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OFFRE DE VOLONTARIAT AU TOGO EN MISSION HUMANITAIRE AVEC L'ASSOCIATION CFED EN ETE 2009 - Posted By: ASSOCIATION CFED
Salut,
Nous sommes une Association Humanitaire de développement: Solidarité sans frontière, dénommée Centre de Formation des Enfants Démunis (C.F.E.D), de type loi 1901, apolitique et à but non lucratif, créée le 04 octobre 2002 et dont le Récépissé a été délivré le 20 septembre 2004 sur le numéro 2056/MISD-SG-DAPSC-DSC. Le Centre de Formation des Enfants Démunis (C.F.E.D) est un Centre d'accueil pour les enfants de la rue, enfants démunis et enfants handicapés: Hébergement, Scolarisation, Encadrement, Formation professionnelle, Soins sanitaires et Soutien alimentaire, Appui aux malades du Sida sont nos domaines d'Actions.
L'association vient en aide aux enfants ou jeunes déshérités du TOGO en leur offrant gratuitement l'apprentissage d'un métier.
CFED organise aussi des chantiers internationaux au Togo autour d’un projet d’intérêt général rentrant dans le cadre du développement communautaire à la base dans les domaines de l’éducation, de la santé et de l'environnement. L’objectif est d’aider d’une part les zones les plus défavorisées à progresser sur le plan social, de promouvoir la formation professionnelle des jeunes déscolarisés pour leur réinsertion socioprofessionnelle et d’autre part de permettre la rencontre des jeunes de différentes cultures dans une dynamique de découverte volontaire des autres.
C’est ce que l’association vous convie à vivre en vous proposant de venir visiter son Centre, ses différents ateliers, de leur venir en aide en collaborant avec elle et surtout de participer à l’un de ses chantiers internationaux au Togo, l’Afrique en miniature, l’été prochain. Des volontaires et des animateurs locaux vous accompagneront tout l’été et vous feront découvrir les richesses culturelles du pays.
Le Personnel du CFED et tous les enfants démunis du centre vous remercient du choix de leur projet et comptent sur votre soutien tous azimuts.
Ainsi tu peux participer à l’un de nos projets en t’inscrivant à l’un des camps chantiers internationaux au TOGO.
Merci de ton aimable attention.
Unissons nos forces pour réduire les souffrances des autres.
MESSAN-ABBEY K. H. FREDERIC
Président Fondateur du C.F.E.D
BP : 60587 LOME - TOGO
TEL : (00228) 2212805 // 932 11 59
E-mail : cfedmg@yahoo.fr / cfed.mg@caramail.com
Site Internet : www.cfed.itgo.com
N.B : Pour toutes informations contactez notre site web : www.cfed.itgo.com ou écrivez nous à l'adresse suivante : cfedmg@yahoo.fr
Access to life : The Global Fund and Magnum Photo joint presentation - Posted By: Muntasir
Its was a great experience to retaining a photography exhibition titled “Access to Life” by Magnum Photos at global village of XVII International AIDS conference of Mexico City. Its impossible to make anyone understood what Magnum is or what they are doing! May be my words are harsh for my friends but I am skeptical if I have to write an introductory for Magnum Photos for others, I am sure that will be too much and I will miss the weight the simple few alphabets that Magnum can hold! Yes, they are the most prestigious photo agency in the world and in other way I must say group of extraordinary “Image Makers” of all time.
This Exhibition was directly hoarded by “The Global Fund”. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is supporting lifesaving treatment with antiretroviral drugs for more than 1.4 million people worldwide. The Global Fund is a unique global public-private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector, and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing.(from official website)
Eight photographers has been working with peoples living with HIV and AIDS in different nine countries of the world for few months and came out with magnificent stories of their life. Some time it was hard to believe and some time it was hard to cope. From India to Peru every where is the same, life is meeting the decay or staying alive positively.
From the images there was a clear visual in front us, we have to think again about what we are going to do next. What we really want for the whole condition of HIV and AIDS which is an epidemic for many courtiers. Should we keep growing up the numbers of infections? Or we should keep the promise? If this is not the right time, then when?
Images are eloquent, having a strong message to protect us, ourselves and those who are living positively and reminds us to access in our life. Again. It’s a sanity.
For more information about the exhibition and photographer please visit
http://accesstolife.theglobalfund.org/exhibition
La pregunta. Bueno, una de las preguntas que nosotros, agentes de cambio, nos hacemos en estos difíciles momentos...
Vivimos una experiencia producto de un riesgo y una apuesta que decidimos hacer. ¿Qué hacer con ese recurso?
