BLACK BERRY BEAUTIES SPEAK AT THE CPD 48 SESSION

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a bold step to take the risk and desire to see change. Every year government officials and CSO’s meet to discuss pertinent issues regarding population and development. This year is quite significant since the Millennium Development Goals are coming to an end and a new dawn to the POST 2015 agenda begins. It is great to witness young people join international and regional platforms to ensure that their issues are heard & they participate in the advocacy process.

This year’s conference on population and development was held in New York from 12^th-17^th April 2015 at the United Nations. Young people were present and they had important issues to say, they worked closely with government representatives and were advocating for reproductive health and rights, decent opportunities for all, education for all and comprehensive sexuality education among others. 

CPD 48 session plenary session

It was enlightening to see young people speak as experts in panel discussions concerning the future they want and the importance of engaging youth voices in the POST 2015 process. These black berries from Africa met early February 2013 after attending a CPD training organized by Youth Coalition in Nairobi, Kenya. They have been proactive at national, regional and international level in advocating for Sexual Reproductive health and Rights among young people, Women and girls.



Youth Coalition CPD training in 2013

Sessions conducted by black berry beauties

Venoranda from Kenya (Team leader, Youth Changers Kenya) and a Youth Advocate with Youth Coalition had the opportunity to speak in an event organized by Action Aid, Youth Coalition and UNDP on “Realizing young urban women’s rights to SRHR and decent work – challenges for the post-2015 agenda”. Promoting Meaningful Youth Participation in the post 2015 process is important and establishing linkages between health and employment cannot be overlooked to achieve sustainable development. "A woman is a full circle within her is the power to create, nurture and transform". Diane Mariechild



Venoranda discussing about the Linkages between Health and Decent work



Zoneziwoh from Cameroon (Executive director Women for a change Cameroon) highlighted her work in promoting youth and girls voices in the post-2015 development. She joined a panel discussion hosted by The Permanent Mission of Zambia to the United Nations and the United Nations Population Fund. Zoneziwoh has vast experience with working with women her drive, passion and devotion blows many off. We cannot continue to talk of creating a Post-2015 development framework towards a sustainable future without considering the needs and aspirations of young people, women and girls who constitute over 65% of the world’s total population.

 

 Zoneziwoh Post-2015 development framework must consider the needs and aspirations of young people, women and girls



Edith Asamani from Ghana (Program officer in charge of advocacy and communication Curious minds Ghana and women deliver young leader she has been a speaker at the United Nations General Assembly Meeting and the CPD in 2015. This young girl knows her content; she is very articulate and passionate about touching lives. Meaningful Youth Participation is key for the world to realize sustainable development. When young people are properly equipped with skills and information- they can better engage and contribute effectively to building the ‪#‎WorldWeWant!

Edith "we must build the capacity of young people to engage in the POST 2015 process"

Moving forward: These young women are engaging more with the POST 2015 process, but there is no surety that it will have an extremely strong language on SRHR like the CPD programme of action. They are currently holding national forums on POST 2015 process to advocate governments to prioritize on youth issues especially Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and Youth Participation.

It is important for young people to be conversant with the ongoing processes such as: Intergovernmental negotiations, financing for development, regional meetings on POST 2015 and the upcoming SGD summit to be held in September. These avenues create platforms to ensure that our voices are heard.

Keep flying high shinning stars.

Black berries at the UNGASS meeting September 2014

Big thanks to Youth Coalition, Curious minds, Dance 4 life ,MANDELA Washington Fellowship, USAID & IREX for the support participate in such platforms.

Contributors: Venoranda Rebecca Kuboka, Edith Asamani and Zoneziwoh

Facebook Page: Youth Changers Kenya, Women For a Change Cameroon and Curious Minds Ghana

Email: youthchangerskenya@gmail.com

 



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MARY J

Addressing Sexuality is null without involving boys, while we are busy building the capacity of young girls we have ensured that young men are not left out. YCK team has made sure that they have mentor ship sessions with young boys too.” We believe that in order for us to fight societal challenges like; teenage pregnancy male involvement is integral”

Students listening to the YCK team

The young boys were a great audience, they are extremely vocal and they know that their voices are important in addressing some of the difficulties they experience. With this in mind they clearly articulated that provision of reproductive health information and services is an element that should not be overlooked in achieving sustainable development.

Student explaining the importance of Young people accessing SRH services

The team has been working with this specific school for over 3 years. The attitude and behavior change experienced is remarkable, though other challenges still exist. The school has over 200 students from high social status with students from different races. Some of the issues the young people shared are: Drugs and Substance abuse, pornography & masturbation addiction and early sexual encounters which affect young boys at their age.

As an advocate for change one must be a good listener and know the language that young people speak. Being current with happenings is mandatory”

Men talk

While most of us know Mary J as one of the best musician or perfume this is not the case for these young boys. Surprisingly MARY J means Marijuana it is a name know to them to mean “weed or Bhang, which is a drug commonly abused by many in Kenya especially among young people. It was a great opportunity to learn new slang.

Chatting with this boys is amazing

Contributor: Venoranda Rebecca Kuboka

Connect with us on: youthchangerskenya@gmail.com

Facebook: Youth Changers Kenya

Finally,as part of our mandate YCK will start an academy in the school to ensure a consistent mentorship programme that will address different areas of the student’s life especially; life skills and reproductive health. The students are open to issues and discuss matters of sexuality without fear. The team is convinced that our investment is this young people is not in vain.