UNGASS Forum 2011

 On 23rd March 2011, I had to fly down to Cape Town for the UNGASS meeting to be held on 24th and 25th March. To cut the story short, let’s just say it was a memorable and yet stressful experience getting down to the Mother City, which proved to myself how far one can go to get what they want (lol).

So, the following morning the meeting started with attendees from organisations such as TAC, DENOSA, POWA, Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme, Positive Women’s Movement, Child line, HSPC, to name but a few. The main objective of the workshop was to come up with an Advocacy plan for greater integration between AIDS, women’s policies, and services. The main issues under discussions were mainly HIV/AIDS and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, how the two are linked, and the effects the policies have on women and girls.

Group discussion came up with advocacy plans for different groups that are affected by different issues mainly in South Africa. One discussion came with ideas on how we can advocate for children and early youth on their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights as they strongly believe that the afore mentioned age group also have rights on these issues. It was a very thought-provoking, hopefully fruitful, and good networking two days, I must say.

By:Fanisa