Nuestro trabajo como agentes es un artefacto que podemos utilizar de forma ingeniosa, para acercarnos a otros y hablarles, o a los medios como ya lo han hecho algunos.
Lo más importante que podemos tener son los contactos y lo que hallamos pactado con ellos. Recuerdo que una de las preguntas que hicieron en los primeros días es Por qué los jóvenes no participan en la Conferencia. Personalmente, me di cuenta que las conferencias son multitudinarias, en su mayoría (inmensa) en inglés con opción a traductor, y que se dirigen a cientos de personas. No suele ocurrir el 'click', al menos a mí no me paso que una conferencia tomara mis sentidos y mi atención. Creo que faltó personalización. Tampoco podemos pedir que la cosa cambie solo por eso, pero a partir de esta realidad podemos hacer cambios en nuestra forma de trabajo, como alejarnos de juergas muy intelectuales y sin perder rigor llevar a otros las preguntas que nos sacudieron en la conferencia.
Solo seremos agentes de cambio rodeados de otros agentes de cambio.
Estrategias de Incidencia Política / YOUTH ADVOCACY!! - Posted By: Pablo!°
Hoy fué el segundo día de la Pre-Conferencia de la Fuerza Joven de México y entre varias ponencias muy interesantes, encontré una que me ha sido de gran utilidad y estoy seguro que a ustedes también...
El título de la ponenecia fué:CREANDO UNA ESTRATEGIA DE INCIDENCIA POLÍTICA. las expositoras fueron Courtney Matson y Kimberly Whipkey de la ONG: Americans for Informed Democracy.
Ellas hablaron sobre como llevar nustros proyectos y nuestras ideas hasta la meta proponiendo el siguiente método:
- Identifica el tema, problema o proyecto que quieres que se lleve a cabo.
- Define las metas sobre tu tema
- Objetivo, ¿cuál es el personaje o tomador de decisión al que quieres llegar?
- Apoyo o Ayuda, ¿quiénes serán las personas que te ayuden a llevar a cabo este proyecto?
- Aliados, las personas u organizaciones que se aliarán a tu idea y te darán soporte
- Oposición. Las personas u organizaciones que no apoyen tu idea o proyecto.
- Mensajes Clave de tu campaña
- Tacticas...
Estos fueron solo algunos de los métodos que propusieron para una verdadera incidencia política de los jóvenes activistas... :)
Good afternoon everyone. Buenas tardes a todas y todos!
I am honoured to have the opportunity to report to all of you today on the exciting and intense week that we have shared together in this beautiful city of Mexico.
As you have just heard, I am the Chief Youth Rapporteur at the 2008 International AIDS Conference.
Therefore I will do my best to report to you what this conference has meant for young people. I will also talk about what I perceive as the major highlights of the conference.
From my perspective as a young person, I think there are five words that express most clearly what was most significant about this conference: visibility, prevention, partnership, leadership, and human rights.
First, I will talk about visibility.
At the 2006 Toronto AIDS Conference, young people came together as the Toronto Youth Force.
We announced to the world that we were disproportionately affected by the epidemic.
We announced to the world that we were major stakeholders in the response to the epidemic.
We announced to the world that we were ready to play our part.
From Barcelona to Bangkok to Toronto to Mexico, the Youth Force has become bigger and stronger.
There were more young people at this conference than ever before.
There were more young people as speakers and presenters in plenaries, panels and sessions than ever before.
Young people were involved in the organization of the conference and made important contributions to the discussions that took place in and out of session rooms.
Young people were recognised for their scientific contributions with the Young Investigators Award.
In terms of visibility, this conference was a landmark for the community of people living with HIV, men-having-sex-with-men, injection drug users and sex workers.
People living with HIV were at the centre of this conference.
For the first time, there was a plenary session on men-having-sex-with-men and an international march against homophobia.
All of us saw, hopefully not for the last time, Methodone Man and Buenorphine Girl in their attractive costumes drawing attention to issues of harm reduction.
We saw sex workers speaking out for their rights and protesting against the UNAIDS Draft Guidance Note on Commercial Sex Work and PEPFAR Anti-Prostitution Pledge.
Yet, much remains to be seen in terms of visibility.
We heard calls about the lack of data on youth issues.
We heard calls about the lack of data and attention to the effect of the epidemic on lesbians.
We heard similar calls from trans-gendered people and other sexual minorities.
And there are many calls we did not hear and people we did not see.
Next, I want to talk about prevention.
A week before the conference, the UNAIDS Epidemic Report showed that for every two people who have access to HIV treatment, five people get newly infected.
