December 1, 2011, a day recognized world wide as World AIDS Day, saw youth and policy-makers at the 2011 International Conference on Family Planning (in Dakar, Sengal) gathered for an event titled "Realizing Promise: A dialogue between policy makers and youth."

This event essentially was geared towards provided a space for meaningful discussions between young people and policy makers on issues related to adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights (AYSRHR). The discussions were led by the nine panellists three of whom were youth  who were voted by all the young people who attended a pre-conference workshop hosted by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) to represent the youth voice. The other 6 panellist were all policy makers representing different ministires and organizations including Kenya's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Tanzania, USAID and UNFPA. As moderator for the session I used the opportunity during my opening remarks to stress the need and importance of partnerships as we move forward...

In sum the event provided a great platform for the discussion of several key areas. The youth statement which had been prepared and presented at this event highlighted several issues including the need for you engagement and participation in decision making, ensuring youth have access to information and services and support for youth led programs.

Essentially we all agreed that there is a need for greater collaboration between youth and decision makers as we move forward to advance adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Coming out of the session:

Some strategies/ best practices that we should employ as continue to work in field of AYSRHR that were highlighted are:

1. Continous engagement of adolescent and youth in the design, implementaion, monitoring      and evaluation of AYSRHR programs.
2. Set funding for youth programs.
3. Provision of leadership training for youth.

Additional areas for further exploration and development that were noted include:

1. the developmwent of youth policies, national youth councils.
2. further exploration of how to reach youth who are most in need/ marginalized youth.
3. How to encourage greater civil society participation.
4. How to change the mindset of persons who seek to undermind our progess.

As we move forward from this event and from the staging of the conference I must highlight that each and everyone of us has responsibilties and roles to play in realizing the promise.

Learn, Engage, Change!!!

  Wednesday September 7th through to September 16th I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and share stories with 140 other powerful youth advocates from all across the U.S as well as from other countries such as Namibia, Nigeria, Nepal and my own colleagues from Jamaica. Urban Retreat 2011 will forever be etched in my mind as I recall the sharing of experiences, talents, ideas as well as cultural exchange that took place between us these past days. Having been to the Urban Retreat in 2010 I sat on the plane on my way to D.C filled with excited and anticipation. One of the thoughts that came to mind during my preparation was how many times during this year’s Urban Retreat I would start crying as I recalled how powerful and inspiring Urban Retreat 2010 had been. It turned out that these instances were too many to keep track of. And you know what, I am thankful for that because It’s moments like those that I reflect on and use as inspiration to keep going as I know that there is a larger network of great youth activists and adult supports who are also passionate and are fighting for this cause. The Urban Retreat also provided a great space for more structured knowledge acquisition from the training activities as well the awesome experience of lobbying. For many of us we’ve never been lobbying before attending an Urban Retreat. A big thank you to Advocates for Youth for this FABULOUS experience!
To my fellow youth activists, it was indeed a great pleasure meeting you all and certainly continue the great work :) Remember –If we work together nothing is impossible!! Let’s continue to be the voices of the voiceless young people across the world whose SRHR needs are not adequately being met.

In closing, Urban Retreat 2011 was Awesome and the youth advocates from Jamaica say THANK YOU for inspiring us!

One Love,
Maxsalia

 Today marks the closing of the International Year of Youth and sadly no major advancements for youth took place in Jamaica over this time period. To date not many Jamaican youth are even aware that the past year was officially recognized and highlighted by the United Nations as the International Year of Youth. Further to this there was no national/officially organized event to highlight the important of this day to the young people of my country and the youth of the world :(

Today as I join the rest of the world in celebrating and acknowledging the role of young people in making our global community a better place it is my deepest desire that the leaders of my country will begin to invest more wholeheartedly in our youth. As I look at the issues highlight in the recently published Jamaica National Youth Survey 2010 which included among other things a need for education and training for our young people as well as the need for sexuality education and family planning services I realize that we are a far way from where we need to be as it related to youth and sustainable development. The theme for International Youth Day 2011 “Change our world” is particularly important to me because I want to see REAL CHANGE not just more statements and messages but actions, implementation. I want to see meaningful youth engagement and active demonstration of consistent youth involvement in decision making processes.

Today the 12th day of August I have decided to use the harsh realities of my country as motivation to continue my work as a youth advocate, and not be discouraged. As I stated in my very first facebook post of the day “The world needs youths, our ideas and our voice, the difference between the world of today and our world tomorrow rests with us, the young people! (Excerpt from the 2011 International Youth Day message of the Pan Commonwealth Youth Caucus)”

Together WE can create the change we want to see in the world!!!

One Love.

The Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, has appealed to Jamaican women to get tested for HIV, and to take more responsibility for their sexual behaviour by using a condom during sexual encounters.

The call came as the nation observes Safer Sex Week, February 7-14, under the theme, "Smarter Women Always Buy, Carry and Use Condoms."

Mr. Spencer said that the urgent call is for women to buy, carry and use condoms, correctly and consistently.

