Natalie Brown the U.S Ambassador in Uganda has said that participating in the grand finale of the Young positive Beauty Pageant for the past two years was a great deriving an incredible honor because it helped her set a positive tone for her tenure in the country.
This, she said allowed her to meet amazing young advocates throughout the country, and being that youth are the majority of Uganda’s population, she believes that they continue to be crucial to the country now and in the future.
“My very first public engagement upon arriving in Uganda was the 2020 grand finale and spending time with these young people living a way for the future was a great way to start my work,” she said
Amb. Natalie made these remarks at the launch of the Y+ Beauty Pageant at Serena Hotel in Kampala on Friday.
Y+ Beauty Pageant is a unique campaign organized by the Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV (UNYPA) aimed at ending stigma and discrimination relating to HIV by empowering young people with knowledge and advocacy skills that enable them to lead the fight against stigma.
In addition, the Y+ Beauty Pageant gives a platform to young people living with HIV to be voiced to the voiceless, pillars of boldness and strength to those still afraid of HIV testing plus uplifting their plight.
Currently, HIV prevalence amongst adolescent girls and young women aged 15-29years is more than double that of boys and also the rate of new infections remains high amongst adolescent girls than boys.
It’s in this regard that H.E Natalie Brown pledged their continued support and commitment to the Health Ministry and other stakeholders such that they work together towards ousting it by 2030.
Daniel Byamukama the head of HIV prevention at the Uganda Aids Commission noted that standing with young people especially those with HIV helps them not to inherit the cultures of discrimination and also delivers a generation free from HIV.
“It’s the young people who should solve the problems of the fellow young people we believe the challenges in adherence to attaining viral road suppurations can be solved by the innovations of the young people, tell us what needs to be done and we shall implement it” Byamukama highlighted.
Byamukama also added that as Uganda Aids Commission they are behind young people to implement what works with them, work with them and empower them such that they can enjoy their sexual reproductive rights without stigma and all forms of discrimination.
“We are willing to hear and learn from you, you just need to tell us the best way and interventions that work for you” he articulated.
Ruth Awori the Executive Director of UNYPA said that now that young people know what they want, this is their chance to engage and support them because they are the end-users at the end of the day.
“Let’s give young people a chance to be part of the designing of the programs and development of policies because at the end of the day they are the ones who will either benefit or be affected” Awori noted.
Awori has however noted that although some young people are still being stigmatized in the community, there is a significant change compared to how it was seven years ago.
Jackson Chekweko the Executive Director of Reproductive Health (RHU) Uganda said that positioning young people living with HIV to lead their campaigns is critical and as stakeholders, they are happy and committed to supporting them in every step they are willing to take.
“As Reproductive Health Uganda we are happy to be associated with this campaign and we call upon all stakeholders to come on board to support this cause” he added.
The 9th edition of the Y+ Beauty Pageant this year will be held under the theme “We have got the voice, pass us the mic” and it will involve a series of auditions from the Central, Eastern, Northern and Western parts of the country.
