UNITED! Movement

The UNITED! movement aims to build on advocacy, through accelerating youth-led responses and social accountability towards HIV and SRHR commitments.

[Jimbo Shanurah @jimboshanurah]

Young people are not just participating in conversations today, we are shaping them. Proud to be part of the Mock Parliament on Menstrual Hygiene Management at Parliament of Uganda.
#YMP2026

[Peter Niwamanya @Peter2020767]

Government should treat sanitary pads as essential health commodities by removing taxes, and ensuring free access in schools and vulnerable communities. Development is realized when confidence and awareness is boosted among girls.@ahfugandacares @UNITEDMoveESA

[Y+ Global @Yplus_Global]

📢 Endorse the Joint Youth Statement for the #2026HLMAIDS. Developed by Y+ Global, @YouthRISE & @YouthLEADAP_ , the statement outlines key priority areas to ensure the 2026 PD reflects the realities, rights and needs of young people. Endorse & share 👉🏼 https://t.co/M6EB3n9Sob

[YPNHW Zimbabwe @YPNZimbabwe]

It's #MenstrualHygieneDay 🌸

Periods are normal. Talking about them should be too.
YPNHW stands with every young person fighting for access, dignity & education around menstrual health.

Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld 💪

#MHDay2026 #YPNHZimbabwe #BreakTheStigma

[UNAIDS Eastern & Southern Africa @UNAIDS_ESA]

"Accepting your status is the revolution in this journey" 🙌🏿

@1banom9nde opens up about her daily life and the acceptance of her HIV status in #Crossingthelastmile : the #Hotmic session🎤

👉🏿https://t.co/GFsXK1qPgf #2gether4SRHR

[UNAIDS Eastern & Southern Africa @UNAIDS_ESA]

Policies alone don't keep adolescent mothers in school: implementation does.

And it needs funded budget lines for re-entry, clear protocols and linked education, health & social protection services so girls can return quickly & safely. 📚

👉🏿https://t.co/yW8YG52rYM #2gether4SRHR

[UNAIDS Eastern & Southern Africa @UNAIDS_ESA]

Brushing your teeth, going to the gym, knowing your HIV prevention options: all the same energy!

Your health routine shouldn't stop at the surface: PrEP, PEP, condoms & open conversations deserve a spot in your everyday life too!🙌🏿

#preventionchitchat #2gether4SRHR

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

📢 Available now! Access The UNITED! Movement Youth Engagement in @GlobalFund Processes Roadmap supports CCM Youth Representatives and youth-led orgs with practical guidance and tools for advocacy, participation, and accountability. Download 👉🏼 https://t.co/2n0XvugqEB

[Y+ Global @Yplus_Global]

🚨Attention youth-led orgs! Help us review, strengthen, and endorse the U=U Youth Manifesto. Your support will help amplify a global youth-led call for dignity, access and stigma-free HIV care - to be presented at #AIDS2026. 📝 Sign on by 22 May 2026 👉🏼 https://t.co/uJw8Puwulg

[THE BAKER JUMBAZ🎤🇺🇦🇨🇦🇰🇪 (Official) @bakerjumba1]

Flipping Tokenism into Inclusion:

Meet @EmojelTrevor from UG as he tells his Story.
Trevor’s journey with UNITED! began in 2023—sparking a mission to end tokenism in youth advocacy.

Today, he’s shaping decisions, amplifying youth voices.

#UNITEDMovementESA
@UNITEDMoveESA

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

Catch-up with some of our members in their reflections on what the AUDA-NEPAD 1st Continental Conference for Non-State Actors on Demographic Dividend & Reproductive Health meant to them.

#UNITEDMovementESA #equippedforchange #demographicdividend #youthleadership

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

Young people in Eastern and Southern Africa are shifting from fragmented advocacy to a unified regional voice. By participating in decision-making, youth are ensuring that policies and service delivery directly respond to their specific needs regarding HIV and sexual reproductive health. The United Movement fosters this coordinated effort to ensure that decision-makers across the region hear a consistent message from the youth.

Hear what Cyprian has to say.

#UNITEDMovementESA #youthadvocacy #youthvoices #equippedforchange #unitedmovement

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

Flipping Tokenism into Inclusion: Emojel’s Story (Uganda)

Trevor’s journey with the UNITED! Movement began in 2023 at the UNITED! Leadership Summit where young leaders from across the ESA region came together to break silos and unite around HIV, SRHR, and youth advocacy. That moment sparked something bigger.

Driven by the gap in meaningful youth participation, Trevor has been pushing beyond tokenism, advocating for young people to not just be present, but to actively shape decisions that affect their lives.

Through UNITED!, doors once closed are opening. From moderating high-level panels with government ministers to engaging in regional platforms, Trevor has grown into a stronger, more confident leader, grounded in accountability and impact.

At country level, he’s seen the power of bringing youth-led organisations together, creating spaces where collaboration thrives and young voices lead the conversation. Exposure across the region has also strengthened his vision, pushing for better investment, stronger systems, and youth-centred solutions.

#YouthLeadership #UNITEDMovementESA #VoicesOfTheMovement

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

Believing in a Young Survivor: Ravel’s Story (Burundi)

Ravel Gatoto’s journey started with what he witnessed growing up in Burundi; rising HIV infections, limited access to services, and few safe spaces for young people. As a young person living with HIV, he knew something had to change.