In his message to commemorate National Safer Sex Week, Mr. Spencer said that the Week, observed each year during the period leading up to Valentine's Day, provided an excellent opportunity to reinforce condom use messages to build awareness. He implored women "to keep HIV out of their immune system and discrimination out of their speech and demeanour."

The Minister also noted that inconsistent condom use, multiple and concurrent partners were among the critical factors contributing to the spread of HIV in Jamaica.

Citing the 2008 National HIV/STI Programmes-commissioned "Knowledge, Attitude, Behaviour and Practice" (KABP) survey, he said that condom usage was more prevalent among men with multiple partners than among females. Fifty eight percent (58%) of females have reportedly never carried a condom.

"This reliance on men to provide condoms is disadvantageous, as the likelihood of risky sex is increased," the Minister emphasized.

While 40% of the males purchase condoms at shops, only 16% of females is said to do the same. In addition, compared to a mere 1% of males who rely on their female partners to provide condoms, the KABP Survey showed that 25% of female partners rely on males to purchase condoms.

"This puts women at particular risk, because their power to negotiate condom use is usually limited, even though condom use should be a shared responsibility," lamented Mr. Spencer.

The Minister bemoaned the current statistics, which report an estimated 28,000 persons in Jamaica living with HIV. Added to this, approximately 18,000 of this number are said to be unaware of their HIV status, as they have never been tested.

He also highlighted the strides made to combat the epidemic, noting that people living with HIV were living longer and enjoying a better quality of life.

He said there was a 37% decline in deaths from AIDS in 2007, as against 2006. He attributed this decline to public access to antiretroviral medication since 2004, and to the benefits from the abolition of health facilities User Fees in 2008.

"We intend to stay the course and maintain our public education efforts, as well as other strategies, at the highest level, so that we can see a reduction in the levels of infection and a positive change in the behaviours that contribute to this," Mr. Spencer said.

The National Event to mark Safer Sex Week will take place on Thursday (February 11). The National HIV/STI Programme will head to Orange Park (near the waterfront, downtown, Kingston) from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The day's activities will include free HIV testing, information sessions and the distribution of 6,000 packs of Durex condoms, donated by the Rotary Club of St. Andrew.

School visits will also form part the week's activities. The four Regional Health Authorities will also be hosting a series of activities to promote safer sex throughout the month.

My take on this: In light of the statistics provided and from observations within the society I congratulate the government and NGOs who are involved in this initiative. The battle has not been won but we are certainly making steps in the right direction....Let's all continue to share of knowledge as we respond to the HIV epidemic worldwide.

"Smarter Women Always Buy, Carry and Use Condoms." lets spread the word...

JAYOUTH
JYAN

So in Jamaica we like persons all over the world highlighted Safer Sex Week . Our main message surrounded the Empowerment of Females in relationships and as a result our major themes were “Smarter Women Always Buy, Carry and Use Condoms.” (geared towards adult females) and "Smart girls WAIT!" (geared towards our children and teens). The Ministry noted that this initiative is part of an effort encourage more responsible sexual behaviours, to increase HIV testing among women and to build awareness on condom use. Let me just use this oppportunity to say I LOVE THE THEMES...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THE IDEA.! This for me was a great idea given my passion about addressing the passive roles females play in sexual relationships here in Jamaica and other parts of the world.

As apart of the week many activities The Ministry of Health last week Friday held what could be considered an educational fair which involved much entertainment for the youths. The entertainment involved safe sex messages being delivered through drama and music (keeping in mind that girls were our main target). This from observation excited the crowd of youths who were present. Following my interaction however with some school age persons I am not convinced that the message has be cemented in their minds. I can recall instances where students whom were very much aware of the purpose of the event were hestitant (and others firmly refused) to collect the pamphlet which contained vital information. "I Got it already" could be heard from several students as they approached the boothes however when asked to produce the pamphlets some persons stated it was at home...haha Not saying this can't be true...but their overall attitude led me to think otherwise. With the negative reaction from some persons relating to the acceptance of the written information I commend our Ministry of Heath's effort to add music and drama as means of communicating this very important message to our youths. 

The lesson reinforced  certainly for me following this event is the need to continue to find innovative ways to reach our youths...who knows what creative ideas we will have to come up with  for future events...

Let's continue to work hard using whatever means necessary to educate our youths to make wise sexual decisions.!!

This entry is a part of our World AIDS Day Blogathon.  During this week we share our experiences, stories, and ideas about how HIV affects young people around the world. Join the blogathon .

The much publicized World AIDS day has come and gone. So what does that mean? Does it mean that for that one day we gave HIV/ AIDS awareness our full attention and then for the rest of the year it’s place is on the back burner? As a Jamaican youth advocate who has had numerous encounters with persons living with HIV/ AIDS and who knows of the life changing effects of this disease, I implore you all to live the message of safe sex and antidiscrimination against persons already infected with the disease.  I firmly believe that persons who are truly passionate about youth sexual and reproductive health should not only spend time trying to influence policies that may take years to change but should spend  more time interacting with persons who are vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases especially the marginalized groups in our respective countries.

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