needs parliamentarians.
At UNITE, we are responding with renewed purpose. In the past and over the upcoming months, we will be defining our 2026–2030 strategy, upscaling our Secretariat, and reinforcing the foundations of our network to be more agile, responsive, and impactful. This transformation will ensure we are equipped to meet the evolving challenges and demands of the global health agenda — from the need to continue pandemic preparedness to non-communicable diseases, from digital health to HIV, TB, malaria and other infectious diseases, from antimicrobial resistance to climate health.
We look forward to gathering again at the UNITE events, including at our flagship, the ‘
UNITE Global Summit
’ which will be taking place in early 2026, and for the first time outside of the European region. It will be a key moment to reconnect, strategise, and reaffirm the role of political leadership in shaping the future of health and reflect upon Regional Capabilities and autonomy.
Thank you for being part of this mission. Together, we are stronger — and together, we will continue to fight for the health and dignity for all.
For the sick. For the healthy. For all those whom parliamentarians represent.
It’s time to UNITE.
Dr.
Ricardo Baptista Leite
Founder
President
UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health
summary biography
Dr.
Ricardo Baptista Leite
is the
Founder and President of UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health
, a network of +500 current and former policymakers from +110 countries.
He is a Portuguese-Canadian medical doctor trained in infectious diseases with extensive experience in global health, health systems and science-based policymaking. Prior to his current role as CEO at ‘HealthAI – The Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health’, Dr. Ricardo
served four terms as a Member of Parliament
in Portugal on both health and foreign affairs committees (2011-2023). Ricardo is a
former city councilor of Sintra
and previously served as
Deputy Mayor of Cascais
With more than 15 years of academic experience, he is
Chair of the Board of the ‘Global Health Policy Lab’
, a collaborative between Harvard University and Charité University, based in Berlin, focused on using GenAI for policy development. He is also Chair of the ‘
Centre for Global Health’ at NOVA University Information Management and Data Science School
in Lisbon.
Dr. Ricardo was
the first Portuguese citizen to be appointed by
the Obama Foundation as an
‘Obama Leader 2024-2025’
The UK Government has appointed Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite as a
member of new National Commission on Regulation of AI in Healthcare
show more
He also coordinates the
Centre of Competences in Health, Biotechnology and Health Sciences of the Portuguese Diaspora Council.
He completed postgraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Medical School. Previously, Dr Baptista Leite worked as a practising physician in the Portuguese National Health Service for several years, including an internship at the World Health Organization, and advisory services in health tech development.
He served as a medical volunteer both during the COVID pandemic in his hometown hospital in Portugal for over a year and as part of a humanitarian mission at the Lviv Regional Hospital in Ukraine during the first summer after the beginning of the war.
the global board
Chair
Hon. Ricardo B. Leite
Founder & President of UNITE
Portugal
open bio
Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite is the
Founder and President of UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health

He is a
Portuguese-Canadian medical doctor trained in infectious diseases
with extensive experience in global health, health systems and science-based policymaking.

Prior to his
current role as CEO at ‘HealthAI’
, Dr. Ricardo served
four terms as a Member of Parliament in Portugal
on both health and foreign affairs committees (2011-2023). Ricardo is a former city councilor of Sintra and previously served as Deputy Mayor of Cascais. With more than 15 years of academic experience, he is
Chair of the Board of the ‘Global Health Policy Lab’,
a collaborative between Harvard University and Charité University, based in Berlin, focused on using GenAI for policy development. He is also
Chair of the ‘Centre for Global Health’ at NOVA
University Information Management and Data Science School in Lisbon.

Dr. Ricardo was the
first Portuguese citizen to be appointed by the Obama Foundation
as an ‘Obama Leader 2024-2025’. The UK Government has appointed Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite as a
member of new National Commission on Regulation of AI in Healthcare.
He also coordinates the Centre of Competences in Health, Biotechnology and Health Sciences of the Portuguese Diaspora Council.

He completed postgraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Medical School. Previously, Dr Baptista Leite worked as a practising physician in the Portuguese National Health Service for several years, including an internship at the World Health Organization, and advisory services in health tech development.
He served as a medical volunteer at his hometown’s hospital in Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic and as part of a humanitarian mission at the Regional Hospital of Lviv during the first summer after the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Chair
Hon. Pia S. Cayetano
Chapter Chair for Asia & Pacific
Philippines
open bio
The youngest woman elected in the history of the Philippine Senate, Senator Pia S. Cayetano has championed legislation advancing public health, education, and the welfare of the Filipino family.

Most recently, Senator Pia sponsored the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which outlined the Philippine government’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Chair of the Senate Ways and Means panel, Cayetano spearheaded the passage of the Sin Tax Reform Law. She also heads the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking.

Her other achievements include the country’s first Reproductive Health Act, and several pro-women measures, namely, the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law, Magna Carta of Women, and Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Law.

A lawyer, athlete, entrepreneur, and mother, Senator Pia continues to make strides as the ‘Pinay In Action’ of the Senate.

Pia Cayetano has been a member of UNITE since April 2020.
Chair
Hon. Amar Patnaik
Chapter Chair for India
India
open bio
Dr. Amar Patnaik is an Indian politician and public intellectual. He was an Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) officer and former principal accountant general (PAG) of Sikkim, Odisha, West Bengal, and Kerala.

Dr. Patnaik was a Member of Parliament of India, representing Odisha in the Rajya Sabha and general secretary of the political party BJD for 5 years (2019-2024).

Dr. Patnaik has a background in law from Utkal University and holds two master’s degrees: one in finance and systems from the Xavier’s Institute of Management, and another in Public Management from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore and John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Within global health, Dr. Amar Patnaik has a longstanding track record of working closely to strengthen healthcare systems, through budget allocation & reinforcing the power of social determinants of health, such as education and sanitation infrastructures.

His current research interests include institutional perspectives on developmental interventions and public policy, transparency and accountability, public finance reforms, urban sector governance, energy security, environment and sustainability issues.

Dr. Amar Patnaik has been a member of UNITE since August 2020.
Chair
Hon. Andrew Ullmann
Chapter Chair for Western & Central Europe
Germany
open bio
Andrew Ullmann is a former member of the German Bundestag. A physician by training, Ullmann seats at the health committee and serves as the spokesperson on health of the Free Democrats. Ullmann is also the chair of the sub-committee on Global Health of the German Bundestag.

Ullmann has a background in infectious diseases from Harvard Medical School and was trained in hematology and oncology at University of Mainz, Germany. He is a full professor of infectious diseases at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany, where he also serves as a City Councilor.

