The investment in young girls all around the world most especially in developing countries like Nigeria is of paramount importance to the growth and development of every country. Without the positive contribution of young girls in different fields of endeavour it will be impossible for the world to attain its desired height in economic and social development, and a nation who aspires to successfully advancement should definitely not ignore the conditions of nearly half of its population.

There are more than 600 million adolescent girls in developing world {UNFPA 2005} which signifies that they are the largest generation of young people in history. It is therefore expedient that governments begin to invest in young girl’s education, health care and generate infrastructures which would aid the reduction of burdensome participation of young girls in domestic activities and also early marriages.

Educating girls and providing them with skills and trainings through quality education which are easily assessable and affordable has a direct relationship with their health, social services and even the reduction in early marriages. This means that when a girl is properly educated she becomes very aware of her health as a lady and how to adequately guide herself from probable illnesses. It also means that coupled with the good health she now enjoys through education she can equally have a higher participation in the society through policy making and other vital areas within the country. When a girl is educated the issues of early marriage would be drastically reduced as she would be more focused on empowering herself as against getting early marriages which could lead to sexually transmitted disease such as HIVAIDS, Vesicovarginal fistula e.t.c This will in turn reduce the growing rate of  unplanned pregnancies and reduce maternal mortality.

Governments of developing countries could also invest in young girls by providing infrastructures that would aid in reducing work burden on girls such as electricity, water, to reduce house chores like fetching of firewood’s and also carrying of water from distances. They could also invest in young girls through donations to NGO’S who are involved in empowering young girls within their societies and also ensure the safety of  young girls from molestation, prostitution e.t.c through the provision of adequate securities crossed across the entire nation. Everyone has a role to play, the decision makers, community and religious leaders, parents, siblings and friends in other to reduce the increasing poverty level which is a result of the one sided development caused by the education of boys to the neglect of girls education.  It is therefore important that we all rise up to the task ahead of us in other to put an end to the vicious circle of poverty plaguing us and move forward to a state of sustainable development.

The future of Nigeria lies in the hand of young people who constitute more than one third of the population. So much has been done to address this, but limited numbers of young people have been involved in policy formulation and implementation, having in mind that young people are sexually active and women and young people are the most affected. Recently, National Assembly organized a public hearing on the anti-stigma bill and the Youth Advocates Group was the only youth group present at the hearing and we made our recommendations. Furthermore to achieve our aims and what we stand for at the anti-stigma bill, YAG members agreed to carry out a video screening exercise on the life of a young person living with HIV. At the University of Abuja the venue of the event youth filled the hall to the brim with lots of expectations of what to come out of the exercise. During the screening I felt air of emotional break down among the students. I felt the passion from Morenike, a student of law reacting to the issues of stigma from the perspective of someone that has faced stigmatization because of her colour (being an albino). Hear her “ if people who are suppose to be your friend isolates you, life will be miserable and you will fill dejected a lot of things comes to your mind, as a child growing l have faced that challenge know what it feels like. It is one of the things that informed my chosen career, this must stop and it takes the commitment of all of us”.

The passion and how she spoke about the issue made a very big difference, hearing from someone who had been and is still facing stigmatized among them made over 150 students sign a petition letter to the national assembly for a speedy passage of the Anti-stigma bill which was in support of the recommendations made by YAG.

Oh Great Nigerian youth! information is key, we must disseminates that to all, if an individual will bring 150 students to take action on all forms of stigmatization, WE MUST TAKE ACTION, this is a call to ACTION for everyone, not only the GOVERNMENT because CHANGES begins ONLY when you DEMAND FOR IT.

January 21^st will for ever remain a memorable day in my life; as an Advocate.

In Nigeria young people constitute more than one third of the population, the burden of HIV/AIDS and its scourge are face by young people. The recent sentinel survey shows that between 15-24 years are most infected and most at risk, their health issues should be a thing of concern for all partners. It is obvious that they are the most affect when it comes to the issues of sexual reproductive health. Young people lack the requisite knowledge required to combat these issues, why their right are infringed upon by the adults fork, Funds should be made available for programs that will create awareness and address policies that are not youth friendly.

