It´s day two of the conference and there still seems to be a high level of disorganization and lack of communication. Many participants had the problems of re-registering as they were denied access to the building and if not the building--the various sessions. Despite all of these problems, I have declared today a productive day so all these problems will not get me down.

At the preliminary session, Nicola Martin from the United Nations (UN) introduced the various plans and proposal the UN envisions for this year’s International Year of Youth. Mrs. Martin explained that the aim of the UN this year to create awareness of youth issues, youth development and increased youth participation in all of their activities. She proclaimed that 2010 will be the year the UN mobilizes and engages youth within all agencies and organs of the UN. I think that it’s interesting that in 2010, the UN finally decided to generate more efforts for global youth development.

Mrs. Martin mentioned the present Youth Delegation for the United Nations and implored those countries that are without to get on board and enhance the legacy. Finally, she professed that the UN is committed to connect and build bridges between the UN and youth organizations by providing resources and opportunity such as their internship programme for youth. Hmm I find all these points interesting, valid but I wonder why now and not before, United Nations?

The day progressed and we disperse into our various working groups. Today I ensured that I was apart of the working group that worked on health and another group that works on gender equality. Both sessions were heated, intense and very productive, as their were various views, questioning definitions and interpretation of words and phrases.

The working group on health was concerned with government’s lack of providing comprehensive health care to citizens from all backgrounds in society regardless of religion, sexual orientation, geographical location, race, class and gender. After intense decisions, arguments and close to-physical fights, the group came up with eight points that they will bring forth to the Ministers at the Government Forum. They are:

1. Establish public policies, increase financing and implement the principles of the Paris Declaration to guarantee young people have universal, free or affordable, non-discriminatory access to health. Remove legal barriers that restrict young people’s access to health.

2. Increase the quality and coverage of health systems and healthcare services, with due actions to sexual transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases including non-communicable diseases. Recognize the specific health needs of marginalized and socially excluded young people; for example: young people living with disabilities.

Achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for all young people as agreed in the declaration of commitment on HIV/AIDS and ensure that young people living with HIV are those countries that are without to get on board and enhance the legacy. Finally, she professed that the UN is committed to connect and build bridges between the UN and youth organizations by providing resources and opportunity such as their internship programme for youth. Hmm I find all these points interesting, valid but I wonder why now and not before, United Nations?

3. Meaningfully involved at all levels of the response. Recognize that the health and welfare of PLWHIV is both a human rights imperative and a public health priority.

4. Recognize violence as a barrier to health and eliminate all forms of violence, including gender based violence and female genital mutilation.

The remaining four points are currently being revisited so in my next blog I post the remaining four. The gender equality group had a lot to say as well as and brought forward five valid points, two of which are:

1. Strongly recommend that young people especially young women are guaranteed comprehensive sexuality education, including healthy relationship education.

2. Governments partner with media and civil society to develop mechanisms to prevent the objectification of people’s gender identity, in particular, those that promote gender-based violence.

There were very strong recommendations that were made by the youth delegation stressing the need to focus on a comprehensive approach for sex ed… and OMG we have been preaching and advocating for that for how long now? Anyway I was pleased that the points raised were very relevant and current.

I strongly believe that there is a hope for young people and their health.

NUFF LOVE,
Oreo