In 2024, the Youth PACT Partnership did a lot of Impactful work led by young people. In this article, we share some of the essential highlights of the year 2024.
Empowering Youth Through the UPROOT Scorecard Program
In 2024, The Youth PACT Partnership successfully implemented the UPROOT Scorecard Program in over six countries in collaboration with Youth Lead Asia Pacific YKP Network, YPlus Global, UNAIDS, and other stakeholders. This scorecard has been instrumental in assessing youth-led movements and youth engagement at the country level, empowering communities, and providing valuable insights through its comprehensive reports. Our UPROOT Scorecard strategic initiatives extended to various regions, including Nepal, Guatemala, and Madagascar. The project in India, Pakistan, and Ivory Coast since October 2020 has significantly impacted youth empowerment and advocacy.
Advocating for Human Rights and LGBTQIA+ Communities
The Youth PACT has been a vocal advocate for human rights, mainly focusing on the rights of young individuals affected by HIV, especially within the LGBTQIA+ community. Our advocacy efforts include reports, videos, and messages on our social media and website.
Participation in Global Events
Our members have actively participated in high-profile events like the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) and the ICPD 30 Conference in Geneva. Notable contributions include Kushal Rana Singh’s participation at ICPD30 and Xu Yahan’s at CSW68. Our member Adeeba Amin has actively engaged in various advocacy events, including representing adolescent girls in the ICPD30 Global Dialogue in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Digital Advocacy and Webinars
We’ve developed a comprehensive Digital Advocacy Manual, guiding young people in designing and implementing effective digital campaigns. Additionally, we’ve organised capacity-building webinars under ayKP Global Partnership on topics like “Network and Organizational Development” and “Monitoring and Evaluation.”
Raising Awareness of Critical Issues
The Youth PACT has been instrumental in raising awareness about criminalisation laws and their impact on the LGBTQIA+ community, with a notable focus on Ghana. We’ve consistently highlighted the importance of gender identity rights globally.
Contributions to the Global AIDS Conference 2024
Ali Raza Khan and Venicia Fernandes represented The Youth PACT at the Global AIDS Conference in Munich, Germany. During the Youth Pavilion sessions, they discussed youth-led monitoring, the impact of climate change on young people, and the HIV response.
Podcasts and Social Media Engagement
The Youth PACT has produced a series of podcasts related to the UPROOT Scorecard Program, available on our social media channels.
Addressing Emerging Health Concerns
We raised awareness about Monkeypox vaccination, especially among people living with HIV. Ali Raza Khan’s blog post “Vaccination as a Person Living with HIV” provides detailed insights on this topic.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Advocacy
Our advocacy campaigns have highlighted the importance of Comprehensive Sexuality Education, mainly through the CSE Asia Pacific 2024 Conference.
Highlighting Global Issues and Achievements
From championing women’s, children’s, and LGBTQIA+ rights in Sri Lanka to addressing adolescent fertility challenges in Latin America, our members have contributed valuable content to our website and social media platforms.
Celebrating World AIDS Day
We ended the year by celebrating World AIDS Day, promoting the “Right Path” for respecting and accepting LGBTQIA+ and key populations’ rights to counter HIV stigma and achieve the UN goal of 95-95-95 by 2030. For World AIDS Day, we amplified the voices of young people living with HIV, calling on global leaders to invest in youth
Personal Contributions by Ali Raza Khan
I, Ali Raza Khan, a young gay activist living with HIV from Pakistan, have made significant contributions to The PACT and AIDS 2024. My engagements included:
- HIV Science & Art Exhibition: We will display work at the HIV Science as Art exhibition, highlighting community activists’ struggles.
- Participation as Speaker: Speaking at the International AIDS Society’s symposium on the impact of climate emergencies on communities.
- Art Installation: I collaborated with artist Khairullah Rahim on an art installation called “Pigeon in Stone Forest,” which depicts the challenges faced by community workers.
The original article written by Ali Raza Khan is available on The Youth PACT website here.
On Instagram here
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