Andrew Ullmann is one of the most prestigious names in global health within the German Parliament and has been playing a pivotal role both in local and national politics in securing the leadership to eliminate infectious diseases.

Andrew has been a member of UNITE since 2019.
Chair
Hon. Mariam Jashi
Chapter Chair for Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Georgia
open bio
Dr. Mariam Jashi is the CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance and
a senior-level policymaker in Global Health, Sustainable Development and Innovative Financing bringing experience from 26 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

For 8 years (2012-2020) she served as a government official in Georgia. She is a former Member of Parliament, Chair of Education, Science and Culture Committee, Member of Health and Social Affairs Committee, Deputy Minister of Health and CEO of the Prime Minister’s Initiative for Children and Youth affected by Cancer.

In 2017-2018 Dr. Jashi served as the President of the Leading Group Secretariat on Innovative Financing for Development.

Her earlier experience includes 11 years of humanitarian and development work with UNICEF in charge of health and nutrition programmes and consultancy with UN agencies (UNAIDS, UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA), The GAVI Alliance, The Global Fund, the World Bank and Curatio IF.

Dr. Jashi is the recipient of the WHO Award for contribution to Polio Eradication in Europe.

She holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University, Doctor of Medicine degree from AIETI Medical School and Master of Public Health from Tbilisi State University.

Dr. Mariam Jashi has been a member of UNITE since November 2017.
Chair
Hon. Sonia Sidhu
Chapter Chair for North America
Canada
open bio
Sonia Sidhu was elected as a Member of Parliament for Brampton South in 2015, and since has remained committed to improving healthcare, women’s rights, and the welfare of her constituents.

Before politics, Sonia was in the Healthcare field for nearly two decades, and this experience now serves her as she continues to champion ongoing improvements in the healthcare system. Sonia has done extensive work as a member of the Standing Committee on Health, has helped to shape policy on Universal Childcare, Dental care, Mental Health, and the COVID-19 response. She is the Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women and continues to strive to empower women and create gender equality. Additionally, Sonia is the chair of the All-Party Diabetes Caucus and the All-Party Celiac Caucus and has represented Canada internationally. She championed the creation of the National Framework for Diabetes, which has helped over 11 million of Canadians.

As a Member of Parliament, Healthcare Professional, and mother, Sonia Sidhu continues to work hard and create positive change for her community.

Sonia Sidhu has been a member of UNITE since 2023.
Chair
Hon. Amira Saber
Chapter Chair for Middle East & North Africa
Egypt
open bio
Amira Saber is a Member of the Egyptian Senate who has been recently elected as the Secretary General of the Human Rights and Social Solidarity Committee. She is an Ex. Member of Parliament who was elected five years consequently as the SecretaryGeneral of the Foreign Relations Committee. Saber is the VP of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party responsible for planning and development, and a member of Egypt’s Coordination’s Committee of Parties’ Youth Leaders and Politicians. Concurrently, she served as an appointed member of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Culture.

Inside the Parliament, Amira has submitted tens of legislative and oversight tools pushing for a human-centered development and progressive agenda with special focus on the issues of climate change, women rights , artificial intelligence, youth empowerment, democracy and good governance. She introduced three draft bills on combating food waste, adapting with climate change and AI governance.

Amira is the co-presiding officer of the Global young MP initiative and representing the Region of Middle East and North Africa in the Young Parliamentarians steering Committee of the World Bank and she is also a member of Munich Security Conference Women Parliamentarians Program and a fellow of Public Leadership at Vital Voices Fellowship.

She is the recipient of the social action award from the British council, the award recognizes alumni who have made an exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others.

Amira is a Faculty member of the University of London, she is currently pursuing her DBA from Swiss School of Management and a professional Development Certificate of Parliamentary Governance at McGill University, She holds an MA in Development Studies from the University of Sussex where she was awarded the Chevening scholarship, an MBA from ESLSCA Business School, and a BSc in Biochemistry from Egypt.

Besides her work in the Parliament, Saber is a founding member of Kayan NGO For community Development given her extensive experience working in the civil society both at the grassroot level with beneficiaries, especially women and children, running several international programs with different national and international partners.

Amira was appointed to the board of the steering committee to oversee a national dialogue between the government and the opposition. The appointment to this board is a real testament to Amira’s broad appeal and political standing.

She has been a member of UNITE since 2023.
Chair
Hon. Luís Sambo
Chapter Chair for Western & Central Africa
Angola
open bio
A Medical Doctor, specialist in Public Health and holding a PhD. He has served his country Angola as District Medical Officer, Minister of Health and Member of the Parliament.

At international level, he served the World Health Organization as Country Representative, Director of Programme Management and elected Regional Director of WHO for Africa (2005-2015). He is member of the Angolan Medical Association, of the Portuguese Medical Association and life Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in UK.

He holds academic distinctions, and published more than 50 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.

He has been a member of UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health since 2021.
Chair
Hon. Daniel Molokele
Chapter Chair for Eastern & Southern Africa
Zimbabwe
open bio
Fortune Daniel Molokele is a human rights lawyer who is the founder and managing partner of the Molokele Law Chambers, located at Whange in Zimbabwe.
He graduated with an LLB Honours degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 1999. In 2008, he also obtained an LLM degree specializing in Fundamental Rights Litigation from the University of South Africa. Then, in 2020, he graduated with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree with the African Leadership University in Kigali, Rwanda. In January 2024, he commenced his PhD. in Leadership studies with the International Leadership University based at Nairobi.

Over the years, Molokele has worked for several NGOs both in Zimbabwe and South Africa. These include the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ), Peace and Democracy Project (PDP), Zimonline Trust, Southern Africa Editors Forum (SAEF), Global Zimbabwe Forum (GZF), World AIDS Campaign (WACI Health), Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF), Southern Africa Regional Programme on Access to Medicines and Diagnostics (SAPAM) and AIDS Accountability International (AAI)

In July 2018, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Whange Central Constituency. In August 2023, he was reelected for his second term. He once served as the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care Chairperson between 2023 and 2024.

He has been a member of UNITE since 2021.
Chair
Hon. Éctor Jaime Ramírez Barba
Chapter Chair for Latin America & The Caribbean
Mexico
open bio
Dr. Éctor Jaime Ramírez Barba is a medical doctor, public health specialist, and federal legislator.

He holds doctorates in Health Sciences and Public Administration and is board-certified in General Surgery and Public Health.

He has served as Secretary of Health on two occasions and as Secretary of Social Development for the State of Guanajuato.

Currently a Federal Deputy (2024–2027) with the National Action Party (PAN), he serves on the Health, Social Security, and Transparency and Anti-Corruption Committees.