With more than 45% of all new infections amongst young people between 15-24, about 3000 young people get infected daily – that is 2 every minute.
This conference saw a renewed interest and commitment to working on prevention.
This conference recognised the importance of positive prevention for people living with HIV.
The pendulum is swinging back from treatment to prevention.
This conference also saw a more comprehensive approach to prevention.
Earlier, we were asked why information didn’t automatically lead to behaviour change.
Earlier, we heard questions such as, “Why do young people engage in risky behaviour despite knowing the risks?”
Today, we have begun to see how poverty, inequality, stigma, discrimination, criminalization, unemployment, violence, disability, fundamentalisms, humanitarian crises and other social factors are barriers to effective prevention.
Today, we have begun seeing evidence that shows how prevention programs that address social determinants are more effective and more sustainable.
Today, we have begun to see the role that new technology and communication can play in the impact of prevention programs.
While looking at the virus, we cannot ignore the terrain.
Prevention programs must be based on evidence and address the realities of young people.
My third observation is about partnerships.
The Mexico Youth Force was built by young people of 75 youth organizations coming togther for a common purpose.
It brought together young people from different organizations, countries, cultures, HIV-statuses, religious beliefs, genders, sexual orientations and backgrounds.
Under the Youth Partnerships Initiative of the World AIDS Campaign, young leaders from the youth preconference interacted and built partnerships with other young leaders from the ecumenical pre-conference, the labour preconference, the sex-workers’ preconference and the MSM pre-conference.
There was the recognition that young people are not a single homogenous group. We are part of every group and represent every constituency.
Positive young leaders across the spectrum met and formed partnerships.
Young people began and strengthened partnerships with civil society, governments and international institutions.
If AIDS has taught us anything, it is that we need to unite and build partnerships.
Constituencies of stakeholders working in the response to HIV and AIDS need to find common ground and work together.
The partnerships we have built and continue to build are valuable resources that will bring us closer to universal access.
Yet, more needs to be done to bridge gaps that exist.
Researchers and human-rights activists need to work closer together. International institutions and grassroots communities need to sit at the same table.
Constituencies that have never worked together before will need to find a common language. They will need to build trust and skills in order to communicate better.
We all need to build partnerships to ensure that enough resources are mobilised to fund the response to HIV and AIDS. We need to build partnerships to ensure that those resources we have already mobilised are spent effectively.
This includes funding for young people’s sexual and reproductive rights and youth-led initiatives to provide a platform for meaningful participation.
Such partnerships must be equal and respectful. Young people should not be involved in a peripheral or tokenistic way, but as decision-makers in their own right, in the design, implementation and evaluation of programmes and policies that affect us.
My fourth observation is about leadership.
At the youth pre-conference, Dr. Pedro Cahn took the lead by being a dependable ally of the Mexico Youth Force.
The Mexican Minister of Health, Mr. Cordoba Villarobos took the lead by making a commitment to young people at the Youth Pavilion.
Heads of UN agencies including Peter Piot from UNAIDS and Thoraya Obaid and Purnima Mane from UNFPA took the lead by engaging in several conversations with young people.
Leaders of business such as Bill Roedy of MTV took the lead by promising to establish a Youth Advisory Board to review and advise on all MTV programming for young people.
The International AIDS Society took the lead to put together an ambitious and challenging agenda. The executive director of the Society, Craig McClure took the lead by announcing he is committed to supporting the leadership of young people in the response to AIDS.
And it goes without saying that young people have taken the lead again and again to speak out about the issues that concern them and to advocate for their rights.
While this is heartening, there are still those who are silent on young people’s issues.
There are still those who don’t meaningfully engage with young people.
There are still those who deny young people the right to decide on all programs and policies that affect their lives.
There are still those who do not take the lead and do not take responsibility.
Young people urge each person in civil society, government and international institutions to take the lead on youth issues.
Young people urge the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to take the lead on youth issues.
Finally, I want to talk about Human Rights.
What will probably be remembered as the major achievement of this conference is the renewed emphasis on the centrality of human rights.
This conference recognised that now more than ever, human rights must occupy the centre of our response to HIV and AIDS.
Yesterday afternoon, I saw all the diverse individuals, organizations and institutions that have been affected by the epidemic rally around human rights.
A key demand of young people working on HIV and AIDS has been the promotion and protection of their human right to comprehensive and accurate information and education about HIV and AIDS.
This week, the meeting of Ministers of Health and Education of Latin American and Caribbean countries committed in declaration to providing young people comprehensive sexuality education.
This is a good beginning. But it does not end here.
