READY+ Project promotes health rights for HIV positive youth
National Association of Young People Living with HIV (NAYPLHIV) has availed the Resilient and Empowered Adolescents and Young People (READY+) Project to promote health rights of young people living with the virus.
The project is specifically designed to get young people reedy to make informed decisions about their health and rights, to get parents and caregivers ready to support young people to talk about sexuality, get service providers ready to provide youth friendly services and get decision-makers ready to champion access to information services and commodities for adolescents and young people living with HIV and those who are at most risk.
NAYPLHIV is implementing the project with financial support from Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+Global).
READY+ Project Focal Person Lusungu Harawa said on Sunday that the overall goal of the project targets adolescents and young people living with or most affected by HIV, particularly the most vulnerable, to ensure they are are resilient, empowered and knowlegeable and have bodily autonomy and the freedom and agency to realise their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Harawa disclosed that the project is currently being implemented in eSwatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zambia and Malawi.
“The project aims to build to resilient and empowered adolescents and young people living with HIV, increasing increased knowledge and agency to make healthier and informed choices about their bodies and their lives, and achieve safe and supportive communities advance gender equality, including the sexual reproductive health and rights,” she said.
The project is also designed to promote the well-being of adolescents and young people living with HIV, increase access to and use of high quality integrated and comprehensive HIV, SRHR and mental health and well-being services by adolescents and young people that are responsive to their specific needs and resilient and empowered adolescents and young people living with HIV.
It also aims to improve skills and better choice/options to secure livelihoods.
“Malawi is particularly working on the outcome of greater accountability of decision makers and policy makers to enhancing gender equality and protecting, promoting, and fulfilling the sexual reproductive health and rights of adolescents and young people living with HIV,” said Harawa.