He has been a member of UNITE since 2022.
the secretariat & team
All
The Secretariat
Policy Desks
Sherpas
The Secretariat
Guilherme is UNITE’s Executive Director, a medical doctor with a specialization in Public Health. He has gained significant experience in Diplomacy, Policymaking, and Global Health, having served as a Diplomat in Geneva overseeing health affairs for the Portuguese Government, including during its EU Council Presidency. He has previously worked in the Cabinet of Government, consulted for WHO in LMICs, completed the ECDC Fellowship Programme in Field Epidemiology, and managed various health emergencies at local, national, and international levels. Additionally, Guilherme collaborates with various faculties and public health schools. He is passionate about global health, health systems governance, and emerging challenges like population and environmental changes and their impacts, economic sustainability, and Universal Health Coverage. These challenges sparked his growing interest in management, leading him to pursue an executive MBA, which he is currently completing at Maastricht University. Outside of work, Guilherme is married and has just welcomed his first children — twins, a baby boy and girl. He was already a happy dog parent to a lofty flat-coated retriever named Toki. He enjoys running with music, playing team sports, and occasionally video gaming. When time allows, he also enjoys scuba diving. His favourite way to unwind is by cooking dinner for friends.
Chair
Guilherme Duarte
Executive Director
open bio
Guilherme is UNITE’s Executive Director, a medical doctor with a specialization in Public Health. He has gained significant experience in Diplomacy, Policymaking, and Global Health, having served as a Diplomat in Geneva overseeing health affairs for the Portuguese Government, including during its EU Council Presidency. He has previously worked in the Cabinet of Government, consulted for WHO in LMICs, completed the ECDC Fellowship Programme in Field Epidemiology, and managed various health emergencies at local, national, and international levels. Additionally, Guilherme collaborates with various faculties and public health schools. He is passionate about global health, health systems governance, and emerging challenges like population and environmental changes and their impacts, economic sustainability, and Universal Health Coverage. These challenges sparked his growing interest in management, leading him to pursue an executive MBA, which he is currently completing at Maastricht University. Outside of work, Guilherme is married and has just welcomed his first children — twins, a baby boy and girl. He was already a happy dog parent to a lofty flat-coated retriever named Toki. He enjoys running with music, playing team sports, and occasionally video gaming. When time allows, he also enjoys scuba diving. His favourite way to unwind is by cooking dinner for friends.
Andreia is a strategic leader with 22 years of experience coordinating a Portuguese NGO in the field of HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, with solid experience in managing intersectoral projects. She is recognized for her inclusive leadership, cultural and social empathy, and has a proven track record of organizational modernization and innovation with relevance and competitiveness, both nationally and internationally, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.
Andreia was a consultant for two of the largest municipalities in the Lisbon metropolitan area, Cascais and Oeiras, for the international Fast Track Cities project, a global UNAIDS initiative aimed at accelerating urban responses to HIV, viral hepatitis, and other related conditions, with the goal of eliminating these epidemics as public health threats by 2030. She had the opportunity to create and mediate with various other stakeholders, from diverse profiles, including public and private sectors, as well as central and local government. Her commitment is to social responsibility and her ongoing desire is to transform reality for the benefit of the common good.

Health, policies, and the arts are her crushes.
Chair
Andreia Ferreira
Head of People and Resources
open bio
Andreia is a strategic leader with 22 years of experience coordinating a Portuguese NGO in the field of HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, with solid experience in managing intersectoral projects. She is recognized for her inclusive leadership, cultural and social empathy, and has a proven track record of organizational modernization and innovation with relevance and competitiveness, both nationally and internationally, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.
Andreia was a consultant for two of the largest municipalities in the Lisbon metropolitan area, Cascais and Oeiras, for the international Fast Track Cities project, a global UNAIDS initiative aimed at accelerating urban responses to HIV, viral hepatitis, and other related conditions, with the goal of eliminating these epidemics as public health threats by 2030. She had the opportunity to create and mediate with various other stakeholders, from diverse profiles, including public and private sectors, as well as central and local government. Her commitment is to social responsibility and her ongoing desire is to transform reality for the benefit of the common good.

Health, policies, and the arts are her crushes.
Sofia Crisóstomo is a health policy and parliamentary engagement consultant with extensive senior-level experience spanning global health, public policy, political engagement, public involvement and multilateral cooperation. She has worked closely with policymakers, institutional partners, and international organisations to advance evidence-informed health policies, strengthen governance processes, and promote meaningful stakeholder participation in health decision-making.
She has collaborated with the World Health Organization on health law reform, governance, and capacity-building initiatives, including work on the revision of national health legislation and on strengthening participatory processes in health systems. Earlier in her career, Sofia served as a Health and Pharmaceutical Policy Advisor in the Portuguese Parliament, where she contributed to policy development and supported parliamentary engagement on health-related legislative and regulatory issues.
With a multidisciplinary background in pharmaceutical sciences, health economics, and public policy, Sofia has held roles across regulatory affairs, market access, research, and public administration, contributing to initiatives aimed at strengthening health systems, supporting evidence-informed policymaking, and enhancing public participation.
Chair
Sofia Crisostomo
Head of Parliamentarian Engagement
open bio
Sofia Crisóstomo is a health policy and parliamentary engagement consultant with extensive senior-level experience spanning global health, public policy, political engagement, public involvement and multilateral cooperation. She has worked closely with policymakers, institutional partners, and international organisations to advance evidence-informed health policies, strengthen governance processes, and promote meaningful stakeholder participation in health decision-making.
She has collaborated with the World Health Organization on health law reform, governance, and capacity-building initiatives, including work on the revision of national health legislation and on strengthening participatory processes in health systems. Earlier in her career, Sofia served as a Health and Pharmaceutical Policy Advisor in the Portuguese Parliament, where she contributed to policy development and supported parliamentary engagement on health-related legislative and regulatory issues.
With a multidisciplinary background in pharmaceutical sciences, health economics, and public policy, Sofia has held roles across regulatory affairs, market access, research, and public administration, contributing to initiatives aimed at strengthening health systems, supporting evidence-informed policymaking, and enhancing public participation.
Joana is currently the Partnerships Lead at UNITE, where she plays a key role in fostering impactful collaborations with parliamentarians around the world. She holds a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Lisbon and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Political Science at ISCTE-IUL, aiming to further strengthen her work at the intersection of health and policy.
Prior to joining UNITE, Joana worked in Regulatory Affairs Study Start-Up (RASSU), focusing on clinical trials and observational studies. Since joining UNITE, she has successfully led two editions of the organization’s flagship event – the UNITE Global Summit – and has taken on increasing responsibilities in partnerships and project management. Her work centers on creating dynamic engagement opportunities within the parliamentary network to advance global health agendas.
Joana brings valuable experience from her involvement in both national and international student-led organizations, where she actively promoted and advocated for global health issues. She has successfully translated this advocacy background into her current role in an international NGO setting.
An avid solo traveller, Joana is passionate about discovering new cultures and perspectives – an experience that mirrors her work at UNITE in building connections across borders.
Chair
Joana Perez
Head of Partnerships
open bio
Joana is currently the Partnerships Lead at UNITE, where she plays a key role in fostering impactful collaborations with parliamentarians around the world. She holds a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Lisbon and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Political Science at ISCTE-IUL, aiming to further strengthen her work at the intersection of health and policy.
Prior to joining UNITE, Joana worked in Regulatory Affairs Study Start-Up (RASSU), focusing on clinical trials and observational studies. Since joining UNITE, she has successfully led two editions of the organization’s flagship event – the UNITE Global Summit – and has taken on increasing responsibilities in partnerships and project management. Her work centers on creating dynamic engagement opportunities within the parliamentary network to advance global health agendas.
Joana brings valuable experience from her involvement in both national and international student-led organizations, where she actively promoted and advocated for global health issues. She has successfully translated this advocacy background into her current role in an international NGO setting.
An avid solo traveller, Joana is passionate about discovering new cultures and perspectives – an experience that mirrors her work at UNITE in building connections across borders.
Beatriz graduated with a degree in Political Science and International Relations from NOVA University in Lisbon and is currently completing a Master’s in Global Health at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Her academic experience has allowed her to develop skills in global health topics, program development, policy analysis, and collaboration with the international student community on diverse academic projects.

