Last November 19 and 20 delegates from different youth groups attended the 11th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and The Pacific (ICAAP) Virtual Participation. The two-day event was held at the office of Family Planning Organization of the Philippines located in New Manila, Quezon City.
Through the virtual participation, other stakeholders managed to witness and participate in the on-going 11th ICAAP that took place in Bangkok, Thailand from November 18 to 23. The event was participated by representatives from 9 countries and virtually by 3 countries, including the Philippines.
Having a theme of “Self-Stigma among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women and the Linkages with HIV,” the event aims to maximize the involvement of young key populations (YKPs) who have a higher risk of being exposed to HIV.
I was lucky enough to be sent together with two young volunteers from PAFPI wherein we met virtually some high-level leaders. With the use of a webcam, we asked questions regarding our current situation and asked about innovative ways to show the young people’s involvement that was cost-efficient and convenient at the same time. Not only did we show the eagerness of young people to be heard, but we also gave an idea for future events to be maximized no matter where the participants would be.