Ending AIDS is only possible by investing in and meaningfully engaging young people

Ending AIDS is only possible by investing in and meaningfully engaging young people

08:30 – 09:45

Venue:  UN Conference Room 11

Youth involvement for effective AIDS response: Young people living with or affected by HIV continue to be neglected in our collective response to HIV. Their voices, leadership and substantive involvement in HIV related policy planning and decision making spaces are never assured and all too often excluded. Young people are often present at official meetings, such as the HLM; however, the question that needs to be asked is: to what extent are young people able to raise their voices and make themselves heard?

Too many young people lack HIV prevention and comprehensive sexuality education, as well as the tools needed to make responsible and informed decisions in regards to their sexual and reproductive health. Young members of key populations (including those that identify as MSM, drug users, sex workers and young transgender people) face unsurmountable community and familial challenges due to stigma, discrimination and violence. Oftentimes they also lack sufficient access to appropriate care providers, integrated HIV and sexual and reproductive health services and youth and adolescent appropriate treatments, care and support networks.

This meeting aims to ‘bridge the dialogue gap’ between donors, governments, key stakeholders, representatives of networks of young people living with or affected by HIV and young people living or affected by HIV.

This side event has been organized by: The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), STOPAIDS (UK), Stop AIDS Alliance, Aids Funds/Stop Aids Now, International Planned Parenthood Federation, International HIV/AIDS Alliance and UNAIDS

Focal point:  Anne Dankert, adankert@soaaids.nl