At UNITE, Béatriz has been working in Parliamentary Engagement for the past year, gaining experience in recruiting and engaging with network members, as well as organizing regional events. Béatriz is passionate about advancing advocacy in global health and hopes to continue making an impact through UNITE’s mission.
Jasmine is a Strategic Impact Consultant at UNITE, helping communicate its mission and show its impact on global health. She began her career in public relations, supporting
healthtech
startups and purpose-led summits, before moving into events. Her
experience
includes
project
managing the 2,000-person Schools Climate Assembly
the Smiley Charity Film Awards, and
working for
Greenbelt Festival—always with a focus on social impact, creative thinking, and delivery under pressure. Jasmine holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Leeds, where she specialized in criminal justice and international politics. In 2024, she fulfilled a long-time dream
of
relocating
to Lisbon, inspired by its beauty, culture, and
sense of adventure.
Chair
Jasmine Wilson
Head of Strategic Impact
Lisbon
open bio
Jasmine is a Strategic Impact Consultant at UNITE, helping communicate its mission and show its impact on global health. She began her career in public relations, supporting
healthtech
startups and purpose-led summits, before moving into events. Her
experience
includes
project
managing the 2,000-person Schools Climate Assembly
the Smiley Charity Film Awards, and
working for
Greenbelt Festival—always with a focus on social impact, creative thinking, and delivery under pressure. Jasmine holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Leeds, where she specialized in criminal justice and international politics. In 2024, she fulfilled a long-time dream
of
relocating
to Lisbon, inspired by its beauty, culture, and
sense of adventure.
Arshiya has been passionate about studying politics and policy regulation since high school. This translated to her getting a bachelor’s in Political Science (Hons.) from the University of Delhi. Upon graduation, she chose to follow her passion for academia and sought admission for a Master in Public Policy at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai where she submitted her dissertation on the Right to Health and Differentiated Disease Burden. While studying, she pursued internships at the Parliament of India, policy think tanks, and NGOs. Before joining UNITE, she was a Legislative Assistant to a Member of Parliament (LAMP Fellow) in India where via her assigned MP she raised interventions on matters of public/ national importance, filed parliamentary questions, analyzed various legislations for parliamentary discussions, curated speeches for her MP among others. Arshiya joined UNITE, as both her passions for public health policy and engagement with parliamentarians come together. She advocates that change manifests through action driven by research and dialogue which is what she intends to commit to her position at UNITE. She loves to travel and successfully convinces people to try new adventure sports with her.
Chair
Arshiya Singh
Digital Health Lead
(based in India)
open bio
Arshiya has been passionate about studying politics and policy regulation since high school. This translated to her getting a bachelor’s in Political Science (Hons.) from the University of Delhi. Upon graduation, she chose to follow her passion for academia and sought admission for a Master in Public Policy at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai where she submitted her dissertation on the Right to Health and Differentiated Disease Burden. While studying, she pursued internships at the Parliament of India, policy think tanks, and NGOs. Before joining UNITE, she was a Legislative Assistant to a Member of Parliament (LAMP Fellow) in India where via her assigned MP she raised interventions on matters of public/ national importance, filed parliamentary questions, analyzed various legislations for parliamentary discussions, curated speeches for her MP among others. Arshiya joined UNITE, as both her passions for public health policy and engagement with parliamentarians come together. She advocates that change manifests through action driven by research and dialogue which is what she intends to commit to her position at UNITE. She loves to travel and successfully convinces people to try new adventure sports with her.
To be announced
Drug Policy Lead
Lídia Biai is a Policy Officer for Mental Health at UNITE – Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, where she works to strengthen political and legislative commitment to mental health in Portuguese-speaking African countries.

She holds a degree in International Relations from Universidade Lusíada and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Strategy at ISCSP – University of Lisbon. She was awarded by the Amaro da Costa Institute (IDL), with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, for her essay “The Territorial Discontinuity of the CPLP as a Strategic Advantage for Portugal – Guinea-Bissau in ECOWAS.”

