AFRO-NETS> Youth at the 2004 International AIDS Conference

[Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima <dabesaki@yahoo.com>]

Youth at the 2004 International AIDS Conference
-----------------------------------------------
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
AIDS 2004 Youth <http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids2004youth> 
is an e-platform that is aimed at facilitating the effective and 
maximum participation of young people across the world both in 
the preparatory processes and at the main conference at the fif-
teenth International Conference on AIDS http://www.aids2004.org 
billed for Bangkok 2004 and organized by the International AIDS 
Society, Thai Ministry of Public Health and UNAIDS. 
 
Often, youth do not have the opportunity to participate at deci-
sion-making levels, even in issues that affect them so much. As 
regards HIV/AIDS, the youth are key stakeholders, they are the 
most vulnerable and they are the most infected. Hence, they are 
major agents in the fight against AIDS. Out of the 40 million 
people infected world over, youth constitute 30% (12 million) are 
youth and this calls for urgent action. 
 
As much as youth desire to participate at the conference, it is 
necessary to have a youth representation, the voice of the youth 
and the position of the youth both at the preparatory levels and 
at the main conference. This is what has caused the formation of 
the youth caucus. It is hoped that the end of deliberations at 
the conference would be the beginning of action for young people 
at all levels, through the Global Network of Youth Against AIDS. 
 
>From September 28 therefore, discussion shall begin on the youth 
mailing list to begin preparations. As one youth caucus member 
has said, "we have no time to waste, we have to act fast." 
 
GOALS
 
The goals of the Youth Caucus among others are:
i. Review of past and present strategies in the fight against 
AIDS in order to develop effective preventive strategies.
 
ii. To support as many youth as possible around the world with 
gender balance and regional representation to participate at the 
various processes of the conference.
 
iii. To translate and publish the daily proceeding of the confer-
ence online so as to enable youth every where in the world to 
follow systematically the pace of proceedings at the conference.
 
iv. To engage youth in networking activities before, during and 
after the conference in 2004.
 
PROPOSED TIME TABLE 
 
August 27 ­ September 27 - Youth mobilization
September 28 ­ October 1 - Formal beginning of discussions
October 2 - October 19 - Preparation of youth statement and sub-
mission to conference secretariat
October 20 - May 2004 - Development of various action plans, 
preparations and fundraising
May 2004 to July 2004 - Final preparations for Bangkok. 
 
SOME THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND 

What are the key issues for youth? What roles are youth playing 
in the fight against AIDS? What other roles can we play? How do 
we consolidate plans to establish a Global Network of Youth 
Against AIDS? What should be our pre-conference activities? How 
should we mobilize fund to get to Bangkok? How can we sustain the 
achievement of the conference? 
 
HOW TO PARTICIPATE 

i. Please join the group at www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids2004youth
 
ii. Mobilise other youth around the world to participate in this 
all-important forum.
 
iii. Become one of the Youth caucus "team leaders" that would 
collect, compile and translate all proceedings of the forum.
 
iv. Donate a web page or site for the youth caucus activities.
 
v. Support a youth in the community to participate at the inter-
national conference on AIDS in Bangkok 2004. Please read more 
about the Youth caucus www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids2004youth/files 
 
And contact me if you have any questions or want to clear some 
doubt. We all have a stake, together we can make a difference, 
and together we can protect our future.
 
 
Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima, Esq
Coordinator, Students Without Borders
mailto:dabesaki@yahoo.com
http://www.dabesaki.freeservers.com 
http://www.teacherswithoutborders.org 

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