INVOLVE HIM & HER IN HIV PREVENTION

As an African young woman, I take health,education, rights  to be very important in my community. I have witnessed hardships in my community mainly with adolescents,girls and young people mostly in reproductive health discussions. Uganda falls among the 15 worst African countries with high numbers of child brides. At 46% of underage girls below 18 forced or lured in marriage.

Complied messages from young people who attended the #whatwomenwant session in Mbale

In my to the response  the UNAIDS 2016 Guidance on HIV prevention among adolescent girls and young women,as a young woman who is  engaged in Young women leaders initiative,Athena Network ,UNYPA and currently engaged with different roles mainly advocating for safe environment for young women,girls and young people to access all kind of services for reproductive health, I have also championed in different campaigns under ATHENA NETWORK like #Whatwomenwant  which is not JUST a question from women BUT answers are also required through this campaign I have gathered stories of how young women have been sexually violated,denied ownership and girls forced into marriage well as other women have been denied rights to access reproductive services follow the links below http://whatwomenwwant.blogspot.co.ke/    http://unsafeabortions.blogspot.co.ke/  http://causesofteenagepregnacies.blogspot.co.ke/

My opinion towards putting  adolescent girls and young women at forefront in HIV prevention

• Advocating for empowerment of AGYW and the promotion of AGYW in addressing current unequal gender norms that reduce AGYW ability to make informed choices about their own sexuality is key to reversing the dramatic upward trend of HIV infection among AGYW.
• Increase access to sexual and reproductive health services for all AGYW this is because there may be reluctant to seek advice, for fear of stigmatization cause some of young mothers give birth at an early age, so discriminatory attitude of staff in some centers keep them away.
•  Sensitization program mes could help reduce stigma, for example, and training activities for health service staff could make services more user friendly 
• Male and boy involvement, if we are to reduce HIV,GBV let's not open our ears to one side. We should target on simple programs how we can engage male and boys in HIV prevention.This can be done through sports,music, empowerment talks male to male as well as using Male role models.

#WHATWOMENWANT

#whatwomenwant…………………..????????

The #WhatWomenWant campaign was launched in May 2016 in partnership with women's civil society, to amplify women's voices, highlight our realities, and power our solutions. It grew from the momentum of the Twitter Rally at the 60th Commission on the Status of Women, when feminist and women's rights activists united to call for change, and began the #WhatWomenWant revolution with a focus on the Political Declaration of the High Level Meeting on AIDS, to ensure that international agreements and commitments are implemented. It will continue to bridge women into policies, practices, and interventions to improve our lives at the International AIDS Conference in Durban and beyond. 

#Whatwomenwant is not far away from you pay attention to her you might help or answer her questions

And for this reason I do support #whatwomenwant campaign

Above in picture a woman being taken care of a man, #whatwomenwant PRIVACY she was poisioned but she wasn’t rushed to hospital rather she was taken to police for statement recording #whatwomenwant EMERGYENCIES TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE EXACT & RIGHT PLACE. These are some of ignored cases which we never tend to know why they happen.Women are silent not because they are happy of everything but  their legs are tighten no one is ready to understand their problems….without a husband to defend her right to medication her life might end because of ignorance….who is ready to take up her kids

#whatwomenwant CLEAN &SAFE DELIVERY ENVIROMENT,this happened directly to me everyone can tell a mother’s situation after delivery these women shared 1 mattress with their new born, blood was everywhere and there were no preventive measures for both babies and mothers. Now if a bleeding mother accidently transmit blood to her new born because of the crowd, no privacy and sharing of beddings shall we END AIDS BY 2030? It might not be the case but in that crowd how can someone take her ARVs in public as you see they are seated on flow with their belongings. #whawomenwant SAFETY

Successful since I joined the campaign

I freely discuss with women about different issues concerning their life styles, it was hard before I used to focus more on young people of my age. Each and every issue affect a woman directly am affected too as a young woman. Am empowered to reach those down in my community and we have a human right talk as #women #whatwomawant HEALTH AND HAPPY BABIES FREE FROM HIV. Investing in women led organizations, business if the only way how we can achieve GOAL 1 &2 of SDGs

This is a wonderful campaign with a collective voice of all women’s questions answered, as a youth advocate it has directed me in my community to help women in position on knowing their Rights women and girls are positioned in the place of Rights which was ignored for many years “CLAIM YOUR SPACE GAL”

#WHATWOMENWANT……….???????

·         Free from GBV and any form of violence

·         Free from sexual abuse

·         Free from stigma &discrimination

·         Free from poverty

·         Free from rejection

A GENERATION WITH A HAPPY WOMEN & GIRLS HOLD BRIGTHER FUTUR, ANSWER THEM NOW