The YP Foundation

We have moved!

noreply@blogger.com (The YP Foundation) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:38:00 +0000

The Youth Parliament was renamed 'The YP Foundation' in 2007 when it was legally registered as a charitable trust and we've moved to our website - www.theypfoundation.org - which also features a regular blog on what's happening at TYPF. Do join us there :)

We're leaving this blog open till our 10th Anniversary on July 26, 2012, for those who are more used to searching for The Youth Parliament, after which we'll take it down.

Opening for Communications Intern

noreply@blogger.com (The YP Foundation) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 07:12:00 +0000

The Accountability Initiative (www.accountabilityindia.in/) has an exciting new opportunity for young graduates interested in a career in development communications.

The Initiative is seeking to hire a Communications Intern to assist in the development and dissemination of its knowledge and information products. Ideally, the Intern will be a fresh graduate with some experience in communications, website content development and management.

Please contact the organization for a detailed Terms of Reference for the post. We would be very grateful if you could circulate the TORs amongst your networks.

Mandakini Devasher Surie

Research Analyst

Accountability Initiative
Centre for Policy Research
Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri, N. Delhi -110021
Tel: +91-11-26115273-76
Mob: +91-9717-480-432
www.accountabilityindia.org

6 projects. 70 supporters. 1 run.

noreply@blogger.com (The YP Foundation) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 14:49:00 +0000

On 21st November 2010, 70 of our supporters will participate in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon to ensure that 350 young people and children at The YP Foundation can continue to create programmes and influence policies in the areas of gender, sexuality, health, education, the arts & governance.

The YP Foundation is a non profit, youth organization that promotes, protects and advances young people’s human rights by building leadership, and strengthening youth led initiatives and movements.

Founded in 2002, we have worked over the last 8 years directly with 5,000 young people to set up over 250 projects in India, reaching out to 300,000 young people.

Every contribution, especially yours, can help.

Consider supporting our work and make an online donation today.

You can donate online at http://concernindiafoundation.org/online/donation1.asp . You need to ppt for ‘supporting somebody's run ADHM2010’ category and can quote any one of us (including me) who are raising I Pledges for The YP Foundation.

TYPF has always been feasible because people have worked together - do join in and help us make this organization and its vision a stable and secure one.

A big thank you in advance,

Ishita Chaudhry (on behalf of the team at The YP Foundation)

2 MCD officials held for threatening RTI applicant

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 06:11:00 +0000

Note from the Organizers:

On the 13th of March, The YP Foundation hosted an inter-generational RTI forum for young people at the India Habitat Center, in partnership with UNDP, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, SPIL and Governance Now. The forum looked at where the RTI movement in India stood, the work that people had done collectively and examined what young people had to critically focus at this point and time, to be able take the movement forward.

As part of the discussions of the forum, Mohit Sharma, a participant, shared his concerns with the audience on threats he said he had received from the MCD, in response to filing an RTI Application concerning illegal construction work in Shahdara. In a conversation with Mr. Wajahat Habibullah, Chief Information Commissioner, who was present at the panel, the CIC promised to be look into the matter. We are extremely happy to report from the Times of India report pasted below, that the CIC seems to have followed up on their word! On behalf of all of us present at the forum, we'd like to thank the CIC, Mr. Habibullah and Mr. Shailesh Gandhi for keeping their word.

In Solidarity,

The YP Foundation

******************************

2 MCD officials held for threatening RTI applicant

Dwaipayan Ghosh, TNN, Apr 21, 2010, 01.20am IST

NEW DELHI: Two MCD engineers have been arrested in northeast district after they allegedly threatened an activist who had filed an RTI application seeking details of illegal construction in Shahdara (North).

"We have arrested the engineers — assistant engineer Umesh Singh and executive engineer B M N Rao. Our investigation revealed the two had gone to the house of the complainant in Dilshad Garden and threatened him. The third accused — junior engineer Hari Singh — is yet to be arrested. We have certain leads and will arrest him soon," said S S Yadav, DCP (northeast).

