My Special youth Fellowship program by Anthony Adero

Mid program report

for activities ,experiences,Mentorship and outputs

S p e c i a l Y o u t h P r o g r amme ( S Y P ) 2011 By Anthony Adero Olweny , Youth Fellow , December 2011 Geneva Switzerland

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A Short bio about my work

I am an HIV activist, i have been lobbying for access to SRH information and STI and HIV services for young MSM in Kenya. I have interned at East African sexual rights initiative (UHAI‐EASHRI) and worked with a community based organization called ISHTAR MSM focusing on peer education and counselling until 2010. I have in the past worked in programs that address issues related to HIV, particularly youth concerns, comptencies of the communities and greater involvement of people living with HIV in positive Health, Dignity and Prevention that links HIV treatment, prevention, support and care within a human rights framework. I have been working with the Civil Society Partnerships team for three months and will be joining the UNAIDS country office in Kenya as from January 2012. 2 © Special youth fellowship program 2011

Special Youth Programme ( S Y P ) 2011 objectives

My fellowship experience in UNAIDS Geneva started in enthusiastic mode and i have achieved the following objectives : • 

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I have had opportunities at appropriate levels of the UNAIDS to engage youth in policy development and programming; My capacity as young person has been strengthen in macro global experience and my leadership skills to contribute to the AIDS response, especially focused at the country level in Kenya for building young voices , skills and prevention revolution. I have contributed and sensitize both the young people and UNAIDS staff on various modalities of working together to address issues related to HIV, particularly youth concerns, gender, GIPA and human rights.

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My Experience Mid August and September. My UNAIDS experience started in Mid August 2011 , I have had a lot first had interaction with the various team leaders and staff as part of my first face to face introduction to the program i got to learn from the work the teams do and the UBRAF matrix . 

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The initial days of the fellowship began with new staff induction modules and UN staff field security courses. I had a previlage of also doing the Advance field security compitency module. I had valuable experience of working towards understanding the co sponsorship engagement and how secretariat works interms of structure. As a part of skills building and creating effective team work and teams , we were faciliated in a Team Building course by PLB Consulting, UK. We also continued in a workshop for building the facilitating skills and facilitating adult learning the workshops were conducted by PLB consulting. I had put my inputs and actively contributed to the Crowd Out AIDS team for the development of the New Generation Leadership (NGL) strategy in mapping , tweeting ,blogging and selling the idea to the young people particulary in the special youth groups in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and in Malawi , I Provided the NGL team with mapping of youth organizations (youth led NGOs, youth clubs, student unions, scouts, organization working with youth) in Kenya that constituted the offline component of the NGL discussions. With the help of UNAIDS communications and SYP leadership i worked towards online networking of past fellows and launched of the facebook forum of SYP alumni. I had a comptency training on the ICDL training which is am yet to get certified . I got certified in making effective presentations through a three days workshop by PLB Consulting.

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I undertook a research and wrote a technical desk review on young people and HIV in Kenya, i was examining the situation and response and identifying opportunities for strengthened youth leadership at different levels drawing from a range of literature sources and my personal experiences and other young people .

October and November I started working with the Civil Society Partnerships team on early october. I was introduced to a brief work of the team and directly bonded with the team was able to learn about the UBRAF matrix for the team . The month of November began with a courtesy meeting with Dr. Paul de Lay (DXD – Programmes). I Participated in the high level HIV prevention conference, (Health Right Now) 20‐24 November in Berlin, Germany. Participated as a member of the International delegation of the Youth which were invited and sponsored by Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany. Contributed in the discussion forum : Towards Zero Stigmatisation and Discrimination of Vulnerable Groups ‐HIV prevention measures can only be effective, if a social climate is established in which people living with HIV and AIDS are accepted, shown solidarity and protected from discrimination. Best Practices from Germany and the international context was used in this forum to discuss success factors and conducive conditions to reduce stigmatisation and discrimination. ( Travel report is attached ) As UNAIDS youth delegation we undertook a field visit organized by BMZ to understand and experience Germany’s response to HIV. The visit included meeting with the department Chief of the AIDS division of MoH, Germany . Visiting the project sites of Dutch AIDS Life, Rehabilitation center, community (MSM) led programs (Café for MSM) , community (PLHIV) led empowerment initiatives (Restaurant owned & managed by PLHIV) . ( Travel report is attached ) • Participated in ICASA 4 – 8 December, 2011 .2011. • Contributed and volunteered in hosting Community Dialogue Space along with UNAIDS secretariat team in ICASA (4‐8 December). 5 © Special youth fellowship program 2011

