Positive Action Networking Zone Panel at AIDS Conference

At this year’s International AIDS Conference, panelists representing MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation (SAF), HIV Young Leaders Fund (HYLF), Asociacion Silueta X, Youth Empowerment Initiative and the Youth AIDS Filipinas Alliance will speak on the importance of investing in young people involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Moderated by GYCA’s Lindsay Menard-Freeman, the event is an exciting opportunity to showcase the results and leadership of youth-led organizations working on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

It is also a chance to leverage discussion on the importance of supporting and investing in young leaders globally. Panelists Sara Piot from SAF and Caitlin Chandler from HLYF will discuss how funding has helped young leaders in their work and whether other funders should follow their model of providing monetary grants as well as global capacity-building training and mentorship support to leaders of youth organizations.

The discussion aims to draw on the following: lessons from the impact youth-led organizations can have in their communities, why funders can and should trust young people, the benefits of investing in young people, the different approaches youth have towards HIV programs, and the effectiveness of peer to peer education.

The panel will take place Wednesday 25 July 2012 (13:30-14:30) at the Positive Action Networking Zone, Global Village, Booth XX.

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Save the Date: YouthForce Hosts AIDS2012 Pre-Conference July 18-20, 2012

The Washington D.C. YouthForce, a coalition of youth-led and youth-serving organizations, will be hosting the Youth Pre-Conference, a three-day event held prior to the International AIDS Conference (IAC) from July 18-20, 2012, at the Kellogg Conference Center at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. This event brings approximately 200 young people ages 15-26 together to engage in information and skills-based training on HIV/AIDS for effective participation at the IAC.

The pre-conference includes knowledge-based workshops that cover issues from harm reduction 101 to climate change in the context of HIV; and, skills-building workshops like telling a powerful story through photography and developing materials for people with and without disabilities. The pre-conference will also provide young people the opportunity to network and connect with their peers prior to the main conference. Finally, the pre-conference will provide participants with: an opportunity to engage with stakeholders including UNAIDS, UNFPA, among others; an orientation on how to make the most of the main conference; and, a messaging training on the YouthForce advocacy messages which will help maximize their ability to navigate the main conference and participate meaningfully and effectively.

If you have any questions regarding the pre-conference, email washingtondcyouthpreconference@gmail.com.

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GYCA and YHRC will Host Roundtable Discussion at AIDS Conference

As part of the XIX International AIDS Conference this July in Washington, D.C., the Youth Health and Rights Coalition (YHRC) and the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) are hosting a breakfast roundtable to explore opportunities for collaboration and coordination in order to help promote the health and rights of adolescents and youth.

In this event, a select group of representatives from adolescent and youth-focused coalitions will discuss the following: priorities for advocacy with the U.S. Government, the United Nations, and other global entities; opportunities for collaboration within the U.S, global, and field advocacy arenas; ways to meaningfully engage youth in ongoing and new advocacy activities; and mechanisms to foster ongoing communication between participating groups.

This event is one of many highlighting a focus on opportunities for youth leaders and the importance of the youth-led movement in the fight against HIV/AIDS. With this discussion, the YHRC and GYCA hope to create a roadmap for greater collaboration and collective action!

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Uniting for a AIDS-free Generation

During the International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Washington, DC., several organizations including UNAIDS, the DC Health Department (HASTA), The Grassroot Project, Metro TeenAIDS, Soccer for Good, the Magic Johnson Foundation, Ragball International, Monumental Sports, Advocates for Youth, Youthforce and the planning committee, AIDS2012, will partner up to organize a sports tournament reflecting the theme of “Uniting for an AIDS-free Generation.” In particular, there will be a street soccer and basketball tournament. The event is open to adolescents and young people ages 14-26.

The Washington Mystics and Wizards will donate sports paraphernalia including signed sport items and equipment. Participants will dress up the event, bring their Mascot and reach out to their NBA stars to participate in the event and Safeways will be donating food and drinks and mobilize employees to distribute the food and drinks.

This event will be held on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. on July 21, 2012 at the Bell Multicultural School at Columbia Heights, Washington, D.C.

