“As young people need to be in charge of our own health because we know what is best for us and we are capable of making the right decisions over our own lives.” Joyce Ouma works for the Global Network of Young People living with HIV, also known as Y+ Global. Young people should take lead when it comes to their sexual and reproductive health and rights. “We have the power.” Period. Check out Joyce’s message to policy makers worldwide in this powerful video below!
“We know our own issues and individual needs that no one else knows of”
“Hello, my name is Joyce Ouma, I work for the Global Network of Young People living with HIV, also known as Y+ Global. I believe that as young people we need to be in charge of our own lives and lead the change because we have the power. We have the autonomy over our own bodies, our own health and our own lives. We know what is best for us and we are capable of making the right decisions over our own lives. Most importantly, we know and understand our own issues and our own individual needs that no one else knows of. Thank you.”
About YouthWise
The YouthWise project aims to amplify the voices of young people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi to enable them to practice self-care and fulfil their sexual and reproductive health and rights needs. YouthWise is a youth- and women-led project, implemented by Y+ Global, Y+ Kenya and Y+ Malawi which are networks of young people living with HIV, AYARHEP (Ambassador for Youth and Adolescent Reproductive Health Programmes) in Kenya and the Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (COWLHA) in Malawi.
There is a high need to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for adolescents and young people living with HIV. YouthWise aims to amplify the voices of young people living with HIV in Kenya and Malawi to enable them to practice self-care and fulfil their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs.
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Today, the European Commission announced its intention to pledge a total of €700 million overall for the 8th Global Fund’s replenishment, subject to the outcome of the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations. At a time when budgets are under strain, priorities are competing, and the world feels increasingly unstable, stepping up for people affected by HIV, TB and malaria around the world is very welcome and a clear sign of the EU’s ambition to lead on global health. This commitment will help save millions of lives and keep everyone safer, including in Europe. It will support Africa’s ability to lead on its own health priorities, and build resilience in places under severe stress. This includes countries affected by war, such as Ukraine, where the continuity of HIV and TB services is critical not only for emergency response, but also for long-term recovery. With many donors cutting back on aid, the Commission’s renewed support for the Global Fund sends a much-needed signal of leadership and solidarity.
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Sidaction and Aidsfonds are pleased to jointly launch a call for scientific proposals for the year 2026, aimed at accelerating advances in HIV cure research. The aim of this call for proposals is to fund research projects exploring mechanisms or strategies that will contribute to achieving a cure or remission for HIV. Projects may investigate mechanisms to target the viral reservoir or enhance immune-driven control, the development of new therapeutic concepts, as well as research in the social sciences related to HIV cure or remission. Through this call, we aim to support research that will ultimately lead to major biomedical breakthroughs, foster social acceptance of cure interventions, and promote an HIV cure accessible to the largest possible number of people living with HIV worldwide.
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