In September 2024 the Global Fund announced the new members of its Youth Council. Among the new members is Bella Aubree, National Coordinator of Inti Muda Indonesia – the Indonesian young key populations network. Bella Aubree is a young Indonesian trans woman who has dedicated nearly six years to working on sexual and reproductive health, HIV, TB and human rights, focusing on young key populations and people living with HIV.
“Bella is one of the most inspirational young activists that Aidsfonds is proud to partner with, both in her own individual capacity and as the national lead for Inti Muda Indonesia’’, says Tushar Malik, Aidsfonds’ Project lead Indonesia Healthy Cities with PRIDE. ‘’Her story of resilience in the face of stigma, discrimination, and hardships to becoming one of the youngest leaders in the Indonesian and Southeast Asian LGBTQI+ rights movement is a testament to why we need to continue to invest in the next generation of leadership from young key populations. Such voices, stories, and leadership are important to have at the decision making table as we work towards a world that prioritises the needs and rights of those most affected by HIV.”
The Youth Council, established in January 2020 by Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, brings together a dynamic group of young individuals living with, affected by, or vulnerable to HIV, tuberculosis and/or malaria. It serves as an advisory body to the Executive Director and the Global Fund Secretariat on matters related to adolescents and youth. By providing insights through the youth lens, the Youth Council relays critical issues and contextual nuances from across countries eligible to receive Global Fund allocations, and seeks to ensure that the Global Fund is informed by the unique needs and perspectives of young people to maximize the impact its investments.
The call for applications attracted almost 1,600 applications and culminated in the selection of eight outstanding candidates. They bring invaluable lived experience and a diversity of youth perspectives on health, rights and well-being from Argentina, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda.
Indonesia Healthy Cities with PRIDE (IHCP) aims to strengthen capacity for movements of young LGBTQI+ people across Indonesia to promote increased access to HIV services, reduction of stigma, discrimination, criminalisation and violence against young LGBTQI+ people, including young people living with HIV.
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