In September 2003, a group of 38 young people between the ages of 15 and 26 from 27 countries around the world founded Global Youth Partners. This initiative, which is youth-driven and youth-managed with support from UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), aims to rally partners and stakeholders to increase investment and strengthen commitment for preventing HIV infections among young people.

Young People And HIV/AIDS

Young people are hit hard by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Over half of all new infections worldwide are among young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Every day, 6,000 young people become infected with HIV - more than five every minute.
Young people often lack access to essential information on HIV/AIDS and the means to protect themselves from the virus.
HIV is preventable and prevention works. The returns on preventing infections among young people are enormous.
Young people's enthusiasm, creativity and adaptability make them an essential partner with a vital role to play in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Real changes come about when young people are able to identify the issues of primary concern to them and are empowered to develop, implement and manage youth-owned strategies, activities, networks, organizations and campaigns.
Young people should be protagonists in the fight against AIDS, not mere spectators.

Aims

A youth-led advocacy campaign for access to HIV/AIDS information, education and services, especially among under-served youth. Global Youth Partners strives to ensure that policies, programmes, financial and personal investments for young people are a priority in responses to HIV/AIDS nationally, regionally and globally.

Advocacy efforts focus on working with decision makers to ensure that policies, programmes and large-scale investments in young people are a priority in the national response to HIV/AIDS.
While global in scope, the campaign is defined by local action in each of our 27 countries. Our efforts seek to mobilize local and national governments, NGOs, funders, the media, faith-based organizations and the private sector.
Through capacity building and partnerships, our campaign harnesses the forces of change and gives voice to the aspirations, dreams and needs of young people.

GYP

The Initiative, which is youth driven with support from UNFPA, aims to rally partners and stakeholders to increase investment and strengthen commitments for preventing HIV infections among Young people, especially among under served youth.

In Egypt

The initiative started in December 2003 followed by initiation meeting at UNFPA Cairo office by May 2004, then followed that a serious of trainings aiming at its capacity building to enable them carries their task in effective way, these trainings included for example advocacy, peer education, counseling

The team has selected its coach, Dr.Sany Kozman; the head of HIV/AIDS branch in caritas NGO,the NGO that has past experience in HIV through establishment of 28 Anti AIDS Clubs, outreach program for vulnerable groups and managing a VCT and Hotline in Alexandria

The team is working under the official coverage of Egyptian Family Planning Association, the first voluntary based association in the region to work on reproductive health also it is a member in the International Planned Parenthood Federation that has five goals including AIDS, Youth, and Access. The Ministry of Health and Population supervises the association, as regards to the management procedures. The Egyptian Family Planning Association works on overcoming the sexually transmitted diseases and especially the Acquired Immne Deficiency (AIDS) through raising awareness against this disease

Our plan focuses on advocating for the establishment of (Anti AIDS Clubs), i.e. schoolbased associations that will provide information and services on HIV prevention to students. This model has been first applied in Egypt through caritas then we succeeded to start our pilot phase in year 2006 infive secndary schools and we are advocating for the expansion in the other governorates

The idea of the Anti AIDS Clubs is to disseminate information in these schools. Some of the students shall be trained to be responsible for the Anti AIDS Clubs coordination and eventually more students shal gain the awareness about the disease and hence be actively involved in the dissemination of information as well as combating the disease

The project hence does not only aim at the dissemination of information, but also the enhancement of youth participation in the civil society through programming and implementation strategies

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