The PACT PODCAST

Arisdo is a gay activist who is based in Indonesia

Dr Usman Ali is a medical graduate from Foundation University Pakistan. He has competed MBBS in 2016. Later worked with community-based organisation for HIV prevention and has worked with UNAIDS, UNDP, WHO and Global Fund on HIV public health response of Pakistan including grant making, PrEP research, PrEP services rollout and regional PrEP workshops. Currently, Im he is working as a freelance Public health consultant with various health organisations and as postgraduate Resident of psychiatry at King Edward Medical University. The university is the oldest medical teaching institute in Lahore. He provides mental healthcare services to people with emotional challenges, drug dependence, common mental illnesses including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar and schizophrenia. He is also a published researcher with 15 research articles to his credit

VENICIA AGNES FERNANDES is the Secretary of a youth focused organisation Human Touch Foundation, since 2019. An organisation with its core area in HIV, TB, SRHR , Drugs and Cyber Safety. With a graduation degree in Microbiology and Post-graduation in Biochemistry, She has been advising the organizational programmes, especially strategic directions on HIV, treatment literacy and adherence.

She is currently a member of the PACT, Partnership & Resource Mobilization Working Group and has been delegated to the ICASA 2021. She is also working on the Universal Periodic Review for India this Year.

She has represented HTF in Fight Aids Coalition advocates for treatment literacy on Advance HIV Disease (AHD) in India.

Venicia has played a role in the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD)’s Youth Forum 2021 and 2022, where she contributed to the regional and the country level briefs as country facilitator, rapporteur and moderator. Venicia has actively participated is campaigns related to Comprehensive sex education(CSE)in the Asia Pacific Region.

She has completed courses in Data –Driven Advocacy by Arrow, Advocacy towards Policy preparedness by Treatment Action Group (TAG), De-Addiction Medication by Muktaa Charitable Foundation, Pune –India, Capacity building of civil society by National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

As a strong advocate of young people living with HIV , she has represented or contributed on platforms like Nairobi Summit ICPD25, Global to Local Science and Community in Response to HIV in India by IAS, 23rd International conference 2020, 11th IAS conference on HIV science 2021, 6th Global Forum on TB Vaccines 2022 and HIV science and community in South Asia: Keeping HIV response effective in Pandemics symposium by Educational Fund IAS & ASHA Foundation India 2022.

Human Touch Foundation and Venicia Agnes Fernandes is rewarded with numerous awards for its exemplary work in ending Aids in Goa & it's Contribution amid pendamic in providing assistance to PLHIV.

Nora Nyadzua is a 22 year old young Kenyan woman. She is currently serving as a Youth Advisory Panel Member at UNFPA- Kenya. Her upcoming Community Based Organisation is focused mainly on drug and substance abuse with relation to quality education amongst young people.

Danish Tariq is a Youth Advocate working for Meaningful and Inclusive Youth Participation, Informed Decision Making and Policy Advocacy. He is currently working as the Youth Focal Point at FP2030 and CEWG Pakistan selected by Ministry off National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Pakistan. He is the Project Officer at Youth Advocacy Network (YAN) and Fellow at the Population Reference Bureau, Washington DC.

Klaudia Szymuś is a medical student from Poland, serving as a Liaison Officer for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Issues, including HIV and AIDS in the International Federation for Medical Students’ Associations which represents 1.3 million medical students from 130 countries. She has worked in the field of SRHR for 6 years, with special interests in gender equality, gender and sexuality diversity and sexual health, implementing intersectional approaches such as effects of climate change on SRHR, access to services by vulnerable populations or health literacy in the context of sexual and reproductive health. Klaudia represented IFMSA in meetings such as World Health Assembly, Generation Equality Forum in France and High-Level Political Forum. She is also experienced in advocacy on Sustainable Development Goals and meaningful youth engagement. On the national level, she worked on advocating for access to safe abortion, family planning, comprehensive sexuality education, HIV&AIDS prevention and eliminating discrimination of LGBTQIA+ community through policy papers, grassroot campaigns and workforce education.

Riju Dhakal, 23, President at YUWA (2020-2022) is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Public Health from the Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine. YUWA is a youth-led youth-run organization that works for diverse issues of young people including SRHR. She has been an SRHR activist for more than three years and has been involved in national, regional and international level advocacy processes and evidence generation under YUWA. She is passionate about Comprehensive Sexuality Education and young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. She has represented Nepal at platforms like the 47th Human Rights Council, Generation Equality Forum, Pleasure Project, Congress of World Association for Sexual Health-2021 and many more to talk about young people’s SRHR needs and position in Nepal. Besides that, she is also passionate about poetry and traveling.