Driven by both academic and professional experience, Lídia is committed to advancing the Portuguese-speaking community as a platform for political cooperation and strategic engagement, with the potential to foster global health, sustainable development, and regional integration.
Nino Gulua has 25 years of experience in public health. Her Ph.D. is in the distribution of socially hazardous infections such as HIV/AIDS, TB, and STIs among internally displaced people in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. She always enjoyed working on global health issues. Nino had been carrying out training regarding the elimination of HIV stigma and discrimination among healthcare workers. She is the founder of the NGO “Step by Step,” which is devoted to providing community support services to children and adults with special needs. She is a lobbyist for people with special needs. For the last five years, Nino worked as a public relations advisor at the Parliament of Georgia and then at the community college. She gained considerable experience in communications and public relations. Her valuable experience and ability with international organizations will be extremely beneficial in a new role at the UNITE Global Parliamentarian Network, where her impact as a Public Health Specialist and regional coordinator for Eastern Europe and Central Asia will be significant.
Chair
Nino Gulua
Sherpa (Consultant), Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regions
(based in Georgia)
open bio
Nino Gulua has 25 years of experience in public health. Her Ph.D. is in the distribution of socially hazardous infections such as HIV/AIDS, TB, and STIs among internally displaced people in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. She always enjoyed working on global health issues. Nino had been carrying out training regarding the elimination of HIV stigma and discrimination among healthcare workers. She is the founder of the NGO “Step by Step,” which is devoted to providing community support services to children and adults with special needs. She is a lobbyist for people with special needs. For the last five years, Nino worked as a public relations advisor at the Parliament of Georgia and then at the community college. She gained considerable experience in communications and public relations. Her valuable experience and ability with international organizations will be extremely beneficial in a new role at the UNITE Global Parliamentarian Network, where her impact as a Public Health Specialist and regional coordinator for Eastern Europe and Central Asia will be significant.
Karim has a background in Social Work & Sociology, and for close to a decade has worked as a journalist in Ghana. In those years, he worked with high-level state officials (including Members of Parliament) as well as experts in academia and civil society on broad issues of development including public health. He is passionate about social protection and human rights. At UNITE, Karim hopes to draw on his experiences in Ghana and deep understanding of Africa broadly to help expand the network and impact of UNITE.
He has other interests too: watching football and reading philosophy right, with Wine!
Chair
Abdul Karim Ibrahim
Sherpa (Consultant), Africa Region
(based in Ghana)
open bio
Karim has a background in Social Work & Sociology, and for close to a decade has worked as a journalist in Ghana. In those years, he worked with high-level state officials (including Members of Parliament) as well as experts in academia and civil society on broad issues of development including public health. He is passionate about social protection and human rights. At UNITE, Karim hopes to draw on his experiences in Ghana and deep understanding of Africa broadly to help expand the network and impact of UNITE.
He has other interests too: watching football and reading philosophy right, with Wine!
Paromita Roy serves as the Regional Coordinator for India, China, and the Asia-Pacific at UNITE, where she plays a pivotal role in coordinating and facilitating parliamentary engagement and advocacy initiatives across these regions.

Paromita’s academic journey is marked by her prowess in political studies. She holds graduate and postgraduate degrees in Political Science from Delhi University. Based on her excellent performance in the postgraduate program, Paromita was awarded a distinguished gold medal. Building on this academic foundation, she ventured into the realm of practical policy-making, delving into the intricacies of legislative research within the Indian Parliament. Her subsequent collaborations with esteemed Indian ministries and influential think tanks underscore her commitment to effecting social impact through informed policy decisions.

