Take Action
How to participate at AIDS 2010?
As a young person, you can do much more than simply attend the International AIDS Conference. Don't be afraid to be part of the conference; young people are necessary agents of change that must be actively involved in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. The AIDS 2010 Youth Programme and YouthForce encourage youth to be more than 'onlookers', but rather active participants in Vienna.
What can I do to prepare myself before attending the International AIDS Conference? The International AIDS Conference will give you access to new knowledge, skills, and networking.
1. Advocate
Advocacy can be described as an effort to change public perceptions and to influence policy decisions and funding priorities. At times, the policies of governments, institutions or organizations create barriers, harm or other injustices for individuals or groups of people.
2. Pre-Conference
The first step of the Vienna YouthForce was to create an e-consultation and identify areas of interest to young people across the world. Following this global consultation, the Advocacy Sub-committee (AS) and a team of designers...
3. At the Conference
The Commitments Desk will serve as a space to build effective youth-adult partnerships as well as the space for adults to make serious commitments to be champions in the youth advocacy movement. makers.
Commitments
Even though the set-up of the Commitments Desk is similar to that of previous International AIDS Conferences, such as the one in Mexico City in 2008, the goal is to target important policy makers when collecting the commitments and have a way of recording their commitments that could be used in various types of media. In particular, the use of flip cams will allow young participants to use the recorded messages in writing, as well as in any video work. That way, anyone who makes a commitment will be held accountable for everything they say.
Latest Commitments
- symon Njoroge (Kenya) there is lot of youth self disapproval on emerging issues and more of the HIV/AIDS WE tend not to take the chances and stand to challenge the world on our ability to provide great ideas .Its time for the youth to build up their stand and rise from victimization's.
- Clinton Ezeigwe (Italy) No other word engenders as much fear, revulsion, despair and utter helplessness as AIDS. Despite increased AIDS Awareness, the terror persists. HIV/AIDS is hitting the world’s young people hardest. More than half of the 14,000 people newly infected each day are under 25 years old; most of them are girls. But despite the disproportionate burden they carry – and the fact that they are more likely than adults to adopt and maintain safe behaviours – young people are routinely disregarded when strategies on HIV/AIDS are drafted, policies made and budgets allocated. Youth, as the group most threatened by the pandemic, should be given a hand in fighting the spread of the virus. Young people under 25 are at the greatest risk of HIV infection. They are also the group most open to behaviour change once they are armed with the knowledge to make safe choices. Experience have showed that if youths are given the tools and resources, and through cross-cultural exchange, youth will be innovative in finding ways to reach their peers to pass on what they have learned about HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention, testing and treatment. With thousands of newly infected youth each day we must look to the youth themselves to find ways to reach their peers.
- Dua'a Salem Maitah (Jordan) When you find the reputations of your senses will inevitably create. When you get so you should know you are belonging to the AIDS 2010. Be patient, not one day that I watch what is happening in the world kept silent, because silence severe negative effect on the creative energies Each port I think that when viewed by an expression of my personality. I want to change and better things ... I am young and the world waiting for me and waiting for what will change. I hope you can find what I developed myself and help me to change my noble and I would bring my goals to improve the situation even a small part of them ... Things are always beginning and ending point in miracles.
- Liam O'Doherty (Canada) I commit to using my skills, knowledge and networks to support those effected by HIV & aids. Further, I will push for policies which will stop stigmatization of the people living with HIV and aids and reduce further infection.
- Yara Priscilla (Mozambique) It hurts to know that so many people get infected each minute.. If not each second. It's said life is about the choices you make, but some of these girls that are infected do not have a choice, some are forced into sexual slavery, some are sold by their parents to pay debts. Some of these women do not have a choice. I commit to using my resources and knowledge to show these women that 'YES' they do have a choice and 'YES' they can say no. The world needs the youth and only we can help save ourselves, through knowledge and empowerment.
