Youth Gain Empowerment through Advocacy and Policy Deconstruction of PEPFAR

Young people --predominantly young women -- make up 40% of new HIV infections worldwide (UNAIDS, 2007). And during a workshop session on August 2 for the Youth Pre-Conference, young men and women proved that they are capable of making sound policy recommendations when it comes to their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

I co-facilitated a workshop session entitled Understanding Public Policy, with Brian Ackerman of Advocates for Youth and Andrew Francis of Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network. We led an exercise where young participants deconstructed proposed legislation, U.S. global AIDS policy, and ABC (Abstain, Be Faithful, and Use Condoms) policy guidance distributed by the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator. Afterwards, the participants broke out into groups to develop sound policy recommendations based on that deconstruction for presentation to lawmakers and governments responsible for overseeing the implementation of global AIDS policy through programs and services.

The session focused on the promotion of abstinence and be faithful programs within U.S. global AIDS policy. Particularly, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has made the focus onabstinence-only programs a mainstay in countries hardest hit by HIV and AIDS. Since the policy guidance for PEPFAR confines prevention messages for youth that include information on male and female condom use to "high risk" youth only, one may view the policy as perpetuating the spread of HIV among the general youth population.

Both young girls and boys are made vulnerable to HIV infection through issues like child marriage; gender-based violence; lack of access to comprehensive prevention programs and services; and/or transactional sex for basic needs like food, water, and school fees. These are circumstances that overwhelmingly fuel infection. Therefore, prevention programs for young people need to provide an array of services to prevent HIV infection and promote their right to the information and tools needed to lead healthy sexual and reproductive lives.

The young people participating in the session came up with smart solutions for lawmakers and governments that can only assist them in furthering the agenda for evidence-based prevention programs and prevention policy.

Young men and women representing Vietnam suggested that young people and other marginalized populations MUST have representation within implementing agencies like the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) through avenues such as youth advisory boards or youth technical working groups. This solution would help assist implementers and grantees in overseeing prevention activities geared toward young people, while also ensuring the qualitative nature of those programs.

Another group, representing South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya, suggested that all funding directives for abstinence should be eliminated. This group also asserted that the U.N. and the U.S. government should make efforts to address global HIV and AIDS consistent with the Millennium Development Goals. The last group, representing Mexico, also suggested getting rid of global AIDS policy of requirements to spend funds on abstinence and the need for comprehensive HIV prevention education in all settings - even within conservative societies and settings.

Allin all, young people are baffled by the fact that U.S. global AIDS policy, as well as the national AIDS plans of various countries and territories, consistently focuses on ideology rather than comprehensive evidence-based approaches to sexuality education and HIV prevention. These young people left the session feeling empowered and many expressed that upon returning to their home countries would advocate forthe sexual and reproductive health and rights of youth.

In turn, I left the session empowered by the young people. I look forward to sharing their messages with U.S. Congress as we continue to work toward ensuring the sexual and reproductive health and rights of those most vulnerable to HIV infection worldwide. For more information on how you can advocate for comprehensive global AIDS prevention policy, please visit www.PEPFARWatch.org.