YCNTDs Calls for the Prioritization of Efforts to #EndNTDs at the 2024 CHOGM
To the Commonwealth Secretariat and Youth Forum
On the occasion of the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Samoa this week, Youth Combating Neglected Tropical Diseases (YCNTDs), with the endorsement of the Commonwealth Youth Health Network (CYHN) and Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (Uniting), humbly reach out to request your support in the prioritization of efforts to end Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) amongst this year’s meeting resolutions.
About YCNTDs: Established in 2020, YCNTDs is a global youth-focused and led initiative, designed to mainstream the participation of young people within the NTDs community across all its activities. Our work is centered around advocacy, training, and supporting stakeholders, including those affected by and those working to eradicate and eliminate NTDs. Furthermore, YCNTDs recognize that as the largest demographic in the world, young people are also the most at risk of being affected by NTDs. As a result, we believe young people represent a key constituent within the community- one that brings energy, innovative thinking, and talent to the fight against NTDs. Today, the YCNTDs community consists of over 1 200 Champions spread across 52 countries and has been served by eight Advisory Board members.
For our 2024-2025 advocacy period which commenced in September, YCNTDs have recruited six Youth Champions from the African continent to be supported as they lead our demand generation and resource mobilization efforts to #EndNTDs. The six Champions, who come from Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, are the young leaders behind this letter and call for the prioritization of NTDs on the 2024 CHOGM agenda.
NTDs and their significance on the CHOGM agenda: NTDs are a diverse group of 21 conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they affect more than 1 billion people who live in impoverished communities. NTDs are caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins. These preventable and treatable diseases cause devastating health, social, and economic consequences to more than one billion people globally, the majority of whom are children and youth.
When looking at NTDs advocacy, the CHOGM platform holds historical significance for the YCNTDs community. In June 2022, H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, officially launched the Kigali Declaration on NTDs at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and NTDs, held alongside the 26th CHOGM. This high-level political declaration mobilizes political will, community commitment, resources and action, and secures commitments needed to end the suffering caused by NTDs. YCNTDs has supported the Kigali Declaration from its launch—leading the youth consultations on the draft declaration, calling for the recognition of young people as key stakeholders, and now advocating for further endorsements and ownership by those countries who have not yet joined. The Declaration itself has already galvanized substantial commitments from donor governments, endemic country governments, pharmaceutical companies, and NGOs. At the time of the Kigali Summit, US$1.5 billion in financial commitments and 18 billion donated tablets / units of medicine were announced. Two years later as we reach the 27th CHOGM, this figure stands at US$1.7 billion financial commitments, 19 billion donated tablets / units of medicine, and 54 countries having eliminated at least one NTD- a notable demonstration of progress.
Calling on all CHOGM delegates to support ongoing efforts to #BeatNTDs: As the CHOGM delegation meets this week to deliberate on Our Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Commonwealth, we call on our peers and the Heads of Government who will be engaging to recognize NTDs as an ongoing threat to healthy and resilient communities and make firm commitments towards addressing them. In terms of the particular actions that can be taken, YCNTDs would like to draw attention to the Kigali Declaration on NTDs Status Report: 2022-2024 presented to the outgoing Chair-in-Office and celebrating the substantial progress made over the past two years on the path to end NTDs. The report also encourages further action for NTDs by growing endorsers of the Kigali Declaration, motivating existing endorsers to sustain or increase their commitment towards NTDs year-on-year, and urging partners and leaders worldwide to advocate for innovative funding mechanisms to provide robust, predictable, and long-term financing for NTDs.
As we get closer to the 2030 target of Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals as is outlined in the WHO 2021-2030 Road Map on Neglected Tropical Diseases, we must push for the prioritization of these preventable and treatable diseases and the mobilization of resources to back this up. To that end, we ask all attending delegates to endorse the Kigali Declaration and make their contributions to #BeatNTDs.
Together, we can unite, act, and eliminate NTDs for good. So let us rise to the occasion of building the futures we hope to live in through collaborative action, a unified voice, and good faith.
With Warm Regards
Youth Combating NTDs Champions
Enquiries: champions@youthcombatingntds.org
Resources:
- The Kigali Declaration on NTDs by Uniting to Combat NTDs
- The NTDS Advocacy Toolkit by Youth Combating NTDs
YCNTDs and NNN partner to Launch the First Youth-Led Event at NNN Conference
As the world increasingly embraces youth on the WHO #2030RoadMap to #EndNTDs, it must be remembered that youth cannot engage other youth alone. We need to be integrated into national and international platforms meaningfully to contribute effectively to policy and action for change.
This is the powerful statement made by WHO’s Priya Pathak who was in the audience at our first youth-led panel discussion at the 2023 NNN Conference. For many attendees present at the event, this statement not only resonated as a point to consider and act on going forward, but it also spoke to the very reason why our event was needed on this platform. In this article, we share more highlights, key learnings, as well as our full experience from the event and conference.
