Brian Ackerman worked as International Policy Manager at Advocates for Youth and is now pursuing a masters degree in Brazil. Advocates for Youth. Young and openly gay, Brian understands the gravity of the disproportionate effects that HIV/AIDS has had on sexual minorities. He also understands that on the global scale, the story is no different: HIV has hit hardest the countries most marginalized in the international system. He sees his position on the International Youth Leadership Council as his platform to challenge those in power—policymakers, business leaders, social icons—to stop making decisions for young people and instead inform young people to help them learn how to make decisions for themselves.
I must voice my strong disagreement with those who are choosing not to recognize the critical paradigm shift that has been introduced in the 2010 budget: a focus on integration.
The former Global AIDS Coordinator whose program was the basis for PEPFAR recently said that “reproductive health is a clean word,” and that the “integration of reproductive health services with HIV” programming should be a priority.
In 2031, HIV will still be a reality. But if the Obama administration leads the world in promoting smart and evidence-based prevention education, it will be a disease everyone on the planet knows how to prevent.
Young Mexican gay rights and AIDS activist Rodrigo Olin’s charge to his fellow Mexicans was a charge to all of us to hold our governments accountable to the promises they make toward achieving better outcomes in the fight against the AIDS pandemic.
As young people, we are fighting not only for access to information that will save our lives, but also to information that will help us better understand ourselves and explore sexuality safely, as a healthy and natural part of who we are.
At the Mexico City Youth Force Pre-Conference, we are readying ourselves to fight the battle against HIV and AIDS as our generation matures.
Thanks to youth participation in the the 2008 UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, the Civil Society Declaration emphasized youth vulnerability and young people’s concerns.
Where do we go from here? Young people at Women Deliver may have offered the most revolutionary road map for reducing maternal mortality rates and effecting global change.
On the second day of Women Deliver, Brian discovers the power of young people working together globally to challenge the status quo and contribute to real change.
The Women Deliver conference featured a youth panel full of intelligent and empowered young leaders, but adult global leaders didn’t stick around for their insights.
