In Nigeria today, according to the 2006 national census, 33.6 %( about 47million) of the total population of Nigerians are young people between the ages of 10- 24years. Research carried out recently shows that those who are eligible to register and vote are between the ages 0f 18 and above but the question running through my mind is how many young people are ready to vote, from the field work carried out at Makurdi – Tuylen, young people no longer show interest in casting their vote any longer rather prefer going about for their daily activities rather than wasting their time for the whole day trying to register and during the election unable to vote in their candidates instead the election been rigged by our so called leaders but for how long are we going to continue in this act?

Now is the time as a young person for us to act by encouraging our fellow peers to go out and get registered to vote to see a better Nigeria and to also create a change in our sexual reproductive health as it relates to young people who are affected and infected in one way or the other. Let’s go out and register to be eligible to vote. Our vote is our right.

This is a story of Vivian who lives in a remote village, after her primary school she fell sick and was admitted in the hospital. The sickness became severe to an extent that she needed blood for her to survive. As the case may be, it was so urgent that even the hospital where she was admitted had no blood in their blood bank. A man close to the scene of the event, volunteers to donate blood to the urgency of Vivian situation, the doctor forgot to screen the blood before administering it to her.

After Vivian recovered and went for check up after some months, it was discovered that she was positive and was traced that she got infected through blood transfusion and was asked to visit a nearby clinic for counselling and testing. To her it was the end of the world, how is she going to face people in her community, in the school and even her family members.

The worst happen when Vivian was issued admission in one of the tertiary institution to study management and was asked to undergo a medical check-up in the school before she can be admitted into the school. Knowing her situation she was been scared to go for the test but she summon courage and went and the medical doctor said to her that she can’t be given admission into to the school due to her condition because she will be a bad influence to students in the school. She felt disappointed and was denounced admission for that year. Fortunately, she got admission into another institution and needed to get a forged result declaring she was positive before she got admission into the school by the help of a medical doctor from that community.

Vivian’s case is not exceptional, many other issues have been happening as it regards stigma and discrimination in our society, can we continue in this attitude, why are we chasing people living with HIV/AIDS out from the society? I am of the view that, they should be a measure that kicks against stigma and discrimination in our society and penalties should be given to those who violate the rights of PLWHA in the society with the help of our policy makers to implement this law in this administration.

In a bid to get student from different institution to sign the post card on giving HIV/AIDS Discrimination in Nigeria schools a RED CARD, I travelled to Nasarawa to mobilize young people to act on the bill that was passed and share their own opinion on what is obtainable in our institutions today based on stigma and discrimination. I cited an example of Gloria who was been denied admission from an institution because of her status and needed to get a forged result denying her status for her to gain admission to school. Gloria case wasn’t the only issue that is severe but also the case of a student in National Institutes of journalist that was asked to leave the school because of his status and was stigmatized in the society.

The YAG uses this red card campaign to get student to support the bill and to ask their senator to act on the bill that was been passed and harmonize the bill in line with young people in and around the school environment.

According to one of the student he said “Lets put a stop to stigmatization and discrimination; ask our senators to harmonize the bill on stigmatization and discrimination to young people in and around school. Over 200 young people are of the opinion that the bill is passed to bring a great change in our society and our policy makers should act on it in this administration. Let the bill be acted upon now for us to have a better society.

The "Red Campaign" is an initiative by the Youth Advocates in Nigeria to use this medium to put a stop to a stop to stigmatisation and discrimination in our Nigeria schools and society at large. This initiative is also used to mark the WAD and also to ask our senators to use their various position to act on the bill that was passed and to harmonise the bill not only to those in the working environment because we discovered that young people constitute the society at large and with that young people between the ages 15- 30 are unemployed and are also stigmatised and discriminated in our schools and society.

In line with this, Youth Advocates used the post card Red Campaign to visit various schools in our society and get young people in and around the school environment to sign petitions to their various representatives from their states to support the bill and act on it. The pressing need of Young people was to ask the senators to enact penalty on any institution that stigmatised or discriminate on People Living With HIV/AID.

