Young People’s Network on HIV and AIDS Terms of Reference Presented by: Henry Ngara YPNSRHHA decentralization

Rationale behind promotion of youth involvement in HIV and AIDS programming It is the right for young people to participate meaningfully in their own development. Involvement and participation of beneficiaries leads to more effective and sustainable programs As key beneficiaries in HIV related programming, youth know what is best and can work for them Youth know best the language and approaches to reach their peers.

Involvement of young people is to promote active participation in Research Policy Advocacy Programming (at all levels of the project cycle) All levels (national, provincial, district and ward) of the structure

Lessons learnt from the Urban Youth project Young People’s Task Force as a coordination structure at provincial level Involvement of key stakeholders in the establishment of the Task Force Participation of young people in the Provincial AIDS Action Committees Multi-sectoral nature of the Task Force

Purpose of the Young People’s Network on HIV and AIDS To establish a mechanism for open dialogue and exchange between youth groups and youth-serving groups and to advise the National Partnership Forum, PAAC and DAAC on the strategic opportunities and actions to address HIV related issues.

OBJECTIVES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S NETWORK ON HIV AND AIDS Facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge-sharing about best practices and lessons learned from youth policies and programmes as well as on major opportunities and challenges for moving the agenda of young people’s rights, gender equality and sexual and reproductive health forward;

OBJECTIVES CONTINUED Enable greater understanding among youth groups and youth-serving partners on National policies and programmes, and how adolescent and youth concerns can be advocated for in various political and socio-cultural contexts;

OBJECTIVES CONTINUED Advise the National Partnership Forum, PAAC and DAAC on how best to enhance youth participation in the development of its policies, programmes and activities across the areas of its mandate; Identify emerging issues in young people’s reproductive health and rights.

OBJECTIVES CONTINUED Advocate for youth involvement and participation in collaboration with existing youth networks at various levels in the country in order to strengthen collaboration in HIV/AIDS related issues of common interest and/or major initiatives, with linkages to regional-level activities; Any other objective as determined by the network after its formation and endorsed by key stakeholders.

EXPECTED RESULT Overall improvement in the youth-friendliness and responsiveness of the coordinated interventions to young people’s rights and needs, through dialogue, identification of opportunities, mechanisms and concrete follow up actions to strengthen work with young people in the areas of population and development, gender equality and equity, and reproductive health and rights, including HIV/AIDS.

ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE Decentralization to the ten provinces and 16 districts Exhibitions at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, ZITF and other provincial level exhibitions. ZITF 2008(Over 3000 people reached) ZITF 2009 (Over 6622 people reached) Zimbabwe Agricultural Show 2009(6551 people reached) ZITF 2010 (9585 people reached) Zimbabwe Agricultural Show 2010 ( over 10 000 people reached) National, provincial and district quarterly meetings

ACHIEVEMENTS CONT... Holding of first annual Youth Convention in 2009 and the second in 2010 Holding of the first HIV and AIDS Youth Festival in 2010. STEPS film screenings in the ten provinces and reached 2300 males and 2000 males during the month of October in 2009 Production of a documentary film-Tariro/Hope (which won a National Arts Merit Award!)

ACHIEVEMENTS CONT... Annual World AIDS Day commemorations Development and production of youth specific Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on the themes: A Call to Activate Youth Leadership Dialogue and Mutual Understanding for Universal Access and Human Rights Universal Access and Human Rights – Young People Together We Will Make It Youth Leadership for Universal Access and Human Rights

ACHIEVEMENTS CONT… The Young People’s Network on HIV and AIDS members represented other young people to articulate and voice the young people’s SRH issues at: National Partnership Forum District AIDS Action Committees and Provincial AIDS Action Committees National ASRH Coordination forum African Youth Adolescent Network in South Africa International Olympic Committee and UNAIDS International AIDS Conference in Austria Other regional and international level youth conferences.

ACHIEVEMNTS CONT... Involvement in the development of national strategies and policies National ASRH Strategy National MC Policy National Strategy for MC Scale-up National MC Communication Strategy ZNASP II

Membership of the Young People’s Network 10-12 young people representatives from ASRH /HIV youth serving organizations Members will be in the age group 10-24 years Members will not consist of more than one officially endorsed representative per youth organization 5 co-opted members may be invited to represent specific target groups

Membership of the Young People’s Network In case a member leaves his/her organization during his/her term of office; Another representative from this youth organization can replace him/her for the time until the term expires

Criteria for selection Demonstrated commitment and mandate of their organizations to the human rights of young people and to youth participation. Preference will be given to those working in the area of young people’s reproductive health and rights, with focus on HIV and AIDS, and in gender equity.

Criteria for selection Diversity, in terms of sex, age, religion and geographic characteristics. Priority will be placed on representatives of organizations who are members of youth serving organizations. Special emphasis will be placed on representatives of neglected groups (e.g. the poor, disadvantaged or marginalized) or of groups/networks working exclusively to serve the interests of these groups.

Criteria for selection Youth representatives must be between the ages of 10 and 24, at the time of selection for a membership of the panel. Preference will be given to those who have strong communication and advocacy skills in order to ensure strong youth voices and active participation in the meetings. In certain circumstances, relatively older youth (e.g. between 25-35 years old), may be invited to serve as “special consultants or advisers” on specific areas of their expertise.

Criteria While task force members are selected as representatives of organizations or special interest groups, rather than on an individual basis, members will be expected to be able to commit personally to the young people’s network and to participate in meetings and other activities pertinent to the work of the young people’s network. Members would be mandated to provide feedback to members of the youth organizations they are representing. The members at all stages continue to represent their organization and reflect views of the youth they are representing refraining from imposing personal thoughts/ ideas.

Criteria A limited number of agency partners and renowned experts may be invited as observers, or as resource persons or expert advisers for specific agenda items, as necessary, based on their individual and/or institutional capacities, given their recognized contributions to the field, or particular perspectives they may be able to contribute to the young people’s network deliberations.

Programme and Working Modalities of the young people’s network The Young People’s Network on HIV/AIDS is an advisory group at national, provincial and district levels that will be functionally attached to the National Partnership Forum, PAAC and DAAC . The Young People’s Network on HIV and AIDS will be convened by NAC.

Programme and Working Modalities of the young people’s network The networks meet on a quarterly basis just before the meeting of the National Partnership Forum, PAAC and DAAC . In periods of intensified program development, meetings will be called according to needs identified by participants. The young people’s network could also be called upon during deliberations of revision/ development of national youth related policies/ stratprogrammes.

Programme and Working Modalities of the young people’s network The young people’s network members would also be called upon to represent the country in Regional/ International trainings/ workshops/ seminars etc. MOHCW, NAC and its partners would also plan periodic capacity building activities for the young people’s network.

Programme and Working Modalities of the young people’s network The young people’s network would be expected to draw up an action plan on an annual basis and also prepare briefs for its representatives to present during the partnership forum meetings.

Provincial and district task forces The National young people network after its formation will consolidate on the NAC structures at the provincial and district level to form provincial and district task forces.

To whom does it belong to? To whom to? Us!!!, Us!!!

THANK YOU NDATENDA NGIYABONGA