Despite the clear need and disproportionate risk, adolescents and young people living with HIV (AYPLHIV) are underserved in the HIV response. Peer support constitutes a crucial form of adolescent and youth-responsive service packages as part of differentiated service deliveries that can support adolescents to access,and maintain treatment.

Reflecting on transitioning from adolescence to adulthood while living with HIV, in this episode of My reality campaign we highlight some of the most significant challenges young people living with HIV face, especially those that might differ from typical growing-up concerns. We discuss how growing up with HIV can influence our friendships or romantic involvements, and share practices that can guide us through self-acceptance and mental well-being.

The criminalisation of people who use drugs, LGBTIQ+ people and sex workers not only hinders access to much-needed services, including healthcare and social protection but also increases these communities’ vulnerability to HIV. In this episode, we're exploring the powerful intersection of legal rights, decriminalisation, and health access, especially as it pertains to the LGBTQIA+ community.

The intersections of identity, sexuality, and HIV advocacy, focusing on the unique challenges and narratives of queer communities and transgender populations, especially among Young Key Populations is at the heart of an effective HIV response. In this episode of My Reality campaign, we hone in on the specific challenges that queer and transgender youth face within the HIV Movement and discuss how can the HIV community better support, include, and amplify the voices and unique needs of queer and transgender youth.

This episode shines a spotlight on the pressing need for Comprehensive Sexuality Education, especially for adolescents and young people, both living with and affected by HIV. The classroom can be both a haven and a battleground, and we're here to dissect these dynamics. The unique experiences and realities faced by adolescents and young people guide this discussion and help us identify innovative methods or strategies that better resonate with adolescents and young people in comprehensive sexuality education.

With the evolving landscape of HIV advocacy, the role of experienced mentors guiding the Young Key Populations cannot be overstated. In this episode of My Reality campaign, we discuss the importance of mentorship and how it impacts the journey and approach of Young Key Populations in the HIV advocacy space, and the qualities of an effective mentorship that can shift the trajectory of HIV programming.

We are delving into the heart of the youth-led HIV movement, focusing on the unique challenges and triumphs faced by Young Key Populations. In this episode of My Reality podcast we discuss the most pressing challenges Young Key Populations face in their advocacy journey, explore how do youth-led HIV initiatives differ in their approach, and shed light on support structures and resources crucial for empowering youth-led HIV initiatives.

In this first episode of the My Reality podcast we are diving deep into the world of HIV advocacy with a special focus on Young KeyPopulations. Our discussion is beautifully aligned with the World AIDS Day theme, "Let Communities Lead." We explore the importance of young key populations’ involvement in HIV programming and hear inspiring real-life stories of how young advocates made a significant impact in their communities.

Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) is a global initiative striving to ensure that all people, everywhere, can access quality health services they need without financial hardship. The core tenets of UHC rests on principles of equity, non-discrimination and the right to health,aiming to reach and cover even the most marginalised populations, ensuring that no one is left behind. The recent High Level Meeting (HLM) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), witnessed a renewed commitment from the global community to achieving UHC for all, marked by the adoption of the United Nations Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage.

It is disheartening that Self-Care did not find a place or feature in this year’s UHC HLM commitments. However, this is not the end of the road for advocating for the self-care agenda and its feature in the political declaration in the future. We must acknowledge that we have collectively made huge strides towards actualising self care interventions. Although selfcare did not make it to the political declarations draft, there are key declarations that we can leverage to advocate and champion self care interventions. These commitments include:

In this podcast, we will highlight how young people and advocates can strategically leverage these commitments to bring selfcare conversations to the forefront and hold decision makers, leaders and policy makers accountable. With targeted advocacy and collective efforts amongst youth-led networks, activist, advancing the self-care agenda, we are hopeful that selfcare will see its way into the political declaration in the next 2027 UHC HLM. After all, selfcare seeks to ensure that individuals take control of their own health and this is a positive contribution to actualising UHC.

World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1st, is a global initiative to raise awareness about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, show support for those living with HIV, and remember those who have succumbed to the disease. This year's theme for World AIDS Day "Let Communities Lead," serve as the foundation for our World AIDS Day edition with focus on young people leading self-care advocacy.

World AIDS Day serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle against HIV and AIDS globally. The theme "Let Communities Lead" emphasizes the crucial role communities play in shaping the HIV response This theme also gives us the opportunity to reflect on the essence of youth leadership in the HIV response. In commemoration of  this year’s World AIDS Day, Y+ Global is hosting a  podcast session with the aim to spotlight the significant contributions of young people in the realm of self-care advocacy while embracing the call to remember the past and commit to a future where communities take the lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS. 

As young people continue to drive change, it becomes paramount to showcase their efforts in advocating for self-care strategies as a fundamental component of HIV/AIDS management and prevention. This edition aims to highlight how Youth Wise and You(th) Care have navigated the landscape of self-care advocacy, intertwining their work with the central theme of World AIDS Day “Let Communities Lead”.