Who organises the Y+ Beauty Pageant?
The Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV&AIDS (UNYPA) is a youth lead organisation that was started in 2003 to provide leadership and coordinate the greater and meaningful involvement and participation of YPLHIV in Uganda at the national, regional and global HIV and AIDS response. UNYPA is a direct member of the National Forum of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAFOPHANU) with a membership of 50,000 young people living with HIV/AIDS in the country so far. The institution advocates for improved quality of life of young people living with HIV in Uganda and implements an evidence informed national advocacy program for YPLHIV to lead healthy and productive lives.
Mission- Create an enabling Environment for all young people living and affected by HIV/AIDS to meaningfully participate equally in development of programs that improve their livelihood.
Vision- Positive and productive lives for all young people living and affected by HIV/AIDS
Why the Y+ Beauty Pageant?
74% of Ugandans are aware of their HIV status, of which 89% are on treatment. Increasing knowledge of HIV status through HIV testing and counselling (HTC) is a key route to tackle Uganda’s HIV epidemic and the Y+ Beauty Pageant is part of that solution by using Young People with HIV to front the message on positive living as well as knowing your status and fighting stigmatisation.
The Y+ beauty Pageant was mainly created to reduce on the stigmatization of People Living With HIV/AIDS which also coincides with their inclusion as normal people in the society. The Programme also looks to create awareness about HIV/AIDS as well as encouraging people to know their status and get straight onto medication. Only Young people who already know their status and have gone public about it are accepted in the Pageant- this is done in a bid to create a pool of role models for other Young People living with HIV.
According to a report by UNAIDS (2017), there are many political and cultural barriers which have hindered effective HIV prevention programming in Uganda. As a result, new HIV infections are expected to rise in coming years.
The Pageant doesn’t seek to crown the most beautiful person living with HIV/AIDS but rather the brave, open minded, strong, passionate, young person who later supports fellow young people in the struggle.
The Y+ Beauty Pageant doesn’t look to put a sexy face to HIV/AIDS but to rather leverage the remaining passions, spirits and strengths of Young People Living with HIV by supporting them in living their live fully and happily again. The Pageant aims to reduce on self stigma, and to preach the gospel of hope that comes with living positively.