We say lets say no to stigmatisation and Discrimination!!!

It's time for us young people to celebrate the International Youth Day by having our say on decisions that affect us.

The International Youth Day today also marks the launch of the International Year of Youth. The theme for International Youth Day is "Dialogue and Mutual Understanding," which will be followed by the theme for the year of "Our Year, Our Voice." This is a perfect opportunity for us young people to step up and be heard on issues that matter to us and get involved in decision-making and also talk to our leaders for meaningful participation of young people in the implementation of the policy.

According to research from the Victoria University’s Youth Connectedness Project 2006 - 2008, “30 percent of young people say adults in the community don’t seem to want them around in policy formulation but them forgetting that.” Young people are key members of their communities. Our views are often overlooked when local and national leaders are taking decisions, and not forgetting the fact that our thoughts, experiences, and ideas add a unique quality to decision-making which makes it an important part of including us in decision-making. Get the youth involved and get a better today in our society!

I am a girl of 16 and was born into a family of six. I lost my both parents at the age of 13 and after then I was asked to stay with my Fathers’ brother who happens to be my uncle. He has been so faithful and consistent in my needs and saw me through till I was through with my secondary school and about going to the university to continue with my studies. I intend reading medicine in the university but my dreams became shattered when my uncle started acting strange.

I never knew my uncle was a drunkard not until he came back drunk from where he went to and he started harassing me sexually, to me I taught maybe because of his state that was why he behaved the way he did but the same keep on persisting and I never allow him to have his way. Unfortunately he know said it is a tradition when a girl is between the ages of 15-17years, she is to make love to an elderly man from that particular community or else she will go mad or die. Since I didn’t grew-up in the village, I never knew the ethics and I was deceive by my uncle, since I was scared to die, I allowed him to make love to me and considering the fact that I was a virgin, for the first time I was bleeding all through.

Two months letter, I started to fill the symptoms of weakness on my body and I started adding weight. I spite everywhere and every little thing irritates me, I later told my uncle of my situation and he ask me  to go visit the hospital  where the doctor examine me and said that I was 2months pregnant. When I broke the news to my uncle knowing fully- well he was responsible, he said I should abort the pregnancy but I refuse.                                                                                                                                                                                            He used to have a doctor friend and deceive me to go along with him for check- up but I never knew he had a skeleton in his cupboard. He took me to the doctor and the doctor examined me and said if I should deliver this baby that I will lose my life at the expense of the baby because the baby is a pre-mature baby, so the only solution is to abort the baby or I die.

I accepted the doctor’s advice and went for the operation. During the operation, the baby was killed and not ending at that, I had a complication on my womb and my small intestine was pulled out from my anus. I was lucky to have survived death but I can no longer bear children because my womb was damaged. There is need for young people to be informed not to get deformed. If I had the necessary information at the tip of my finger, I wouldn’t have fall prey to my uncle’s trick.

BE WARNED!!!!

STIGMATIZATION

What is life to live in this wicked world?

A world where I am not tolerated

A place that people around me despise me

My friends no longer regard me as their friends

My family has all run away from me

I was sent out of school because of my status

I cannot longer buy things from the market

Even my religion banned me from coming to church

I have no place to run to…………………………………..

Oh! Is life worth living, what a world?

 “Let’s stop the spread of stigmatization and embrace humanity for the sake of love”

