Young people have shown that they remain as untapped resources

By Nyasigo Kornel

Youth from 9 countries including Tanzania who have participated in a dialogue on how to stop AIDS and keep the promise that took place through videoconference have said that they are tired being used as volunteers and hence they want their voiced being aired out in policy making.

However, generally it came out that there is wide similarity on the approaches of dealing with the AIDS pandemic among youth in Africa dispute of the social-cultural disparity in the continent.
The dialogue marked that youths occupy a favorable place in a society because of their vigilance and can influence policy, political and economic change, youth agreed that they are not only make a crucial part of the productive portion of the population but also of the reproductive age group. Therefore, youths voiced out that the fight against HIV/AIDS would either be won or lost through youths.

The experience from the 9 countries showed clearly that young people hold the key to change, innovation, and action in many sectors. For the decisions and various declarations on HIV/AIDS to result in action, the process will need to comprehensive engage youth as never before.

Activities that look similar to be done by youth in Africa in the HIV/AIDS eradications were awareness creation, advocacy, social care and support, voluntary counseling and testing, information delivery, research and studies, networking programs, community based discussion forums, peer educations, street shows and coffee ceremonies.

But young people have shown that they remain as untapped resources if decision-makers do not integrate their knowledge, vision and experience. Despite of the activities that involve youths there are number of challenges that youth are facing in the region that have been mentioned as weak and low youth participation and representation, youths having less conducive environment, weak system and implementation of plans, lack of capacity, lack of information, weak networking, many youths are still dependents (are redundant, unemployed and lack of basic necessities), general lack of youth friendly services and integrative activities and lack of trust by the government and society on the youth.

Youth in the region needed to have their priorities included in the policy so that it I not a prescription but an amalgamation of views, priorities, solutions and reservations. Youth need involvement in policy and program development, they need participatory learning and action as well as policies should favor youth both at grass root and other levels and encourage equal participation.

The call that youth had to their governments were that the governments have to create space for youth to voice out their needs and concerns, governments have to open the gates for youth to act, as well as capacity building for youth.
Youth voiced out that donors have to create an open house and information desks that inform their activities, donors have been argued to support youth initiatives and also direct funds were insisted to boost youth involvement.

Number of recommendations has been put in place to help youth in voicing out, response and participate in the war against HIV/AIDS. Of them are enhancement and improvement of communication and relations among individuals, families and communities, youth said that they had to be empowered so as to engage meaningfully to the ongoing programs, the governments have to close the gap between information and knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
It was agreed that there is need of developing youth friendly service centers where PMTCT, HCT, Counseling is provided by appropriately trained personnel and to enhance protective methods among the youth.