My areas of work with the Civil Society Partnerships team 1. Exploring good practises on MSM partnerships, make recommendation with MSM GF on advocacy in MSM programing on African context. 2. Exploring and potentially develop strategic partnership with the Global Scouts Bureau to advance joint UNAIDS and MSM Global Forum missions. 3. Review of Draft operational guidelines of PHDP to strengthen the relevance to youth programing 4. Conceptialization of Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance ‐Theological consultation on Human Rights

Outcomes and deliverables  The Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) The Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) was formed in 2006 by a worldwide coalition of gay men, including gay men living with HIV, to confront this situation and bring about change. The MSMGF is a coalition of advocates working to ensure an effective response to HIV among MSM. Our coalition includes a wide range of people, including HIV‐positive and HIV negative gay men directly affected by the HIV epidemic, and other experts in health, human rights, research, and policy work. MSMGF shares willingness to step forward and act to address the lack of HIV responses targeted to MSM, end AIDS, and promote health and rights for all. And also share a particular concern for the health and rights of gay men/MSM who: are living with HIV; are young; are from low and middle income countries; are poor; are migrant; belong to racial/ethnic minority or indigenous communities; engage in sex work; use drugs; and/or identify as transgender. The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) is an expanding network of AIDS organizations, MSM networks, and advocates committed to ensuring robust coverage of and equitable access to effective HIV prevention, care, treatment, and support services tailored to the needs of gay men and other MSM. Guided by a Steering Committee of 20 members from 18 countries situated 6 © Special youth fellowship program 2011

mainly in the Global South, and with administrative and fiscal support from AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), the MSMGF works to promote MSM health and human rights worldwide through advocacy , information exchange, knowledge production, networking, and capacity building

Outcome of the engagement with MSMGF and contacts established A long term ongoing UNAIDS partnership support on already existing partnership with MSM Global Forum . And working on adaptability of speak out advocacy already a on going programs on HIV for MSM to developed with MSMGF for sub‐Saharan context in both the francophone and English speaking African countries, As part of long term suggested activities for the implementation of the MOU between the MSM Global Forum and UNAIDS, And on going discussions on other areas of strengthen partnerships in regard to getting to Zero stratergy. A continued focus to addressing a range of factors that undermine health and dignity, including; stigma and discrimination based on HIV‐positive status, behaviours such as injecting drug use, sex work and/or sex between men, and identities such as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex.

 Strategic partnership with the Global Scouts Bureau (The World Organization of the Scout Movement ) UNAIDS has been cooperating with The World Organization of the Scout Movement by participating in events such as workshops in the World Jamborees and moots that scout movement holds and its geared to continue doing this. UNAIDS is impressed with the energy, spirit and eagerness of the scouts and noticed the commitment of the movement to contribute to the international HIV response and my able to provide technical support to The world organization of scout movement on areas of HIV response that is needed to be prioritised on demand by The World Organization of the Scout Movement . 7 © Special youth fellowship program 2011

 Review of Draft operational guidelines of PHDP to strengthen the relevance to youth programing Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention understanding (PHDP) Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention links HIV treatment, prevention, support and care within a human rights framework. It highlights the importance of placing the person living with HIV at the centre of addressing their health and wellbeing within the socio‐cultural and legal context in which they live. The positive health, dignity and prevention address the shortcomings to many current ‘positive prevention’ approaches and it underpins the best practice in values and principles of People living with HIV must be leaders in the design, programming, implementation, research, monitoring and evaluation of all programmes and policies affecting us. A human rights approach is the foundation of Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention. Preventing HIV transmission is a shared responsibility of all individuals irrespective of HIV status. Sexual and reproductive health and rights must be recognised and exercised by everyone regardless of HIV status.