The arrests came after the victim approached the information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, seeking help when the local police did not take him seriously. Incidentally, a few policemen from the area were recently suspended by senior officers after they allegedly helped a trader kill his maid in Ghaziabad. Sources said when the activist approached Gandhi, the local policemen feared action against them and some progress was made in the case.

Mohit Sharma, 33, had filed an RTI application seeking information from the MCD on unauthorized constructions in Shahdara (north). Instead of furnishing the details, MCD engineers tried to put pressure on him to back out. When Sharma refused to comply, they landed at his house and threatened him with "dire consequences".

Sharma complained about the engineers at the Seemapuri police station but he got no relief. Sources said that when Ghandi came to know about Sharma’s struggle, he wrote a letter to police commissioner Y S Dadwal. In his letter, he urged the police chief to look into the matter. A few days later a case was registered against the accused.

According to the FIR, Umesh had threatened Sharma directly. "You are too young to play such dangerous games. It is like playing with fire," he reportedly told the activist. "Umesh also told me that no one can survive after clashing with MCD officials. I will demolish your home" claimed Sharma in his complaint.

Article Link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/2-MCD-officials-held-for-threatening-RTI-applicant/articleshow/5837950.cms

Press Release: On the death of Dr Srinivas Ramachandra Siras under suspicious circumstances

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:58:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 7th April, 2010

News reports on several media channels have just reported the death of Dr Srinivas Ramachandra Siras, 64, Reader and Chair of Modern Indian Languages at Aligarh Muslim University. According to reports, Dr Siras’ body was found “in mysterious circumstances” with bleeding from the mouth in his home in Aligarh.

Dr Siras, as is known, had recently fought against his unlawful and unethical suspension from AMU on the grounds of “gross indecency”. After decades of teaching, he was suspended merely a few months before his retirement on the basis of videotapes filmed by intruders into own home without his consent in a blatant and homophobic violation of his privacy. Right after, he said: “I have spent two decades here. I love my University. I have always loved it and will continue to do so no matter what. I wonder if they have stopped loving me because I am gay.”

Dr Siras’ suspension had provoked outrage from countless citizens, teachers, and community members across the country. He had challenged the AMU administration in the Allahabad High Court. Just this past week, the Court stayed his suspension and his unlawful removal from his official accommodation. Dr Siras said, “I am happy because I have been judged in a wrong way. I have already said that I am gay. I am the same man, with the same qualifications, with the same features and personality. Now I can go back to my beloved University.”

We, as concerned citizens, members of the Independent Fact Finding Committee and, for many of us, as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Indians ourselves, express our shock, outrage and deep sadness at the loss of a teacher, a loyal member of the AMU community, a gay man, and a kind, gentle soul.

Since the death of Dr. Siras has taken place under suspicious circumstances, and he has made powerful enemies in the recent past, we demand that the police conduct a full, fair and impartial investigation into the cause of death. A step in the right direction has been taken by sending his body for a post-mortem examination. The results of this examination must be made public immediately.

We demand that the concerned police officer should immediately register a case of unnatural death under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure and forward this information to the concerned Executive Magistrate.

We demand that the Executive Magistrate conduct an inquest as mandated under Section 176 of the Criminal Procedure Code to determine the cause of death.

That Dr Siras had to undergo the trauma, fear, harassment and humiliation in his own beloved University in what would turn out to be his last weeks is condemnable. If these events and that trauma are in any way linked to his death, then all actors involved must be held culpable.

Deepti Sharma (Saheli, Delhi), Anjali Gopalan (Naz Foundation, Delhi), Gautam Bhan (Voices against Sec 377, Delhi), Pramada Menon (Voices against Sec 377, Delhi), Lesley Esteves (PRISM, Delhi), Sunil Gupta (Nigah, Delhi), Arvind Narrain (Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore), Jaya Sharma (Nirantar, Delhi), Avantika (AALI, Lucknow), Saleem Kidwai (Lucknow), Kabi Sherman, LABIA (Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action, Mumbai)

The Delhi Twestival!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:54:00 +0000

On Thursday 25 March 2010, people in hundreds of cities around the world will come together offline to rally around the important cause of Education by hosting local events to have fun and create awareness. Twestival (or Twitter Festival) uses social media for social good. All of the local events are organized 100% by volunteers and 100% of all ticket sales and donations go direct to projects.