At UNITE, Paromita’s diverse skill set finds harmonious resonance. Her role entails merging her expertise in public health, parliamentary engagement, and advocacy to shape meaningful change. Passionate about making a tangible difference in the world, she dedicates herself to issues of paramount importance— public health, gender, and social exclusion. Paromita firmly believes in the power of collaboration, research, and advocacy as catalysts for positive transformation.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Paromita’s interests encompass a profound love for the natural world. She finds solace and inspiration by the ocean’s edge, cherishing encounters with wildlife and relishing in the simple joys of life. She shares an inseparable bond, with both her family and her beloved cat, Lolo.
our partners
AHF
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), is the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services over 1.5 million individuals in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe and is a global leader in health policy advocacy.
know more
Botnar Foundation
Fondation Botnar is a philanthropic foundation championing the potential of AI and digital technologies to improve the health and wellbeing of young people living in growing cities around the world. By supporting research, investing in innovative projects, and bringing together key voices, Botnar is working to build a world where every young person can thrive.
know more
CEPI
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched at Davos in 2017, is an innovative global partnership, working to stimulate and accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and enable access to these vaccines for people during outbreaks.
know more
Civil Society Forum on Drugs
The Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) is an expert group to the European Commission. Its membership comprises 45 civil society organisations coming from across Europe and representing a variety of fields of drug policy, and a variety of stances within those fields. Its purpose is to provide a broad platform for a structured dialogue between the Commission and the European civil society which supports drug policy formulation and implementation through practical advice. The momentum for the CSFD’s formation can be traced back to the Green Paper on the Role of Civil Society in Drugs Policy in the European Union (EU Green Paper Reference).
Overall, the CSFD is governed by a core group, comprising the four Chairs of the working groups, along with a Chair and Vice-Chair of the forum itself, again elected by the members of the forum at the plenary.
know more
DNDi
FIND
FIPRA
Friends of Europe
Frontline AIDS
FRONTLINE AIDS is a registered charity in England and Wales. It works on the frontline of HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment around world, working alongside different partners to reach the people most affected by, or at risk from, HIV. Overall, the CSFD is governed by a core group, comprising the four Chairs of the working groups, along with a Chair and Vice-Chair of the forum itself, again elected by the members of the forum at the plenary.
know more
GARDP
Gastein
GAT
GAVI
GFAN
Global Fund
The Global Fund is an international financing and partnership organization that aims to attract, leverage, and invest additional resources to end the epidemics of HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and to support attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations.
know more
German Health Alliance
Global Public Health Convention
The Panel for a Global Public Health Convention is a coalition of global leaders working to strengthen the ability of the world to prevent, prepare, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks before they become widespread pandemics. The Panel was formed in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
know more
HRI
Harm Reduction International is a leading non-governmental organisation working to reduce the negative health, social and human rights impact of drug use and drug policy by promoting evidence-based public health policies and practices, and human rights-based approaches to drugs.
know more
IAPAC
IAS
IDPC
INHSU
Joep Lange Institute
The Joep Lang Institute is a foundation based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, that has a particular focus on digital innovation with the vision to use this potential towards the overall goal of supporting individuals and countries to achieve UHC until 2030 as part of the SDGs.
know more
OSF
The Open Society Policy Centre (OSPC) is a non-partisan and non-profit organization that engages in advocacy aimed at influencing public policy on domestic and international issues, including civil rights and liberties, criminal justice reform, immigration, public health policy, and the promotion of government accountability.
know more
Pandemic Action Network
PATH
PATH is a global team of innovators working to accelerate health equity so all people and communities can thrive. PATH advises and partners with public institutions, businesses, grassroots groups, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing health challenges.
view website
know more
RBM Partnership to End Malaria
The RBM Partnership to End Malaria is the global platform for coordinated action against malaria. It mobilises for action and resources and forges consensus among Partners. It was launched in 1998 by WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank in an effort to provide a coordinated global response to the disease.RBM’s overall strategy aims to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by reaching universal coverage and strengthening health systems. The RBM Partnership Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Geneva, Switzerland.
view website
know more
STOPAIDS
STOPAIDS is a membership network with a distinguished thirty-five year history of engagement on international development and HIV and AIDS. STOPAIDS engages at the global level through involvement/co-hosting of global civil society coalitions and platforms, and directly influences key global processes and multilaterals/partnerships. STOPAIDS also works with or sit on the board of strategic partners including peer networks and organisations that focus on global health, development, human rights and/or other key diseases or HIV co-infections.
view website
know more
TAG
Treatment Action Group (TAG) is an independent, activist, and community-based research and policy think tank committed to racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ equity; social justice; and liberation, fighting to end HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).
TAG catalyzes open collective action by affected communities, scientists, and policymakers to ensure that all people living with or impacted by HIV, TB, or HCV — especially communities of color and other marginalized communities experiencing inequities — receive life-saving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, and information.
view website
know more
TB Alliance
TB Alliance is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the discovery, development and delivery of better, faster-acting and affordable tuberculosis drugs that are available to those who need them. Since their inception in 2000, TB Alliance has led the global search for and development of new TB regimens, catalyzing the field and convening cross-sector partnerships to forge the progress that is urgently needed for better TB treatments.
view website
know more
The Global Drug Policy Index
The Global Drug Policy Index is a unique accountability tool that documents, measures and compares national-level drug policies. It provides each country with a score from 0 to 100, where 100 represents full alignment of a selected core of drug policies and their implementation with the United Nations recommendations on human rights, health and development, as laid down in the UN System Common Position on drugs. The first iteration of the Global Drug Policy Index was released in November 2021, and it evaluates the performance of 30 countries covering all regions of the world, for the year 2020.
view website
know more
Transform Health
Transform Health was formed in 2019 by seven organisations who saw the need for a concerted, long-term effort to harness the transformative benefits of digital technology and data to expand primary healthcare and avhieve the SDG target of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. Their mission is to To build a global movement that brings together organisations and institutions across sectors who are committed to achieving UHC within the next ten years by expanding the use of digital technology and increasing access to data.
view website
know more
UHC2030
UHC2030 is the global movement to build stronger health systems for UHC. UHC2030 brings together diverse partners including governments, international organizations and global health initiatives, philanthropic foundations, civil society, and the private sector. UHC2030 also brings together partnerships, collaboratives and networks which focus on strengthening different aspects of health systems, and promotes mutually reinforcing action and sharing of information, learning and resources.
view website
know more
UNAIDS
UNAIDS is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Since it started operations in 1996, UNAIDS has led and inspired global, regional, national and local leadership, innovation and partnership to ultimately consign HIV to history. UNAIDS is a model for United Nations reform and is the only cosponsored Joint Programme in the United Nations system. It draws on the experience and expertise of 11 United Nations system Cosponsors and is the only United Nations entity with civil society represented on its governing body.
view website
know more
UNITAID
Unitaid is a global health agency engaged in finding innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases more quickly, cheaply and effectively, in low- and middle-income countries. Unitaid’s work includes funding initiatives to address major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as HIV co-infections and co-morbidities such as cervical cancer and hepatitis C, and cross-cutting areas, such as fever management. Unitaid is now applying its expertise to address challenges in advancing new therapies and diagnostics for the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a key member of the Access to COVID Tools Accelerator. Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization.
view website
know more
Wellcome Trust
