ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Breathe in, breathe out: the International AIDS Conference 2008 is here and better than ever before!

By Mimi Melles, August 7, 2008
Posted on aids2008.com

As an organizer of the Mexico YouthForce Pre-Conference, I can say that I've had a little more time to adjust to the intensity and excitement of the Mexico City International AIDS Conference longer than have most participants. In a few words, the Pre-Conference is a forum for 250 youth participants (who are attending the Main Conference) to discuss issues on youth and HIV/AIDS and to develop skills on how to write effectively for the media, influence decision makers, and advocate on the Mexico YouthForce key messages of Rights, Respect, Responsibility and Resources.

Now it's the day after the Opening Session of the Main Conference. I'm still recovering from the work of a successful Pre-Conference and simultaneously soaking up and processing the breadth of interesting HIV/AIDS experts, knowledge and materials, media, and arts surrounding the multi-faceted issue of HIV and AIDS. Of course, this is all very exciting, especially when I have the pleasure of reuniting with colleagues I've worked with diligently through email and phone calls, but haven't actually seen since the Toronto International AIDS Conference in 2006!

As a young professional walking into this conference, I've been incredibly excited to expand the new project that I'm managing at Advocates for Youth—the International Youth Speak Out (iYSO) Project! More specifically, I'm focusing on three components that will expand my knowledge and skills for iYSO. First, I'm recruiting for the International Youth Activist Network (iYAN), which consists of youth activists and adult allies from developing countries who are working to influence policies and programs in their countries and internationally to support improved youth reproductive and sexual health. Sign up here to join the iYAN and receive a monthly online newsletter with information on advocacy, youth activism, and mobilization on important issues like sex education, access to contraception, and prevention of adolescent maternal mortality and HIV.

Also, I'm networking with colleagues at this conference who advocate for improved, science-based domestic policies that meet the needs of youth on adolescent reproductive and sexual health, specifically in Jamaica, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Just to give you a bit of background information-- I'm working with youth-led organizations in those three countries to create national youth leadership councils that are empowered and trained to advocate on the message that young people need access to science-based information on reproductive and sexual health, comprehensive sex education, and youth-friendly services that provide confidential HIV testing, support, and treatment.

Finally, other important issues that I'm looking to learn more about at the conference include: gender and redressing the feminization of HIV and AIDS, prevention of adolescent maternal mortality, and streamlining reproductive and HIV services for all young people, particularly young women.

I'll be back shortly with more updates, so stay tuned!

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