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Voices of Young People: AIDS 2012 Youth Programme

Young people will be making sure their voices are heard at AIDS2012. Over the four International AIDS Conferences, Young People have comprised one of the most vocal and visible groups that attend the conference. HIV significantly affects young people. In the U.S., young people aged 13 to 29 accounted for 39% of new HIV infections in 2009. Globally, an estimated 3,300 young people between 15 and 24 become infected each day.

The aim of the AIDS 2012 Youth Programme is to strengthen the participation and profile of Youth at AIDS 2012. The Youth Pavilion in the Global Village (a community space open to conference delegates and the general public free of charge), will serve as the main arena for youth activity, development and networking. The larger conference program will also feature sessions with a particular focus on key issues affecting young people.

Another part of participation of young people is The Washington, D.C. YouthForce is a coalition of International and domestic youth organizations that work together to leverage the presence of young people at the International AIDS Conference. Since its inception in 2004, over 1,500 young people have participated in conference planning In addition, the main even of the YouthForce, its pre-conference, seeks to provide the latest information and intensive training on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, vaccine trials, advocacy strategies, and media skills to approximately 250 young people.

The Youth Programme will be developing a pocket guide and smartphone application listing all youth-related activities and relevant sessions will be available before and during the conference.

Throughout the week, rapporteurs will attend youth-themed sessions and events, and a summary report on the week’s major developments will be presented before the closing session on Friday.

The latest updates on the AIDS 2012 Youth Programme can be found on Twitter (@youthaids2012) Website: (http://www.youthaids2012.org) and Facebook.

- Emily Carson

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Regional Focal Points’ Participation at AIDS2012 Conference

Below are some of the sessions GYCA's Regional Focal Points are involved in at the AIDS 2012 Conference. Be sure to like GYCA's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @_GYCA_ to stay up to date!

Sergio Lopez, RFP for Latin America, will be a panelist in the MSM Pre-Conference entitled, "Targeting YMSM: An International Look at Programs and Funding for Young MSM.” Organized by the MSMGF, the panel will take place on Saturday 21st July 2012 from 10:30 a.m to 12 p.m. in FHI 360, 1825 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, D.C. This session looks at programs that have attempted to deal with YMSM issues uniquely, and have made an impact on YMSM lives. It will also look at ways of linking YMSM programs with funding opportunities in a shrinking funding pool and what donors would look for in project proposals. Sergio will also be co-facilitating a session at the Youth Pre-Conference on LGBT issues.

Ajay Kumar Uprety, RFP for South Asia, will participate in a satellite session entitled, “Maximizing Reproductive Possibilities and Choices for Women Living with HIV” and provide a presentation on “Engaging Men in the Prevention of Vertical Transmission.” The session will take place on Wednesday 25 July 2012 – 16:30-18:00.

Yvonne Akoth, RFP for Eastern Africa, will be presenting a poster exhibition on 'Stop the Violence,' aiming to empower girls to know their rights. The exhibition will be held on the 25th of July 2012 from 12.30 pm to 14.30pm.

Mawethu Zita, RFP for Southern Africa, will be part of an official Rapporteur Team for the AIDS 2012 Youth Programme and will also participate in the
Swedish Satellite Panel Debate on the 23 July 2012 during AIDS 2012 Conference. He will participate as a panelist to contribute his knowledge and highlight why the sexual rights of young people are fundamental as well as explore the social and cultural norms and values that influence how we think about sexual rights.

Tyler Spencer, RFP for North America, will be presenting a poster presentation on Thursday July 26, 2012 from 10.00-18.30 in the Poster Exhibition Hall on Level 2, showcasing a systematic review of the effectiveness of sport-based HIV prevention intervention strategies. Tyler will also be co-facilitating a panel entitled, “International Perspectives and Experiences in Sport-based HIV Prevention for Young People” on July 25, 2012, 13.00-14.00 in the Global Village Youth Pavilion. This panel will provide an opportunity to review the latest evidence, lessons learned and avenues for future research and practice in the emerging field of sport-based HIV prevention for young people.

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