I write this letter to my unborn child from the depths of my soul.
You've entered my womb and made my life complete and whole.
I never thought I would be chosen for such an awesome task.
It is a greater blessing than what I ever could ask.
I can almost imagine you in my mind.
Beautiful, Happy, Bouncing, flashing a smile so kind.
Feeling you flutter is a sensation like no other.
It does wonders for the joy of this soon-to-be-mother!
You create a glow in me I never knew I would see.
It is true happiness that sets me on cloud nine manifested deep inside of me!
You're my baby, my child, my heart, and my wonder.
I pray we create a bond that no one can put asunder.
You're a designers' original! A creation from the King!
I can hardly wait for you to enter the world and see the joy you bring.
Sweet baby of mine, you're a magnificent gift from above.
Living proof of how your father and I have shared our love.
I hope you have your fathers' eyes
Then you will go into the world able to look at all things wise.
I hope you inherit my ability to plan.
With that you will be able to face all things in life as a strong woman or man.
I hope you receive from your father his selfless ways.
For this the Heavenly Father will bless you, as he did him, all of your days.
I hope you learn from me, spirit and let no one take it.
Believe me you will need it in life, and many will try to break it.
But with that spirit you must have your father's center.
With that you will be cautious of any door you enter.
I want you to have my curiosity.
There's nothing wrong with questions you may blurt!
But receive your fathers' discernment,
so you'll know when to let go before getting hurt.
Have my big heart; know what emotions are and how to be real.
Share your fathers' strength so you can handle what you feel.
Share my sense of humor! Laugh a lot it helps you through life.
Share your fathers' sense of duty. Know how to be serious and take strife.
I'm emotional so I tell you it’s okay to blubber once and a while like your Mom.
But learn to develop what your father has; an excellent sense of calm.
But most of all the things I wish for your father and I to share.
I wish we teach you to love, respect, strength of mind, and to care.
These are my feelings, wishes and hopes for you.
You make my heart and soul sing!
I welcome you to the world and thank you for the joy,
my little queen or king.

I am a 16 year old woman that hails from the eastern part of Nigeria, who has always dated men. The problem is I always break it off before it gets at all serious, because it basically doesn't feel right. There is no specific reason why, I just don't feel comfortable. I often enjoy spending time with men, talking etc, but I don't really want them to touch me. I have had physical relationships with men, but I never feel entirely comfortable. For want of a better phrase, I essentially just put up with the physical stuff because I don't want to hurt their feelings. Then I break up with them, before it gets serious. This has happened a few times.
I often imagine myself being with a woman, and do find female bodies extremely beautiful. I flip back and forth on what I want so much right now, and honestly don't know if I want to be with a man or a woman. It’s very confusing! Maybe I should go to a support group or counselor?
Can anyone relate to what I'm saying or offer advice?

We are in a generation where the old and the young believes that “body no be wood“but not to dispute the fact that young people are the most sexually active and are at most risks to HIV/AIDS and other STI’s infections all over the world. Without any doubt, casual sex is not safe because it’s prone to these infections.

It is no longer news that young people don’t believe in abstinence “hold body” but that doesn’t mean total abstinence is impossible but for those who cannot abstain should make sure they use contraceptives. According to facts, contraceptives are not 100% safe and even the bible urges young people to abstain from any sexual intercourse till they get married.

For casual sex workers, whose history/ background cannot be easily traced, such people are advice to use a condom to safe guards there own health. In conclusion, I still stand the grounds that young people can still abstain from any form of sex because even the bible says “our body is the temple of the holy spirit in which he dwells in” , so there is need to keep our body holy from any form of iniquity but for those who cannot abstain they should be stead fast in the use of condoms with their partners to reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world.   

May 27^th is a commemoration day for children all over the world especially in Africa but the fact still remains that in Nigeria is it really children’s day? Why should the law that was supposed to affect every of our leaders not been effective instead they go against the law and trample on the rights on children in and outside the country.

Imagine a country were we are looking at vision 2020 and knowing fully well that we are the future leaders of tomorrow but with all these happening to the children of the world where by a man of over 50 years getting married to a minor of below 13 years isn’t that insane?  But these people are not called to order instead they are not cautioned. For a law maker who knows about the constitution of the country and who is aware of the Child   Right Act still went ahead to get marry because he his above the law or may be he is not being a citizen of the country  because of his wealth go ahead and marry a 13 year old girl.

Today being the 27^th day of May, the children are crying out to our leaders for this act should stop because they don’t know who will be the next to be victimize and as a matter of fact they can no longer continue with their education because they are married and need to pay attention to house activities.

Let’s put a stop to all these act and safe the future of the children.