Wellcome is a global charitable foundation established in 1936, which supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone and curiosity-driven research. Wellcome is taking on three of the biggest health challenges facing humanity – climate change, infectious disease and mental health. Wellcome gives researchers the time and resources they need to make breakthroughs. Also, they work with policy makers, run advocacy campaigns, and form partnerships with other organisations to ensure everyone, everywhere benefits from advances in health science.
view website
know more
WHA
The World Hepatitis Alliance is an international network of organisations working in over 100 countries towards the goal of eliminating hepatitis by 2030. The network comprises civil society and community organisations across the world, who together lead the fight against hepatitis through advocacy, capacity building and awareness raising. The WHA is led and governed by people with lived experience of hepatitis and ensures that people with lived experience of hepatitis are at the heart of everything they do.
view website
know more
HIV stigma and discrimination
HIV stigma, discrimination, marginalization, and criminalization remain critical barriers to access treatment and prevention services, therefore slowing down the response and negatively impacting the well-being of people living with and affected by HIV. In the EU, stigma and discrimination constitute a huge burden to people living with HIV, especially gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers and their clients, trans people, people who inject drugs, people in prisons and other closed settings.
know more
HIV prevention and treatment
Increased, coordinated and sustained long-term investment in HIV research, development, and innovation, including towards the development of a globally effective HIV vaccine, must be a global health priority. Continued investment in HIV will allow for major strides in the vaccine field at large, for other infectious diseases, as it did for COVID.
know more
PP global health security
Going through a pandemic of the scale of COVID-19 has highlighted the impact that infectious diseases can have on our daily lives. It is now clearer than ever that we cannot move forward in rebuilding our societies unless we place pandemic preparedness and global health security at the heart of the reconstruction, which includes the response to existing pandemics such as HIV, TB and Malaria.
know more
Quality of life of people living with HIV
Forty years on, given advancements in treatment and prevention, HIV can be perceived as a manageable chronic condition. Considering the increasing of life expectancy, it is fundamental to promote quality of life, with a patient-centred approach to HIV care. This includes services beyond HIV treatment, such as management of comorbidities, mental health and sexual and reproductive health.
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Harm reduction
Harm reduction is key in the prevention of HIV among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) and their sexual partners. Thus, addressing HIV associated with injecting drug use is one of the key challenges in the response to HIV.
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join us in bulding a generation of
political leaders in Global Health
UNITE has been a driving force in
fostering collaboration
among parliamentarians, and with a wide range of partners, from non-governmental, to public and private actors, in global health and beyond.
By building cross-sector alliances,
UNITE bridges the gap
between evidence-based research, policy, and on-the-ground action, helping translate data into effective development strategies.
Together, we
strengthen parliamentarians’ capacity
to address pressing global health challenges, ensuring that legislation reflects diverse perspectives and responds to real-world needs.
Become a partner
Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite and Dr. Jarbas Barbosa sign a Framework Agreement between UNITE and PAHO at UNGA80
why partner
with UNITE
strategic visibility
access a powerful platform to enhance your organisation’s profile among key political leaders,
positioning you as a vital actor
driving solutions to today’s most pressing global health challenges
shared commitment
to
bridging health with
the wider economic,
social and environmental goals
that power intersecting policy, integrated solutions and sustainable change.
legacy and continuity
partnering with UNITE demonstrates a
long-term
commitment to driving systemic change
— creating lasting shifts in how health is understood, valued, and prioritised in political decision-making
the impact of
our partnerships
19 +
parliamentary
UNITE members’ legislative initiatives
in 2024
200+
speaker roles for UNITE members
40+
events organized by UNITE in 2024
26+
policy endorsements signed by UNITE
100+
partners connected with Members of Parliament
250+
policymakers engaged in UNITE’s Global Summit
Friends of Europe
Frontline AIDS
FRONTLINE AIDS is a registered charity in England and Wales. It works on the frontline of HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment around world, working alongside different partners to reach the people most affected by, or at risk from, HIV. Overall, the CSFD is governed by a core group, comprising the four Chairs of the working groups, along with a Chair and Vice-Chair of the forum itself, again elected by the members of the forum at the plenary.
know more
GARDP
Gastein
GAT
GAVI
GFAN
Global Fund
The Global Fund is an international financing and partnership organization that aims to attract, leverage, and invest additional resources to end the epidemics of HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and to support attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations.
know more
German Health Alliance
Global Public Health Convention
The Panel for a Global Public Health Convention is a coalition of global leaders working to strengthen the ability of the world to prevent, prepare, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks before they become widespread pandemics. The Panel was formed in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
know more
IAPAC
IAS
IDPC
INHSU
Joep Lange Institute
The Joep Lang Institute is a foundation based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, that has a particular focus on digital innovation with the vision to use this potential towards the overall goal of supporting individuals and countries to achieve UHC until 2030 as part of the SDGs.
know more
OSF
The Open Society Policy Centre (OSPC) is a non-partisan and non-profit organization that engages in advocacy aimed at influencing public policy on domestic and international issues, including civil rights and liberties, criminal justice reform, immigration, public health policy, and the promotion of government accountability.
know more
Pandemic Action Network
PATH
PATH is a global team of innovators working to accelerate health equity so all people and communities can thrive. PATH advises and partners with public institutions, businesses, grassroots groups, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing health challenges.
view website
know more
RBM Partnership to End Malaria
The RBM Partnership to End Malaria is the global platform for coordinated action against malaria. It mobilises for action and resources and forges consensus among Partners. It was launched in 1998 by WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank in an effort to provide a coordinated global response to the disease.RBM’s overall strategy aims to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by reaching universal coverage and strengthening health systems. The RBM Partnership Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Geneva, Switzerland.
view website
know more
STOPAIDS
STOPAIDS is a membership network with a distinguished thirty-five year history of engagement on international development and HIV and AIDS. STOPAIDS engages at the global level through involvement/co-hosting of global civil society coalitions and platforms, and directly influences key global processes and multilaterals/partnerships. STOPAIDS also works with or sit on the board of strategic partners including peer networks and organisations that focus on global health, development, human rights and/or other key diseases or HIV co-infections.
view website
know more
TAG
Treatment Action Group (TAG) is an independent, activist, and community-based research and policy think tank committed to racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ equity; social justice; and liberation, fighting to end HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).
TAG catalyzes open collective action by affected communities, scientists, and policymakers to ensure that all people living with or impacted by HIV, TB, or HCV — especially communities of color and other marginalized communities experiencing inequities — receive life-saving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, and information.
view website
know more
TB Alliance
TB Alliance is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the discovery, development and delivery of better, faster-acting and affordable tuberculosis drugs that are available to those who need them. Since their inception in 2000, TB Alliance has led the global search for and development of new TB regimens, catalyzing the field and convening cross-sector partnerships to forge the progress that is urgently needed for better TB treatments.
view website
know more
The Global Drug Policy Index
The Global Drug Policy Index is a unique accountability tool that documents, measures and compares national-level drug policies. It provides each country with a score from 0 to 100, where 100 represents full alignment of a selected core of drug policies and their implementation with the United Nations recommendations on human rights, health and development, as laid down in the UN System Common Position on drugs. The first iteration of the Global Drug Policy Index was released in November 2021, and it evaluates the performance of 30 countries covering all regions of the world, for the year 2020.
view website
know more
Transform Health
Transform Health was formed in 2019 by seven organisations who saw the need for a concerted, long-term effort to harness the transformative benefits of digital technology and data to expand primary healthcare and avhieve the SDG target of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. Their mission is to To build a global movement that brings together organisations and institutions across sectors who are committed to achieving UHC within the next ten years by expanding the use of digital technology and increasing access to data.
view website
know more
UHC2030