From the 19th to –21st of September 2023, Youth Combating Neglected Tropical Diseases (YCNTDs), supported by Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (UTC), attended the 14th annual NTD NGO Network (NNN) Conference where we were invited to host the very first youth led panel discussion in the history of the conference.
Titled Demand Generation: The Role of Youth in Creating a Movement to End NTDs, our event took place on 20 September 2023 in Dar es Salaam. The event was hosted by two YCNTDs Advisory Board members, Mary-Jean Nleya and Joachim Mabula, with the panel including young NTD advocates and practitioners from YCNTDs (Hooria Amiri), the NTDs Youth Organization in Japan, The Leprosy Mission in Nepal, and Research Triangle International.
In delivering the event, YCNTDs sought to achieve internal program goals and contribute to the NNN2023 objectives by:
- Setting a precedent and model for young people to contribute to and be included in the NNN going forward.
- Introducing young practitioners as professionals and advocacy leaders in the NTD space.
- Increasing the demand for NTD services in endemic countries, particularly by youth groups.
- Exposing the cross-sectoral link between NTDs and emerging global health priorities such as Climate Change, Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR).
During the panel discussion, 5 key insights emerged:
- 💡 To eliminate the neglect of tropical diseases, it is crucial that we effectively highlight them as part of broader health systems and as directly linked to the emergency health crises o
f today. - 💡 As the heirs to the global health systems, youth carry an added responsibility to generate demand to end the neglect of NTDs. As a result, youth championship and leadership in the NTDs space should be an end goal in itself.
- 💡 For the youth, storytelling plays a huge role in generating demand and creating a movement to end NTDs. It is especially effective when we are able to adapt it to changing media and to various stakeholders.
- 💡 Social media has been identified time and again as an effective tool for advocacy and raising awareness for NTDs. However, in communities where affected people may not have access to the internet, we should also lean on the will and expertise of grassroots parliamentarians and practitioners.
- 💡As the world increasingly embraces youth on the WHO #2030RoadMap to #EndNTDs, it must be remembered that youth cannot engage other youth alone. We need to be integrated into national and international platforms meaningfully to contribute effectively to policy and action for change.
The NNN2023 conference marked an important milestone for us as it provided the opportunity to go back to the place where YCNTDs was established in 2020 to convene the first youth-led panel event of the conference.
We are also excited to report that during the conference we connected with our peers from One Health Society Tanzania as well as other NTD organizations and Champions who expressed their interest in various forms of collaboration with YCNTDs in the future.
Our YCNTDs event recording is now available for streaming on our YouTube channel.
Youth Combating Neglected Tropical Diseases (YCNTDs) is a global community of young changemakers fighting to end Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) through engaging, empowering, and supporting communities to become disease-free. As an initiative of Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (UTC) and Future Africa Forum, YCNTDs engages with stakeholders whose work contributes towards the elimination of NTDs.
Zimbabwean entrepreneur launches global board to fight Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
Youth Combating NTDs founder and Zimbabwean entrepreneur Gerald Chirinda unveiled his global advisory board today as he urged world leaders not to forget NTDs in the fight against Covid-19.
Included in the inspirational young line up is a scientist from Gambia, an anthropologist from the Philippines and a fellow Zimbabwean, Alistair Shingirai Mukondiwa.
Gerald Chirinda is proud that so many young people are stepping up to be heard. He says: "As the largest demographic in the world, young people are also the largest at risk of being affected by NTDs. Young people represent a key constituent within the community, one that brings energy, innovative thinking and talent. Youth Combating NTDs is a global community of young people who are fighting to end NTDs. This youth-focused and led initiative is designed to mainstream the participation of young people within the NTD community across all its activities. We empower young leaders that are passionate about learning, with a view of being actively involved in the work of the NTD community in various capacities that range from advocacy to policy making."
Gerald and members of his new advisory board joined speakers from the World Health Organization (WHO), government officials and a variety of NGOs at a virtual global event calling on world leaders not to forget the fight against NTDs - which affect one in five people on the planet.
One of the participants, Zimbabwean student Alistair Shingirai Mukondiwa, 24, is delighted with his new appointment on the advisory board. He says: "Joining the board has been humbling. As a young person and a healthcare student, it's about taking ownership of the future and correcting the past that allowed some diseases to be ‘neglected' simply because of whom they affected. It is exciting that we are assisting community champions to accelerate the fight against NTDs, in countries such as my own and beyond."
Gerald adds: "Our mission is to build an effective global community of youth who are fighting NTDs, by equipping and strengthening young advocates and leaders with the resources that amplify their voices and influence in innovating and shaping policies that will end NTDs in their communities. Millennials can help to end Neglected Tropical Diseases and our new advisory board will help us to spread that message."
