Youth Next Level (YNL) serves as a vital tool for advancing genuine youth leadership within national HIV responses. It provides governments, donors and other key stakeholders with concrete actions to support, strengthen, and embed youth leadership in decision-making processes, ensuring that young people play an essential role in shaping HIV policies and programs that maximise reach and impact.
YNL is designed to guide partners in fostering meaningful partnerships with young people in all their diversity. The guidance, which includes a suite of resources, including a step for country rollout to support youth-led HIV responses aims to strengthen youth-led organisations and institutionalise youth-led responses, addressing HIV and related challenges that impact young people’s health, well-being and quality of life.
Recognising the importance of this initiative, Y+ Global convened a workshop on January 23, 2025, bringing together local, regional, and global youth-led organisations. The primary goal of this engagement was to raise awareness of YNL and explore how countries can level up their advocacy and integrate this resource into their national HIV responses. This workshop encouraged young advocates to develop action plans, identify strategic advocacy opportunities, and champion the implementation of YNL within their respective countries.
“As youth-led organisations, we have consistently demonstrated our ability to drive change, but the reality is that our impact is limited without sustained investment. That’s why Youth Next Level is crucial—it provides a roadmap for institutionalising youth leadership in HIV responses globally, but also about not losing those gains,”Ikka Noviyanti
Regional Coordinator of Youth LEAD
[Screenshots from the Youth Next Level Workshop of the panel discussion and with participants]
The US freeze on foreign aid has caused considerable distress to millions of people dependent on HIV and sexual reproductive health services. The consequences documented so far are severe and far-reaching. While UNAIDS has been actively gathering evidence on its impact, the full scale of the crisis is still unfolding and will continue to do so in the coming months and years. Services previously supported by the US government now face an uncertain and precarious future, placing immense pressure on organisations and networks of young people living with and affected by HIV. Some have already been forced to cease operations, underscoring the urgent need for alternative support mechanisms and sustainable investment in youth-led initiatives.
Prior to the recent US foreign aid funding freeze, Y+ Global and UNAIDS had already initiated efforts to strengthen youth-led responses and their sustainability with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
In September 2024, a workshop was held with more than 50 participants from PEPFAR Country Teams, HQ counterparts, and interagency staff to emphasise the importance of supporting youth-led organisations and ensuring sustainable investments in youth leadership within the HIV response. While the US funding freeze has since meant that PEPFAR-funded projects have been suspended, Y+ Global remains committed to working with its partners in all capacities to navigate the challenges posed by funding uncertainties.
[Screenshot from the workshop with the PEPFAR country teams.]
“Youth Next Level is more than just a guidance—it’s a call to action for governments and institutions to move beyond tokenistic engagement and meaningfully invest in young leaders. If we want to see a sustainable and impactful HIV response, we need to ensure that young people are not just participants but decision-makers in shaping policies and programs.”Eddy Rudram
Communications and Advocacy Manager at Y+ Global
Recently, regional and global youth-led organisations have mobilised efforts to better understand the impact of US funding on youth and HIV programmes. A survey launched in February aimed to highlight exactly how funding challenges have affected young people and youth-led organisations personally and organisationally. With results expected soon, organisations can galvanise advocacy efforts and leverage YNL among donors to find solutions that keep essential programs running, ensuring that young people are not left behind.
As we move forward, youth-led organisations can leverage YNL with local, regional, and global stakeholders, from governments to donors, to sustain all the gains made in the HIV response. Despite significant uncertainties, now is not the time to retreat from our advocacy efforts. Young people must continue to influence policy dialogues and ensure the inclusion of young voices in national and global HIV strategies. Now more than ever, investing in youth leadership is critical to driving an effective, equitable, and sustainable HIV response.