In recent years, the Vibrant Young Voices (VYV) Consortium has been on a mission to elevate youth voices in health advocacy across Africa. Building on the “Engage Us: Our Health, Our Rights” campaign, which was launched last year, the VYV Consortium have organised a series of consortium activities, together with young people, healthcare workers, policymakers, and representatives from influential organisations to address critical health issues, particularly around HIV. The activities have highlighted the pressing need for youth-led advocacy, meaningful engagement in health decisions and health services, and collective action against stigma and discrimination toward young people living with HIV.
Engage Us: Our Health, Our Rights is a continuous campaign that advocates and empowers young people to participate meaningfully in decision-making processes that impact their health. The campaign aims to foster an inclusive and stigma-free healthcare environment where young people feel seen, supported, and heard. More importantly, it demonstrated how young people needed to be at the centre of the conversation, from design to implementation of programmes and have a say on critical health issues.
Building on the campaign goals, VYV recently held an Advocacy Workshop and campaign hub in Uganda that drew 40 young advocates, health workers, and representatives from the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) and the Global Fund. This event created a vital space for young people to share personal experiences and shed light on the stigma and judgmental attitudes they often encounter from health providers and other settings, including social, educational and employment. Many expressed a strong call for youth representation in healthcare decisions—not just token representation, but authentic engagement that leads to change.
“Young people deserve to have a say in decisions affecting their health. This isn’t just about tokenism; our voices matter, and they have the power to transform healthcare experiences for us all.”Monalisa
a member of the Youth Advisory Group for Vibrant Young Voices
[From left to right: Group photo of workshop participants at the community dinner; still shot of the advocacy workshop taking place in Uganda]
A key theme from the Ugandan workshop and hub was the importance of youth-led campaigns addressing stigma and discrimination. Additionally, the discussion underscored a significant gap in accessible services for people with disabilities, sparking a call for more ethical engagement of young people and inclusive healthcare practices. For many attendees, the event reinforced the power of youth-driven advocacy in building a compassionate, patient-centred healthcare system that truly supports young people.
[From left to right: Monalisa, one of the Youth Advisory Group members for Vibrant Young Voices, gives a speech at the advocacy workshop in Uganda; A photo of panel speakers at the same workshop]
On the other side of the continent, similar actions were taking place. On October 24, the VYV Consortium led an awareness campaign and workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, partnering with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Y+ Global, and UNAIDS. The event aimed to address the stigma faced by young women and children living with HIV. It highlighted the need for accessible and friendly health commodities, particularly for vulnerable populations in rural communities.
“Equitable access to healthcare is essential for improving child survival rates. HIV-positive mothers still face challenges related to safe pregnancy and childbirth. Through this campaign, we partner with organisations to raise public awareness and advocate for stronger, stigma-free support systems for young people and women living with HIV.”Faith Onuh
a member of the Youth Advisory Group for Vibrant Young Voices
Similarly, another youth-centred workshop and campaign hub in Akwa, Nigeria, focused on empowering young people to become more resilient and influential partners in the HIV response. Participants voiced concerns about their communities' lack of knowledge, stigma, and limited healthcare access. They discussed ways to break down these barriers, emphasising the need for resources, learning, and consistent support to bring HIV numbers down. This advocacy session inspired youth to actively engage in health decision-making, underscoring that young people's involvement is crucial for meaningful change.
[From left to right: Casmir Nwankwo, one of the Youth Advisory Group members for Vibrant Young Voices, is leading an advocacy workshop in Akwa, Nigeria; A group photo of participants from the same workshop.]
"The Robert Carr Fund has supported VYV since 2022, enabling us to take clear and decisive actions that will extend our impact even further in the future. With their continued support and collaboration with Consortium partners, including the Coalition of Children Affected by AIDS (CCABA) and Paediatric-Adolescent Treatment Africa (PATA), we have been empowering young people to shape healthcare policy, reduce stigma and build a supportive community for those affected by HIV."Gabriella Romero
Senior Programmes Officer at Y+ Global
The advocacy workshops in Uganda and Nigeria highlighted the significant impact of youth-driven initiatives. Y+ Global, along with the VYV Consortium and its partners, is dedicated to amplifying youth voices within health settings to ensure that the most vulnerable populations affected by HIV receive the healthcare, support, and respect they deserve. Through ongoing collaboration, there is hope that stigma and discrimination will decrease, leading to equal access to healthcare for everyone. As VYV continues its efforts, the voices of young people in Uganda, Nigeria, and beyond will remain central to health advocacy, fostering a more equitable future.
About the Vibrant Young Voices Consortium
The Vibrant Young Voices (VYV) Consortium is a consortium led by Y+ Global, Paediatric-Adolescent Treatment Africa (PATA), and the Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS (CCABA). Focused on Africa, it aims to empower children, adolescents, and healthcare providers to deliver and access high-quality HIV care. VYV uniquely integrates the voices of children, young people living with HIV, and frontline health workers, bridging gaps between communities and healthcare systems to ensure diverse perspectives are represented in the pursuit of improved health outcomes. The VYV Consortium has been supported by the Robert Carr Fund since 2022.