The challenge will be to ensure that these ministers remain accountable to their promises.
The challenge will be to ensure that decision makers remain accountable to the declarations they have signed.
The challenge will be to ensure that that we keep each other accountable for the failure to meet progress to Universal Access by 2010.
The challenge will be to advocate for governments of all countries to commit to the protection and promotion of the broad range of human rights including sexual and reproductive rights.
The challenge will be to ensure that these human rights become accessible to all people regardless of their gender, age, sexual orientation, profession, drug use, HIV+ or other status.
This conference was an opportunity to review the progress we have made, to look at lessons learnt and to plan our efforts for the future.
We have our work set out for us. We have our commitments before us.
The next Conference in Vienna will be a similar opportunity for all of us engaged in the response to AIDS to come together and to hold each other accountable.
It has been a privilege to report on the happenings of the pre-conference and the main conference for the past week and a half.
I was fortunate to have the help and support of several people who I’d like to thank. Mara, Prateek, Karolien, Claudia, Dalila, Rayonne… and of course, the organizers and volunteers of the Mexico Youth Force.
Caras de la Conferencia: Message by Mary Robinson former UN High Comissioner on Human Rights - Posted By: Alexandra McAnarney
Ok, so I spoke to Ms. Robinson while both of us ran to her press conference after she chaired the session on The Aftermath of War: Women, Children and the Displaced. She addressed the issue of Youth advocacy for HIV and AIDS. Unfortunately, my camera didn't record ANYTHING except her rolly-bag. I am an epic fail as a journalist. I'll try to recover from memory
"Youth activism has to be data-based activism. Young people need to know the real facts before they get involved to properly analize the situation."
"This conference has been better than Bangkok, better than Toronto and it will keep getting better the more youth paritcipation there is."
Seriously....I can't believe that the camera didn't film.
Women taking the lead in the face of HIV and AIDS - Posted By: Alexandra McAnarney
Although women have made great strides in addressing the issue of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in a manner that suits their feminine needs, female participation is still lacking, said Elizabeth Tyler Crone of UNIFEM.
76 percent of HIV positive women have children and must tend to responsibilities of the home. Also, men tend to be paid for their activism and volunteering while women aren't.
One of the success stories is Mujeres Positivas Frente a la Vida of Mexico. Poor women in Mexico City were among the most succeptible to the HIV and AIDS crisis. Many women had to resort to selling their blood in unsafe,clandestine blood banks which exacerbated the transmission of the virus, according to Hilda Perez Vazquez.
But their collective anger at their isolation created a source for positive change.
But the keynote speech was Sophie Dilmitis call to young girls, both positive and negative to get involved in a manner that is inclusive to all genders.
While young girls might have spaces they can discuss issues that are important to them, those spaces are not always readily handed over to them. Feminism has almost entrenched women in this stagnant place where they bicker over meta terms rather than strive for action. Dilmitis' speech is an example of a sound rallying call that should be heard and put into play.
Planning ahead: Q & A with Morillio Williams about setting up a youth hub in Suriname - Posted By: Georgina Yidanpoa Caswell
Georgina Caswell, Youth Journalist with the Mexico Youth Force, interviewed Morillio Williams, Director MDG No. 6 for UN MDG Youth Ambassador Corps, about the development of a youth hub in Suriname.
G: Hi Morillio
M: Hello!
G: What is a youth hub?
M: Well, a youth hub is actually like having a small international AIDS conference with young people away from the conference. We plan to share and discuss knowledge from the conference with young people in Suriname. We will use sessions through web casting and involve young people in discussions about the issues. We’re using the living room at the Family Planning Association of Suriname called St. Lobi. We’re turning their lobby into an interactive space.
G: Who are these young people?
M: They are all organised youth working in the area of HIV and AIDS. We really want discussions to be engaging and to contribute to their work in the area.
G: That sounds exciting - how are you promoting the youth hub?
M: We have promoted it through mass media. There was a big media launch last Monday and we’ve been using television and newspapers. It’s now a big thing in Suriname, everyone knows about it. I’ve been going to sessions to pick up information that is relevant to our national programme.
G: So you’ve been busy!
M: Yeah! I’ve been preparing presentations. I’ve been busy. The people back home have also been really busy – we’ve been emailing everyday to organise the hub. It’s a group of 10 people working on this project.
G: So this is an intervention as opposed to a one-off information event?
M: It is! We want it to be useful and I’m putting into action some of the skills and information from the sessions at the youth pre-conference.
G: Do you have a lot of support for the youth hub in Suriname?
