Pattaya, Thailand, December 16 - 18, 2024 - Y+ Global convened its Annual Board Meeting to chart the organisation’s strategic direction for 2025 and beyond. This vital gathering brought together new board members for the first time, covering all regions, including colleagues from the senior management team and external stakeholders, to discuss the organisation’s future.
The meeting focused on strengthening the organisation’s governance framework, integrating newly elected board members, and setting the stage for sustainable growth. Throughout the three days, board members engaged in extensive discussions on Y+ Global's strategic priorities, ensuring that the organisation remains aligned with its mission to advocate for the rights and health of young people living with and affected by HIV.
"The governance framework serves as the foundation of Y+ Global’s mission, and we appreciate our partners for supporting us to host this meeting in person. This setting enabled us to provide new board members with essential skills, insights, and knowledge about the organisation—supporting our goal of cultivating a motivated leadership team, driven by young people, to advocate for our mission and drive global action."Horacio Barreda
Board Chair of Y+ Global
In the meeting, board members summarised emerging regional issues, updating the rest of the team on the issues impacting young people living with and affected by HIV in those regions. As part of their role and as representatives of their regions, they discussed their involvement in national and regional activities, emphasising opportunities to strengthen Y+ Global’s impact on specific issues and areas of influence while suggesting approaches to address new and emerging challenges.
The Senior Management Team at Y+ Global similarly shared updates from the Executive Office with the board members. These updates included information on program activities, budgets, forecasts and projects, and communication and advocacy plans.
Time was also allocated to updating the board on Y+ Global’s engagement in important projects, including YOUTH NEXT LEVEL—an initiative partnered with UNAIDS to strengthen youth-led responses to HIV—and the UNITED! Movement, a three-year partnership with UNICEF, aimed at accelerating youth-led responses and social accountability towards HIV and SRHR commitments in Eastern and Southern Africa.
“Our collaborations with UNAIDS and UNICEF highlight Y+ Global's commitment to strengthening youth-led responses to HIV and SRHR. These programmes are vital in empowering young people to take the lead in promoting accountability and fostering change in health movements. Our partnerships underscore our dedication alongside our partners, and we have numerous exciting initiatives in the pipeline for the future." 2025”Eddy Rudram
Communications and Advocacy Manager at Y+ Global
Throughout the remainder of the meeting, the governance framework was thoroughly examined to identify areas for enhancement, ensuring that Y+ Global remains resilient and adaptable within an evolving global landscape. Tumie Komanyane from Frontline AIDS joined virtually to advise the board on strengthening governance, sharing insights from the recent accreditation process conducted by Frontline AIDS in early December 2024.
The board also reviewed the existing strategic plan for 2022-2025, assessing its achievements while recognising aspects and priorities that need refinement as the organisation gears up to formulate its strategic plan for 2026-2028.
"Reflecting on 2024, we have made substantial progress in advancing our mission, from successful advocacy campaigns to strengthening youth engagement across regions. Yet, sustainable funding continues to pose our greatest challenge. Our efforts to solidify partnerships through an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with youth-led organisations have been crucial in ensuring that our collective impact is more robust and aligns with our goals. These partnerships enable us to leverage shared resources and expertise, furthering our goal of sustainable growth.”Maximina Jokonya
Executive Director of Y+ Global
The meeting wrapped up with a renewed commitment to action, outlining specific steps for 2025, such as implementing an updated governance framework and a comprehensive advocacy roadmap. The outgoing board members, including Fletcher Chiu and Kaweme Chunga, representing Asia and Europe, respectively, were recognised for their outstanding service and dedication to Y+ Global’s mission. Kaweme Chunga shared her reflections, quoting “Leaders building leaders," expressing her gratitude for the support that helped shape her into the leader she is today.
Y+ Global has issued a call for applications from young people living with HIV for board positions in three regions: Europe, Central Europe and Central Asia, and Asia. Aspiring board members can learn more about the roles and responsibilities of the board and apply via the Google Form before 31 January 2025.
Y+ Global sincerely thanks all participants who attended both in person and online. We also extend our special gratitude to the READY program and the Robert Carr Fund for their invaluable support in making this meeting possible.