UHC2030 is the global movement to build stronger health systems for UHC. UHC2030 brings together diverse partners including governments, international organizations and global health initiatives, philanthropic foundations, civil society, and the private sector. UHC2030 also brings together partnerships, collaboratives and networks which focus on strengthening different aspects of health systems, and promotes mutually reinforcing action and sharing of information, learning and resources.
view website
know more
UNAIDS
UNAIDS is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Since it started operations in 1996, UNAIDS has led and inspired global, regional, national and local leadership, innovation and partnership to ultimately consign HIV to history. UNAIDS is a model for United Nations reform and is the only cosponsored Joint Programme in the United Nations system. It draws on the experience and expertise of 11 United Nations system Cosponsors and is the only United Nations entity with civil society represented on its governing body.
view website
know more
UNITAID
Unitaid is a global health agency engaged in finding innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases more quickly, cheaply and effectively, in low- and middle-income countries. Unitaid’s work includes funding initiatives to address major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as HIV co-infections and co-morbidities such as cervical cancer and hepatitis C, and cross-cutting areas, such as fever management. Unitaid is now applying its expertise to address challenges in advancing new therapies and diagnostics for the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a key member of the Access to COVID Tools Accelerator. Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization.
view website
know more
Wellcome Trust
Wellcome is a global charitable foundation established in 1936, which supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone and curiosity-driven research. Wellcome is taking on three of the biggest health challenges facing humanity – climate change, infectious disease and mental health. Wellcome gives researchers the time and resources they need to make breakthroughs. Also, they work with policy makers, run advocacy campaigns, and form partnerships with other organisations to ensure everyone, everywhere benefits from advances in health science.
view website
know more
WHA
The World Hepatitis Alliance is an international network of organisations working in over 100 countries towards the goal of eliminating hepatitis by 2030. The network comprises civil society and community organisations across the world, who together lead the fight against hepatitis through advocacy, capacity building and awareness raising. The WHA is led and governed by people with lived experience of hepatitis and ensures that people with lived experience of hepatitis are at the heart of everything they do.
view website
know more
AHF
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), is the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services over 1.5 million individuals in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe and is a global leader in health policy advocacy.
know more
Botnar Foundation
Fondation Botnar is a philanthropic foundation championing the potential of AI and digital technologies to improve the health and wellbeing of young people living in growing cities around the world. By supporting research, investing in innovative projects, and bringing together key voices, Botnar is working to build a world where every young person can thrive.
know more
CEPI
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched at Davos in 2017, is an innovative global partnership, working to stimulate and accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and enable access to these vaccines for people during outbreaks.
know more
Civil Society Forum on Drugs
The Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) is an expert group to the European Commission. Its membership comprises 45 civil society organisations coming from across Europe and representing a variety of fields of drug policy, and a variety of stances within those fields. Its purpose is to provide a broad platform for a structured dialogue between the Commission and the European civil society which supports drug policy formulation and implementation through practical advice. The momentum for the CSFD’s formation can be traced back to the Green Paper on the Role of Civil Society in Drugs Policy in the European Union (EU Green Paper Reference).
Overall, the CSFD is governed by a core group, comprising the four Chairs of the working groups, along with a Chair and Vice-Chair of the forum itself, again elected by the members of the forum at the plenary.
know more
DNDi
Chevron
view website
FIND
FIPRA
documents
Press Release | UNITE Mental Health Policy Desk Launch at the 80th UNGA
Position Paper for Parliamentarians on Responsible AI in Health
UNITE Global Summit 2024 Report
Press Release | Parliamentarians UNITE in Berlin to Sign Global Statement Supporting the Pandemic Agreement
UNITE Announces New Executive Leadership looking to Drive 2030 Strategy
Policy Brief: The Role of Parliamentarians in Supporting Digital Health Transformation
“Ensuring Health for All” UNITE UHC2030 Joint Letter
Pledge to End the “War on Drugs” and Implement Human Rights-Centered Drug Policies
UNITE Annual Report 2023
UNITE EECA Chapter Declaration of Intent (EN/RU)
UNITE Annual Report 2022
UNITE Global Summit 2022 Declaration of Intent
FAQ
What is UNITE?
UNITE is a non-profit, non-partisan, global network of more than 450 current and former members of parliament from multinational, national, state, and regional Parliaments, Congresses, and Senates, spread in more than 110 countries, committed towards improving health systems worldwide by promoting efficient and sustainable policies in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
How is UNITE structured?
Our global, non-partisan network of parliamentarians is divided into 10 Regional Chapters, each chaired by a parliamentarian leading activity in that geography. The UNITE Global Board provides governance for the organization and consists of founder Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite, and Chapter Chairs for Eastern Europe & Central Asia, Western & Central Europe, Asia & Pacific, India, Middle East & Northern Africa, Latin American & the Caribbean, Eastern & Southern Africa, and Western & Central Africa.
When was it formed?
The UNITE network was founded in 2017 by Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite, MD, under the auspices of the UNAIDS Foundation. Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite was both a member of parliament and a trained infectious disease physician.
Why did UNITE start?
Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite believes that active political advocacy could help bring about the end of infectious diseases by 2030. This led him to create the UNITE network, which is now co-lead with seven global board members. Since then, the network has grown to
more than 350 current and former members of parliament from multinational, national, state, and regional Parliaments, Congresses, and Senates, from more than 100 countries.
How is UNITE funded?
UNITE is a not-for-profit organization and does not accept funding from industry sources. UNITE’s funding comes from philanthropic sources and partnerships with other not-for-profit organizations.
Who sits on the global board of UNITE?
The global board of UNITE consists of founder Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite, MD, and Regional Chapter Chairs. The names and titles of the Secretariat and Chapter Chairs are included below:
Founder & President:
Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite
Regional Chapter Chairs:
Eastern Europe and Central Asia:
Hon. Mariam Jashi
Asia and Pacific:
Hon. Pia Cayetano
Middle East and North Africa:
Hon. Ibtissame Azzaoui
Latin America and the Caribbean:
Hon. Gisela Scaglia
Eastern and Southern Africa:
Hon. Esther Passaris
West and Central Africa:
Hon. Akua Sena Dansua
Western and Central Europe:
Hon. Andrew Ullmann
India:
Hon. Amar Patnaik
North America:
Hon. Sonia Sidhu
What sets UNITE apart from other similar networks?
UNITE’s network is unique as it encompasses more than 450 members of UNITE MP Network from more than 100 countries and is constantly expanding through new members who represent new geographies. Our network facilitates high-level networking and communication through a peer-to-peer approach, that is driven by our PRIME strategy. PRIME enables us to have tangible political impact through our work. Also, UNITE’s policy priorities focus on three cross-cutting areas, namely, human rights and equitable access to health, health systems strengthening, and global health architecture and security, placing UNITE as the only network of parliamentarians from around the world currently focusing on the global health agenda.
How is UNITE going to achieve its goals?
UNITE will achieve its goals through the implementation of its PRIME strategy:
PROMOTING
political accountability.
RAISING
political awareness on the human cost of infectious diseases and unprepared health systems.
INVOLVING
parliamentarians and all citizens in active political advocacy to influence global health policy.
MOBILISING
global political will to promote stronger and more resilient health systems worldwide.
ENSURING
strong political leadership to lead advocacy efforts globally.
The PRIME strategy ensures that UNITE’s focus continues to remain on creating tangible impact through active political intervention. UNITE’s governance model underpins the PRIME strategy, ensuring global alignment, co-ordination and consistency across all activities.
UNITE’s ambition of influencing and promoting global health policies is mainly manifested in the work developed by its policy desks, where UNITE’s theory of change is directly applied on a day-to-day basis. In collaboration with strategic partners, UNITE’s policy desks are a hub of exchange between champion parliamentarians and civil society organizations advocating for policy reform where windows of opportunity arise. The policy desks provide policy making guidance and/or directives on how to concretely impact and improve a specific area of policy.
A secondary ambition is to expand regionally, recruiting chairs for unrepresented geographies and regional coordinators to support activity programs in these regions.
What does success for UNITE look like?
Success for UNITE is:
Achieving the broader goals of the UN SDGs.
Raising awareness of global health threats amongst parliamentarians.
Establishing solid relationships between parliamentarians, communities and grass-roots advocacy movements.
Building long-lasting partnerships between key stakeholders.
Augmenting peer to peer collaboration amongst policymakers across the world.
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