M: We are happy to have the support of the National AIDS Programme of Suriname. A lot of big companies in Suriname support us. A big telecommunication company called Telesur are setting up a stage for us in downtown Suriname to profile the opening of the youth hub. The biggest bank in Suriname DSB are sponsoring logistical things such as pens and maps. The Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs are supportive with resources (refreshments, technical assistance). We also have support from individuals who are giving us things like a couch to use for a few days. There is also a lawyer’s office supporting us with some funding and technical assistance with financial coordination.
G: How can we learn about the outcome of your initiative?
M: There will be a report sent to all focal points at the National AIDS Programme in Suriname, UNAIDS, and the Global Youth Association. We would like to take it global! On Friday, we are doing some outreach downtown in Suriname – there’ll be drama, music, information – to raise the profile of HIV in Suriname. There’ll be incentives like t-shirts and folders.
G: Are you happy to share your email with other young people who may be interested in setting up a youth hub one day?
M: Yeah, we really want to make a difference and share our knowledge and experience with other young people so that at the next conference when young people don’t have the funds to go to the conference, they have a means of being internationally involved within their own countries. My email address is wmorillio@hotmail.com
Crossing boundaries, making commitments - Posted By: Emily Freeburg
To spread a social movement, like scaling up the world AIDS response, religious leaders need to talk to religious leaders, business to business, youth to youth, and media to media. Studies show that messages spread most effectively when they come from their peers.
In an initiative to bridge the gaps between groups that don’t usually connect, the World AIDS Campaign is convening 12 “leadership encounters” – small facilitated meetings away from the microphones and crowds of the main conference. By having these meetings, the campaign hopes the different sectors will find common ground and uncommon activities.
For instance, in the dialogue between leaders of the youth and media, MTV committed to convene a youth advisory panel. Other dialogues occurred between leaders of faith communities and men who have sex with men, and between commercial sex workers and the business community.
The World AIDS Campaign will compile a report of the commitments, and follow them up and report on them in Vienna at the AIDS conference in 2010.
But this isn’t the only group collecting commitments in Mexico. At the Youth Pavilion in the Global Village young people staff a “youth commitments desk”, asking for leaders to promise to scale up youth participation in their programs.
In 2006, the youth commitments desk at the Toronto AIDS conference collected 371 commitments. But making commitment doesn’t guarantee action. A team of youth followed up the 371 commitments and found a completion rate of 25%.
lets face it, drug users and sex workers are scary - Posted By: Emily Freeburg
What is standing out for me at the conference is the need to focus on investment and programs for and research of the most at-risk groups---, men who have sex with men, drug users, sex workers and prisoners.
Let’s be frank, this is no “save the children” kind of cause – generally people are afraid of these groups and don’t know much about them. I’ve had a lot of global experiences in my life, but I have never spoken directly with a sex worker or prisoner (to my knowledge). With so many sex workers here, I can surely change this soon.
Simple prejudices and impressions aside – the numbers tell a shocking story. Of global AIDS expenditures, only 1.2 percent is spent on specific responses to men who have sex with men. This totals $3 million out of the estimated $30 million needed according to UNAIDS.
“Less than 10% of high risk populations are receiving appropriate prevention.” Alex Coutinho, Executive Director, Infectious Disease Institute Uganda.
Outside of Africa – drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men make up the vast majority of those contracting HIV. It’s amazing after 25 years and billions of dollars we are not able to better address these populations. There is research and success stories that document what works in these populations, especially in Mexico and Brazil.
Youth are key to this struggle actually – we need a generation of young people that can fearlessly empower and protect the human rights of sex workers, prisoners and drug users.
Children and Youth Facing HIV/AIDS Session - Posted By: Jo Anne
Children and Youth Facing HIV/AIDS
August 4, 2008
International AIDS Conference 2008
Jo Anne Tacorda
The session opened with Stephanie Raper, of Australia, a young person born HIV+ and Peter Laugharn, of the Netherlands. During the session similarities between panelists emerged such as their findings related to the discrimination and stigma youth living with HIV face in their daily lives. Adriana Gomez, of Brazil, spoke about a magazine called “Living as a Young Person,” this magazine featured workshops conducted in March – August 2007 and was first published in 2004. During those workshops, youth shared their feelings, fears and hopes. Similarly, Christabell, from Kenya, representing a group called Stay Alive Group support (SAYG), spoke about the wide gap between non-infected and infected youth, young people’s reluctance to get tested, and the lack of commitment young people have to support infected persons. Panelists also touched upon the double standard between adult and children disclosure; adults are told about their status via well trained health care providers while children and youth are often told their status via parents or caregivers who are not properly trained to support them. Discussions also focused on a growing body of evidence that suggests that while orphan hood in Africa is an important factor, it is not the only factor. Research has shown that orphans do not necessarily suffer greater deprivation so, including factors such as orphan hood, we must consider poverty, regional factors, and gender disparities as more effective measures.