Today, through Homeward and the UNITED! Movement, Ravel is championing economic empowerment for young people, especially communities affected by HIV because dignity starts with independence.

What began as a learning opportunity in 2023 quickly grew into regional leadership. From feeling uncertain in new spaces to chairing meetings and shaping programmes, Ravel found his voice and his power.

Now, he’s building pathways for others, proving that youth belong at the centre of solutions. “I want to create opportunities where none existed before.”

#youthleadership #UNITEDMovementESA #voicesofthemovement

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

This is what happens when young people stop working in silos and start showing up together.

Through the UNITED! Movement, Country Representatives convened youth-led networks working in HIV, SRHR, other intersecting issues & youth advocates in 7 ESA countries with various stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, UN Agencies amongst others to tackle the issues that actually matter. Issues of high new HIV infections rates amongst young people, teenage pregnancy, maternal health, limited access to youth-friendly services and youth unemployment.

The UNITED! Movement is proving that regional & country-level collaboration works. We’re talking mentorship. Resource sharing. Real advocacy. And a platform where young voices don’t just echo but they lead.

🎥 Watch & hear how we’re driving youth-led change and collaboration, together.

#UNITEDMovementESA #youthleadership #unitedmovement #equippedforchange

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

From Silent Witness to Bold Advocate: Evelyn’s Story (Zambia)

Before stepping into formal advocacy, Evelyn was already listening. Volunteering at a clinic during her psychology studies, she saw the gaps, stigma, limited support for young people living with HIV, and a lack of youth-friendly services. That’s when it became personal and purposeful.

Through the Zambia Network for Young People Living with HIV and the UNITED! Movement, Evelyn found her voice and a powerful community. What started small grew into collective, data-driven advocacy, connecting her with youth leaders across the region and strengthening her impact.

Today, she’s not just advocating, she’s shaping systems. With stronger confidence, skills, and a belief in collective action, Evelyn is pushing for youth-centred solutions in Zambia and beyond.

“Young people are not just beneficiaries, we are leaders. And our voices are essential for Africa’s progress.”

#youthleadership #UNITEDMovementESA #voicesofthemovement

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

Finding the Courage to Take Up Space: Adrian’s Story (Zimbabwe)

Adrian Wela’s advocacy journey began with a search for belonging. Growing up queer in Zimbabwe, he faced stigma, exclusion, and spaces that often made him feel unseen. Those experiences shaped a powerful goal: to become the support he once needed for others.

In 2024, Adrian joined the UNITED! Movement ESA as part of the first Youthfluencer cohort, drawn to its commitment to youth leadership & youth-led safe spaces. There, he found his voice, speaking openly about the realities faced by LGBTQ+ young people and helping shift narratives around key populations.

Through regional platforms, Adrian began contributing to conversations shaping HIV and SRHR responses. Sharing his perspective in a regional webinar was a turning point. It was the first time he truly felt heard, reinforcing that youth voices are not optional, but essential.

The experience sharpened his advocacy approach, helping him think more strategically about reaching overlooked communities. Today, Adrian champions youth-led solutions, believing young people must shape the policies that affect their lives.

His vision is simple but powerful: “a future rooted in dignity, inclusion, and kindness.” Where every young person in Zimbabwe can live freely, safely, and unapologetically.

#UNITEDMovementESA #voicesofthemovement #youthleadership

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

Turning Personal Experience into Collective Strength: Linda’s Story (Malawi)

Linda Phiri’s journey with the UNITED! Movement ESA began in 2024 at a regional SRHR and HIV conference in Kenya. An experience that led to her becoming Malawi’s country representative. But her advocacy started much earlier.

After a traumatic experience in childhood went unnoticed, Linda grew determined to ensure no girl feels unseen or unsupported. By 17, she had founded a women-led organisation mentoring GBV survivors and helping girls stay in school, turning her story into a source of strength for others.

Through UNITED!, Linda has grown in confidence, connected with young leaders across Africa, and secured mentorship through the Her Voice Fund. As country representative, she led Malawi’s first UNITED! Movement country-level engagement dialogue, bringing youth organisations together to build skills, strengthen collaboration, and amplify their impact. Her work has also gained recognition from regional partners, expanding opportunities for her organisation.

Sharing her story publicly became a turning point, helping her heal while inspiring other girls. Today, Linda continues to shape youth advocacy spaces, contributing to regional discussions and championing inclusion.

For her, the biggest message is clear “when young people feel heard and work together, real change happens.”

#UNITEDMovementESA #voicesofthemovement #youthleadership

[UNITED! Movement @UNITEDMoveESA]

From the Kingdom of Eswatini 🇸🇿, as GC8 begins and allocation letter is received, young people are clear on what must happen & here’s what Sikhulile has to say:

📌Equal partnership not beneficiaries, but fully resourced partners.

📌A real seat at the CCM table with meaningful, ethical participation and voting power.

📌Funding for what’s been neglected: mental health, prevention, and community-led responses.

📌Inclusion of key populations, adolescents, boys, and men.

To ensure these priorities are not sidelined, youth CCM representatives must ensure to be in the writing team “nothing about us without us”.

#UNITEDMovementESA #gc8 #globalfund