Youth are at the receiving end so they should be allowed to formulate and implement programs that meet international practice and suit their immediate needs.  While we are not doubting adult and youth partnership we also plead we the US government through their PEPFAR fund make resource and fund available to build young people capacity on advocacy skills to eradicate policies that are harmful to young people’s health  and on addressing the issues of abortion, early marriage, female genital mutilation, and unintended pregnancy.

 

My story will bring to limelight different forms of abortion to terminate millions of unwanted child by young unmarried girls, six weeks ago when my creator made me with the help of my parent that serves as a tool, I was very happy with very lots of expectation on a promising place the world will be, were I can unleash my talent to the benefit of the human race, though my mom wasn’t aware not until six weeks after my formation, when she missed her monthly period she rush out, ran to her friends hostel to seek her opinions and advice on the issue and she point to one direction the slaughters house were millions of my type have been hang. Mom told dad about my existent and he was furious, he try to let mom know in an aggressive way that they are not married and he is not ready to be a father, am still in school and all I seek from you is fun and not baby making you illiterate and the word unwanted and bastard was consistently used by both and they are referring to me, my brain may be too low to know the meaning of those words but I sure know is negative and a treat to my existence.

Mom was constantly contemplating on what to do but on this faithful day she had made up her mind to forgone school for the day and march to scout for any hang man house’s willing to terminate me, finally with the help of her friend she find the most notorious assassin in the community 6 kilo meters away from where she stays. The conversation was very brief and I had the assassin saying four thousand or she go, she had no choice was her last word and lay on a bed (the bed remind me of how happy my parent claim they were when they were having sex that led to my formation) and I had the assassin telling his assistant to get her the tools and his face covered like that of the hang men working in Nigerian prison, I notice a penetration coming through the thighs of my mom to my house were the maker kept me in an incubator for protection was damaged and the assassin tools of destructions became very distractive, though I gave him a fight but after 45minutes I was brought out from the natural incubator and place lifeless on a stainless pan filled with blood, mom was tired but very happy that she is free from stigma and economical responsibilities to me.

Millions of unborn child like me have been crucified in different forms and places in Nigeria. Do you know that young people contribute 55% of unsafe abortion in Nigerian annually and mostly procured from medical quacks and untrained practitioners? (NPHDAYP 2007). I know that if my maker ignores my prayer for me not to be terminated, I know for sure HE will not for the prayer of my revenge to my parent wish will serve as a deterrent to other young girls in my society. One of the major problem young people have in Nigeria is limited access to effective reproductive health education programmes and youth friendly services is a contributory factors to poor sexual reproductive health knowledge and behavior among young people in Nigeria. As the world makes World AIDS Day, I will use this opportunity to call on the policy makers and implementers not to shy away from other adolescent sexual reproductive health problem and help in making possible a Nigeria were every young person can access sexual reproductive information and services. Last your voice is important in this debate should abortion be legalize or forbidden, rule your world make the right decision.        

Hi, I am Medua from Nigeria!  The Main conference opened with a speech from President’s Abulahi Klade from Senegal, dignatories from and across African grace the occasion, and finally a well- articulated presentation by Peter Piot, the outgoing UNAIDS Director on History of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Before this speech,  the Pre-Conference was held and issues were raised and the responses showed that adult and youth will have a very good working relationships in Africa, while the youth leaders are encouraged to practice what they preach by carrying other young people along in terms of passing accurate information to help build their capacities. 

Oh what  beautiful places to be, seeing young people fighting for the emancipation by all people to curb HIV/AIDS in Africa.  If African youth continue their effortsby 2011, all will have access to prevention, treatment, and care as the plan for the adult-youth partnership actualize.  Theatre for community action (Pre-Conference), Africa is a rich with young, dynamic youth with brilliant ideas.  Youth in all African counties gathered for the International Conference HIV, AIDS and and STIs in Africa (ICASA).  The theme is adult and youth partnership, issues was raised on how young people and adults will partner.  Adult responsibilities should include building the capacity of young people  and involving them in policy formulation and implementation. 

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