Panelists showed that without education youth can perceive HIV+ status as a ‘death sentence’ and untreatable, they feel shame and exclude themselves from society. Those not infected and uneducated about the subject often use derogatory language, play ‘the blame game,’ and excluded HIV+ persons from society; as Christabell noted “discrimination leads to stigma, whether knowingly or unknowingly”. However, with proper support and education youth who are living with HIV have a better outlook on life and can see the possibilities for a brighter future.
In the future Panelists would like to see more effective strategies to combat reluctance to get tested and hold youth accountable to know their status. Panelists recommended that health care workers and parents receive training to properly support young people, take them through the testing process and also to communicate status disclosure with youth appropriately since “trust in [your parents] is key, if you can’t trust your parents who can you trust?... Keeping an illness from a child, a child who has their own body and their own mind, is devastating and should not happen” as Stephanie Raper noted. Best practices include those exemplified by SAYG who provides psychological support, opportunities to form partnerships on health issues and information for peer education. SAYG uses effective approaches including community asset mapping, programs and interventions and community resources. Developing disclosure guidelines and best practices is also important. There is also a strong need for youth friendly services so that youth feel comfortable about being tested and are open to receiving support.
Se fue al Gabacho: Mexico-U.S. Migration and Vulnerability to HIV and AIDS - Posted By: Alexandra McAnarney
A study conducted by the University of California Office of the President showed that Mexican male migrants participate in HIV high-risk behaviors and without intervention, the epidemic could further spread among migrant population.
The factors contributing to the spread of HIV among the Mexican migrant community have been unemployment, housing, isolation, constant mobility, depression and limited access to healthcare.
Melissa Sanchez,epidemiologist with California HIV and AIDS research office at the University of California, annouced that condom use has decreased among the male migrant population in California.
Prior to migration, Mexican migrant's to California, 18.1 percent reported sexual contact with a sex worker.After migration, the number increased to 29.4 percent. Sexual contact while under the influence of drugs or alcohol was 24 percent before migration and and 41.6 percent after migration. While MSM was a 3.6 percent before and 6.9 percent after.
The study sampled 458 Mexican migrants from primarily male dominated work, bar and community venues in California. Most at risk were populations ranging from ages 18 to 20 and migrants who had been working in the U.S. for over 5 years. Women were surveyed but were not among the prevalent numbers sampled.
Currently, 28 million people of Mexican origin live in the U.S., 11 million of them immigrants.
Caras de la Conferencia: Representacion Salvadorena - Posted By: Alexandra McAnarney
Luis Alonso Argueta miembro de la Asociacion Contra el SIDA Cabanas El Salvador en Solidaridad con las Personas que Viven con VIH/SIDA (CoCoSi)
da su mensaje a los jovenes.
Crossing boundaries, making commitments - Posted By: Emily Freeburg
To spread a social movement, like scaling up the world AIDS response, religious leaders need to talk to religious leaders, business to business, youth to youth, and media to media. Studies show that messages spread most effectively when they come from their peers.
In an initiative to bridge the gaps between groups that don’t usually connect, the World AIDS Campaign is convening 12 “leadership encounters” – small facilitated meetings away from the microphones and crowds of the main conference. By having these meetings, the campaign hopes the different sectors will find common ground and uncommon activities.
For instance, in the dialogue between leaders of the youth and media, MTV committed to convene a youth advisory panel. Other dialogues occurred between leaders of faith communities and men who have sex with men, and between commercial sex workers and the business community.
The World AIDS Campaign will compile a report of the commitments, and follow them up and report on them in Vienna at the AIDS conference in 2010.
But WAC isn’t the only group collecting commitments in Mexico. At the Youth Pavilion in the Global Village young people staff a “youth commitments desk”, asking for leaders to promise to scale up youth participation in their programs.
In 2006, the youth commitments desk at the Toronto AIDS conference collected 371 commitments. But making commitment doesn’t guarantee action. A team of youth followed up the 371 commitments and found a completion rate of 25%.
Georgina Yidanpoa Caswell
Youth Journalist - Mexico Youth Force
Ban Ki-Moon (UN Secretary General), Felipe Calderon (Mexican President) Bill Clinton (former US President), Margaret Chan (WHO), Dr. Pedro Cahn (IAS President), Peter Piot (UNAIDS), Stephen Lewis (AIDS-Free World, former UN Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa), Thoraya Obaid (UNFPA)…this conference has involved several world leaders. All spoke about the importance of addressing HIV issues; all mentioned that this is a collective effort.
