I Am One of 7 Million: Young People Living With HIV Advocacy Messages

Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+) and the World AIDS Campaign developed these key advocacy messages and a briefing paper by and for young people living with HIV. These messages resulted from an online survey with 168 young people living with HIV from 55 countries, as well as a literature review and interviews with several key informants. 

These messages are centered around the topics of:

• Universal Access - emphasising the need for health services that address the changing needs of individuals as they progress through childhood and the responsibility of governments to take part in making Universal Access a reality.
• Rights - advocating for the removal of laws criminalising HIV transmission, and creation of laws protecting the rights of people living with HIV.
• Meaningful Involvement - advocating for an individual's right to choose their own level of involvement.
• Leadership - emphasising the need for effective leadership development to benefit both individuals and their communities.
• Safe Disclosure - defining the need to be empowered to safely disclose HIV-positive status not only for the well-being of the individual but also for their peers, with the intent of encouraging more young people to get tested and get the support they need.