What is dignity, Why dignity and not rights? Dignity – is an innate right to respect, ethical treatment and. I noted that the term ‘rights’ “carries tremendous political baggage” and that ‘dignity’ – which encompasses the human rights‐based aspects of the framework – is more preferable. 8 © Special youth fellowship program 2011

When prevention, health and dignity put together you can’t abuse those terms.” From 7 of 10 of my young peers Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention require a human rights approach based on legal protections and a policy environment free of stigma and discrimination for PLHIV. We agreed that programmes must promote holistic health and wellness, including access to HIV treatment, care and support services, and by doing so contributes to the health and wellbeing of their partners, families and communities

Shared responsibility of HIV for young people Shared responsibility‐for HIV prevention is about recognising the role that broader social determinants of health and dignity play in human and sexual behaviour. Firstly, it reinforces the concept that everyone is responsible for his or her health and should take steps to protect it. Every young person is responsible for his or her health and should take steps to protect it. Young people aware they are living with HIV know they have an ethical responsibility to avoid infecting another person, each individual shares the responsibility to avoid infection. all young people share in the responsibility to prevent new HIV infections. Out puts  Draft operational guidelines of PHDP reviewed and recomendations made to the GNP+ and the Team.  Stigma index analysed and contextialized with UNAIDS priorities of getting to Zero  GIPA concept for mainstreaming young people living with HIV experiences documented.

My Conceptialization of Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance ‐ experiences of faith as a motivation for advocacy on HIV and my identification of areas for further theological reflections 9 © Special youth fellowship program 2011

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Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance ‐Theological consultation bases on the knowledge that all churches are living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. People who live with HIV and die with AIDS are our friends and family, our teachers and neighbours, our pastors and priests. "Live the Promise" The campaigns holds individuals, religious leaders, faith organizations, governments and intergovernmental organizations accountable for the commitments they have made and advocates for further efforts and resources to respond to HIV and AIDS. They need to have shared responsibility and they must take up their pastoral and prophetic role to overcome stigma and discrimination, to care for body and spirit, and to advocate for universal treatment and effective forms of prevention. The EAA’s “Live the Promise” Campaign Framework (2009‐2012) focuses on four goals. The first is to address the root causes of vulnerability to HIV and connecting it to a current global civil society focus on human rights and HIV. The other areas of focus of the campaign are to achieve Universal Access to prevention, treatment, care and support and to eliminate stigma and discrimination. The fourth goal is to ensure accountability and resources in order to strengthen and sustain the response for the long‐term.

My Actions to be considered for EAA as a young Ecumenical  

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There is need to build HIV Competent Churches that involve People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWH); Decentralise the EAA ; re‐energise access to treatment through grassroots mobilisation; community engagement.tackle issues of faith in prayers for bring back health vs HIV treatment realities . Boost internal and external advocacy and encourage HIV issues in churches, religious spaces ; and maximise external media for communication and lobbying.Continued support in addressing issues of denial ,stigma and discrimination . Challenging policies and practices – build the energy of Christians seeking justice undergirds the EAA’s lobbying of leaders and multilateral institutions to challenge policies and practices in agriculture , legislation and trade that violate the right to health ,through restricting the acess to quality goods ,services and information and infringe human dignity in respect of desicion –making and bodily intergrit 10

My engagement with UNPLUS ,UNCARES AND UNGLOBE

I directly started working with UN plus technical officer to address impact of HIV on the UN workplace and addressing issues of staffs liviing with HIV.I was giving young persons voice in the programs. through partnership with UNCARES and UNGLOBE . we had organised workplace sessions,forums and online discussions . we were able to work and raise awareness towards ambitious goals of  creating a more enabling environment for all HIV‐positive and LGBT staff members, irrespective of the level of disclosure of their HIV status and sexual orientation  Creating a organized and effective voice for people living with HIV and LGBT within the United Nations system that challenges stigma and discrimination  we were contributing to the development of and/or improvement of existing policies on HIV among United Nations agencies

I was also volunteering and working online towards completion of the online discussion with the SYP fellows and mobilising the young UN staff aged below 24 years on social media on facebook and twitter on stigma fuels HIV campaigns and awareness about the UN HIV hotlines if they would like to speak confidentially to a UN HIV counsellor outside their duty stations. And recently we had open cafe dicussions with UNGLOBE members when UN published its first ever report on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Entitled "Study documenting discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender 11 © Special youth fellowship program 2011

identity" (A/HRC/19/41), this paper was produced by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the request of in response to a request made by the Human Rights Council. Recommendations will b discussed in March 2012. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/19session/A.HRC.19.41_English.pdf The most notible experience was the role that the USSA and UN cares gave me as a young speaker and as an organising team in the UNAIDS World Aids day event.

Tag links :http://www.facebook.com/UNCares ,www.facebook.com/unglobe , www.unplus.org , http://bestigmafree.org/