A session entitled ‘Reclaiming our Lives: Developing accountability for positive (PLHIV) leadership and our advocacy priorities’ focussed on meaningful positive leadership to address HIV. Presenters demonstrated that positive leadership can happen at different levels and in different ways. Some people bring HIV positive together to influence policy in countries where no structures to do so existed. Others are using innovative research methods, such as picture maps, to encourage people living with HIV to express their needs and aspirations, which are in turn used as advocacy tools to lobby policymakers. Some people living with HIV are on the board of trustees of organisations and/or speak at conferences to ensure that the specific needs of HIV positive people are recognised and acted upon. What was clear from the discussion about positive leadership is that it is not easy to be a leader who represents other peoples’ voices in the community. A participant in the audience stated ‘Really, [networks representing us] listen to our voices. If you don’t have a story to tell, if you don’t hear us, you don’t represent us’. Representation involves accountability to the people you are representing and to the issues they are raising.
Giovanny Romero Infante from the Movimiento Homosexual de Lima, a Peruvian gay activist living with HIV’ provided me with a definition of ‘positive leadership’ from a young person’s perspective. He powerfully stated,
‘Positive leadership is the capacity that HIV positive youth have to talk about their own experiences, to represent the needs of other youth, including LGBT, and to take action using evidence of what is really happening’.
First of all it’s just plain silly that it’s already day 6!
Secondly Sophie has been unnaturally worried about having needles poked in her head. Today we spent time in the traditional healing zone in the crazily vibrant global village – this fantastic area offered free acupuncture…so why not make the most of it? Probably the fact that you have to have needles poked into you actually…
Although Ruth is verrry excited about the good dreams she will be receiving tonight from having a needle in the ‘point of a thousand ghosts’. Otherwise know as the middle of your head. Along with this incredible benefit the healing of Sophie’s lower back has probably saved UNICEF considerable litigation costs from the amount of cameras and equipment we’ve been dutifully lugging around.
Pizza for breakfast managed to fuel a media mental day. We’ve been grabbing many an interesting interview for our sex education project and for you to sit back, relax and enjoy.
Today we saw one of the most interesting sessions so far with a panel of incredibly involved young people talking about youth participation and the HIV and AIDS response. We’ve seen so many experienced speakers this week in high profile positions that were no where near as engaging or eloquent as some of the panel today. Probing questions made for some very exciting and lively discourse.
We rounded off the day with another session on harm reduction which has become something that we feel should be central to U.K focus of our work. This was closely followed by an impressively horrible meal that’s we attempted to eat whilst being serenaded by a whining Mexican songstress. The fun we have. Thankfully Alice saved the night with some tasty, tasty churros and chocolate.
Marcelo Ebrard,Emilio Alvarez y Priscila Vera: Comprometidos con la juventud - Posted By: Daniel Serrano de Rejil
El día de ayer, en la mesa de compromisos de la Pabellón de Jóvenes, contamos con la presencia de tres tomadores de decisiones importantes en México.
A continuación cito los compromisos adquiridos:
Marcelo Ebrard, Jefe de Gobierno de la Ciudad de México.-
Lograr la políticas de juventud a través del congreso de la juventud.
Emilio Álvarez, Presidente de la Comisión de Derechos Humanos del DF.-
Promover la cultura de los derechos humanos de los y las jóvenes y a trabajar con organizaciones de la sociedad civil e instituciones públicas a lograr que los y las jóvenes sean sujetos de derecho y no objetos de derecho.
Priscila Vera, Directora General del Instituto Mexicano de la Juventud.-
Brindar información oportunidad a jóvenes y métodos anticonceptivos.
A pesar del compromiso que han tenido para la Fuerza Joven era importante contar con su presencia y reafirmar su compromiso. Desde los integrantes de la Fuerza Joven en México daremos seguimiento a estos acuerdos en pro de la juventud mexicana.
Porque incidência política é tão importante na luta contra a AIDS?
Como ação preparatória para os adolescentes e jovens ativistas que participam da conferência, a Fuerza Joven de México , realizou a Pré Conferencia dos Jovens, três dias de oficinas, rodas de debate, seminários. A Pré conferencia, foi organizada pelo Sub comitê de Incidência Política, que leva o nome do principal tema debatido nestes dias de conferencia. “ Um conjunto de ações e estratégias, formas de mobilização e atuação para atingir os objetivos propostos e influenciar a sociedade”, assim define Manuella, integrante do subcomitê.
