PANCAP Hosted Meeting of Youth to Discuss Ending AIDS by 2030Youth Leaders formulated and agreed on framework for regional youth advocacy
The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) hosted a meeting of youth leaders from 19 Caribbean countries on April 21 and 22, 2017 in Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
The focus of the forum was a discussion on the role of youth in the national and regional response to HIV and AIDS; participants were also involved in formulating and agreeing on a framework for regional youth advocacy.
Senator the Hon. Robert T.L.V. Browne, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Chair of the Executive of Board of PANCAP delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony on Friday, April 21.
The participating countries included Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, The Commonwealth of Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The event facilitated in-depth discussions about sexual health issues affecting young people and the barriers to accessing sexual health services. The meeting also encompassed identifying what knowledge and tools they require to protect themselves from HIV.
The meeting provided an update on the new strategic directions required for ending the AIDS epidemic. Youths discussed their role in the national and regional response and agreed on the key elements of a framework for regional youth advocacy.
PANCAP Youth Advisor, Dr Astell Collins (Hon), explained that the meeting was pivotal for creating a strategy for youth leaders to implement in responding to the range of challenges facing young people with regard to sexual health and HIV and AIDS.
‘Young people, especially among key populations (KPs), in the Caribbean are disproportionately at risk of HIV infection’, stated Dr. Collins, ‘they face greater barriers to accessing prevention services. HIV prevalence remains high among key populations such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, and young people.
At the same time challenges regarding stigma and discrimination, violations of human rights and gender-based violence continue to hinder access to services for young people in general. Hence, there is a need to work more systematically with young people belonging to KPs who experience greater challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health services’.
Youth leaders from each of the KPs were represented at the meeting.
The meeting, which was funded by the Global Fund and PAHO, forms part of a wider intervention programme created by PANCAP for Youth Advocacy. The programme also includes youth advocacy training, facilitating youth leaders’ participation in high-level meetings to influence policy decisions affecting youth and the development of a regional youth advocacy network.
The Meeting of Youth Leaders, the first of these initiatives to be implemented, will be held annually for the next three years.
Contact
Timothy Austin
Communications Specialist
PANCAP Coordinating Unit | Knowledge for Health (K4Health)
CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen
Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Extension 3409
Email: taustin.consultant@caricom.org
Fax: (592) 222-0203
WHAT IS PANCAP?
PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organisations, regional institutions and organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and contributing donor partners established on 14 February 2001. PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, and coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilise resources and build the capacity of partners.
What are the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 targets and commitments?
If targets and commitments in the strategy are achieved:
- The number of people who newly acquire HIV will decrease from 1.7 million in 2019 to less than 370 000 by 2025
- The number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses will decrease from 690 000 in 2019 to less than 250 000 in 2025.
- The goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children will see the number of new HIV infections drop from 150,000 in 2019 to less than 22,000 in 2025.
What are the 95-95-95 Targets for ending AIDS?
- 95% of People Living with HIV know their HIV status;
- 95% of people who know their status on treatment; and
- 95% of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.
HELPFUL LINKS:
Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/global-aids-strategy-2021-2026-end-inequalities-end-aids/
Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS (CRSF) 2019-2025
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/caribbean-regional-strategic-framework-2019-2025/