The full advisory board line-up
• Noella Bigirimana (Chair) - Rwanda
• Matt Hughsam - Canada
• Dr. Neneh Sallah - Gambia
• Enow Awah Georges Stevens - Cameroon
• Dr. Kikiope Oluwarore - Nigeria
• Nilesh Jambhekar - India
• Jona Claire Turalde - Phillipines
• Dr. Joachim Mabula - Tanzania
• Shomy Hasan Chowdhury - Bangladesh
• Geoffrey Otieno - Kenya
• Lucy Fagan - United Kingdom
• Alistair Shingirai Mukondiwa - Zimbabwe
• Mary-Jean Nleya - Botswana
Source: https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-lifestyle-sc-health-byo-188313.html
Bangladeshi campaigner urges world leaders not to forget NTDs
Shomy Hasan Chowdhury, from Dhaka, Bangladesh has been selected as one of just 13 young activists from across the globe forming the first ever advisory board at a youth-led organization to fight Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
The 26 year-old campaigner joins an impressive line-up of young talent which includes a scientist from Gambia, an anthropologist from the Philippines and an entrepreneur from Tanzania on the board of Youth Combating NTDs, a press release said.
One of the first orders of business for Shomy was to join the World Health Organization (WHO), government officials and a variety of NGOs as they called on world leaders not to forget the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) - which affect one in five people on the planet. Shomy spoke at a virtual global summit organised by Uniting to Combat NTDs which is aiming to keep NTDs on the health agenda as world leaders and policy makers tackle Covid.
Shomy has already received much recognition for her social work, notably the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold) from President Barack Obama for her outstanding contribution to community service. Most recently she has become the first Bangladeshi to be awarded the 2019 Diana Legacy Award for her humanitarian work continuing Princess Diana’s legacy.
Shomy, a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activist, says: “"Bangladesh needs to step up its efforts against NTDs. I believe that young people could be a driving force to help escalate that."
Youth Combating NTDs founder Gerald Chirinda is delighted Shomy has been appointed to the board. He says: “As the largest demographic in the world, young people are also the largest at risk of being affected by NTDs. Young people represent a key constituent within the community, one that brings energy, innovative thinking and talent. Shomy has demonstrated passion and focus in her social work to date. She brings determination, knowledge and a clear vision of what she would like to achieve.”
He continues: “Youth Combating NTDs is a global community of young people who are fighting to end NTDs. This youth-focused and led initiative is designed to mainstream the participation of young people within the NTD community across all its activities. We empower young leaders that are passionate about learning, with a view of being actively involved in the work of the NTD community in various capacities that range from advocacy to policy making.
“Our mission is to build an effective global community of youth who are fighting NTDs, by equipping and strengthening young advocates and leaders with the resources that amplify their voices and influence in innovating and shaping policies that will end NTDs in their communities. Millennials can help to end Neglected Tropical Diseases and Shomy will help us to spread that message.
“We are asking people to join the global pledge at #EndTheNegect”
Source: https://www.jagonews24.com/en/amp/50712
Youth urged to take a driving seat in the fight against NTDs
The call was made by Mariatheresa Kadushi, founder of a Dar es Salaam based—Mobile Afya Info firm—Mobile Afya, when responding to a question on why young people should care about NTDs.
The question was a result of presentation and discussions following a launch of two global campaigns End the Neglect and Youth Combating NTDs in Dar es Salaam last week.
Mariatheresa said that young people are the most affected by NTDs, and constitute a large number of the population, “so if they do not engage in the fight to end NTDs now, which trap communities in endless cycle of poverty and cost developing countries billions of dollar every year, come 2030, the effect of the NTDs will be mostly felt by them (young people).”
“Because we are the mainly affected group by NTDs, in Tanzania young people under 15 years old are 44% of the population and youth of 15 – 35 years old are 35% of the total population, if the effects of these diseases are not reduced and eliminated they will affect a huge a number of young people who live in poverty and have little or no access to healthcare,” Mariatheresa said.
She added: “As youth we can no longer stand and watch diseases that have affected our parents and grandparent continue to affect our generation as well, these diseases are preventable and treatable, so we want to take charge and drive the fight to create an NTDs free generation.”
According Mariatheresa, youth commitment is in the belief that, they are the generation to end NTDs using their innovative approaches, collective voices, cross-sector partnerships, creativity and unmatched drive.
“This is youth’s fight. Together with all partners involved and our leaders we will combat NTDs,” said Mariatheresa emphatically.
Earlier, Dr Mwelecela Ntuli Malecela, Director of the Control of NTDs at the World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the youth initiative and pledged to working with them to end NTDs.“I welcome the Youth Combating NTDs initiative and look forward to working with the younger generation towards a world free of these diseases of poverty,” she said.
Youth Combating NTDs is designed to encourage the participation of young people globally in the fight to beat NTDs. The initiative will equip and strengthen young advocates and leaders with the necessary resources to amplify their voice and effectively shape policies, to end NTDs in their communities. As the digital space is key for mobilizing Millennials and Generation Z, youth plans to leverage social media to raise awareness of NTDs, and engage and activate the global youth community.