Em entrevista para o site, Manuella, 23 anos, integrante do subcomitê de incidencia política, fala da importância de ações estratégicas e objetivas na luta contra a AIDS.
Portal: O que é incidência política?
Manuella: "a incidência política é um conjunto de ações e de estratégias, forma de mobilização e atuação pra gente conseguir atingir nosso objetivo, influenciar uma outra parte e chegar aquilo que a gente quer. Então afinal de contas, a incidencia política, a importância dela ta nisso, pois a gente como parte da sociedade civil parte de movimento social. Esse é o nosso principal papel, fazer com que os responsáveis, garantam que os direitos sejam cumpridos, e façam os compromissos acontecer, que não fique somente nos papeis, então diria que a incidencia política é a principal função, papel, objetivo, motorzinho da sociedade civil".
Eles vieram de diferentes cidades, participam de movimentos e organizacoes distintas, mas estao na conferencia unidos contra a AIDS e convocando a todos e todas para uma ACAO UNIVERSAL JA!!!! Este e o espirito dos jovens brasileiros na conferencia Internacional.
Em entrevista para o site 05 jovens brasileiros, contam suas expectativas sobre a Conferencia Internacional de AIDS, e porque a conferencia e um espaco tao importante para os jovens do Brasil. Para Ivens, representante da GYCA – Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, fomentar a importancia de acoes continuas e que a conferencia seja um espaco para articular acoes conjuntas no Brasil, `e fundamental para que esta vontade de mudanca nao morra aquí. Ivens, alem de participar da Conferencia como delegado, teve um papel muito importante, de representar os adolescentes e jovens na reuniao com ministros da educacao e saude da america latina. Na ocasiao, Ivens leu a carta de compromissos a serem assumidos pelos ministros na implementacao de projetos de educacao para saude sexual reprodutiva
Para Leticia, a conferencia e um importante momento para establecer contatos com diferentes organizacoes do mundo inteiro, e poder tambem contribuir com os adolescentes e jovens de organizacoes que n’ao puderam participar da conferencia. Leticia representa o MAB – Movimento Nacional de Adolescentes do Brasil.
Se voce quiser conversar com os jovens brasileiros, mandar sugestoes de temas, diretamente da conferencia internacional, envie um email para:
Leticia – MAB/MG email: Leticia_mab@yahoo.com.br
Manuella – Fuerza Joven/PE manudonato@gmail.com
Ivens – GYCA/SP ivens_reyner@yahoo.com.br
Clarissa – Gestos/PE clarissacarvalho1@gmail.com
Eles vieram de diferentes cidades, participam de movimentos e organizacoes distintas, mas estao na conferencia unidos contra a AIDS e convocando a todos e todas para uma ACAO UNIVERSAL JA!!!! Este e o espirito dos jovens brasileiros na conferencia Internacional.
Em entrevista para o site Voz dos Adolescentes, 05 jovens brasileiros, contam suas expectativas sobre a Conferencia Internacional de AIDS, e porque a conferencia e um espaco tao importante para os jovens do Brasil. Para Ivens, representante da GYCA – Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, fomentar a importancia de acoes continuas e que a conferencia seja um espaco para articular acoes conjuntas no Brasil, `e fundamental para que esta vontade de mudanca nao morra aquí. Ivens, alem de participar da Conferencia como delegado, teve um papel muito importante, de representar os adolescentes e jovens na reuniao com ministros da educacao e saude da america latina. Na ocasiao, Ivens leu a carta de compromissos a serem assumidos pelos ministros na implementacao de projetos de educacao para saude sexual reprodutiva
Para Leticia, a conferencia e um importante momento para establecer contatos com diferentes organizacoes do mundo inteiro, e poder tambem contribuir com os adolescentes e jovens de organizacoes que n’ao puderam participar da conferencia. Leticia representa o MAB – Movimento Nacional de Adolescentes do Brasil.
Se voce quiser conversar com os jovens brasileiros, mandar sugestoes de temas, diretamente da conferencia internacional, envie um email para:
Leticia – MAB/MG email: Leticia_mab@yahoo.com.br
Manuella – Fuerza Joven/PE manudonato@gmail.com
Ivens – GYCA/SP ivens_reyner@yahoo.com.br
Clarissa – Gestos/PE clarissacarvalho1@gmail.com
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Salut, 
Georgina Caswell, Youth Journalist with the Mexico Youth Force, interviewed Morillio Williams, Director MDG No. 6 for UN MDG Youth Ambassador Corps, about the development of a youth hub in Suriname.