We are working at organising the Twestival in Delhi on March 25th and need your support and participation to make it a success.

Details
Delhi Twestival
March 25, 2010 – 6.00 PM-8.30 PM
Café Morrison (http://www.cafemorrison.com/Map.asp)
E-12, South Extension Part-II Market,
New Delhi – 110049

Schedule
Assemble at 6
Engage in introductions and networking
Stand Up comedy acts and other interactions
Rock Concert
Disperse by 8.30

There’ll be a couple of PhotoSmart Printers available at the venue to help you have your images turn real-life. Don’t forget to carry your gadgets with you, and click as many pictures as you want.

Who's Playing?
The Stars of the evening performing at the concert will be the progressive-glamfunk Indian underground band – Five8 (http://twitter.com/five8india). They are really awesome, listen to some of their samples on MySpace (http://myspace.com/five8india).

Sponsors
The event is sponsored by:
Intel India: http://www.intel.com/in (http://twitter.com/IntelIndia)
HP Imaging & Printing Group: http://hp.com/in/printer (http://twitter.com/hpprint4life)

The event is Free-For-All, so do bring along your friends, family and colleagues.

More Details
Delhi Twestival - http://delhi.twestival.com
RSVP on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106384902717301
On Twitter - http://twitter.com/DelTwestival

Hashtag for Conversations - #DelTwestival
Please help spread the word about the event - Blog, Tweet, Shout !!

Feel free to Contact -
Mohak Prince (+91-9868669175)
http://twitter.com/mohakprince

From Exploring the RTI Act to Building a Movement - Do Young People Matter?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:28:00 +0000

The YP Foundation

in collaboration with

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and Students for Promotion of International Law (SPIL)

present a discussion forum:

“From Exploring the RTI Act to Building a Movement - Do Young People Matter?”

March 13^th, 2010

6 PM – 8.30 PM

at Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road New Delhi

The forum will explore how young people can take the RTI movement of the country forward. Bringing together leading and key personalities of the movement, the forum will seek to answer the following:

1. At what stage is the RTI Movement currently?

2. Has the filing of RTI Applications increased the overall efficiency and functioning of public authorities?

3. Internationally, what does the right to information signify?

4. What role can young people play in taking the movement forward?

5. What more can be done to make a larger impact and increase the efficacy of the movement?

Creating a space for inter-generational dialogue, the forum intends to set a collaborative agenda between organizations working on the RTI currently in the city and young people who want to get involved in the movement.

Confirmed panelists include:

Mr.Shekhar Singh, NCPRI
Ms.Sumeeta Banerji, UNDP
Ms.Sanchita Bakshi, CHRI
Ms. Manju Sadarangani, US Embassy

To confirm your attendance please RSVP @ 46792243/ 44/ 9871011544 / 9899651625

We hope to see you there! :)

WHAT DOES YOUR VOTE WANT?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:06:00 +0000

As people we need to create the change we want to see.
BOTHER.
To engage with the system.
To challenge it. To change it.

We need accountability.
Not excuses.
We need active citizenship.

The poor condition of roads outside your house.

The criteria of your internal assessment in college.

The expenditure that your local MP/MLA incurs.

The working of your college, of your government.

What does your vote really want?

How can you use the RTI?

Exploring The Right to Information Act

The YP Foundation presents a series of public workshops in New Delhi @

St. Stephen's College- 16th Feb, 2010, 1.30 PM.

Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies- 17th Feb, 2010; 12 PM.

Sri Venkateswara College- 18th Feb, 2010, 1.30 PM.

IME Law College- 19th Feb, 2010; 11 AM.

Supported by:

United Nations Development Programme
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

For queries,

Call: +91 9871011544 or 011 46792243
Email: yp.rti.programme@gmail.com
Visit: www.theypfoundation.org

Do join us! :)

Hurricane Bells & Them Clones LIVE! Workshop & Concert :)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:50:00 +0000

The American Center in association with The YP Foundation, The Ashok and The Hard Rock Cafe, presents

January 30 2010, 12.00pm

Band Craft: A workshop with Hurricane Bells & Them Clones

Moderated by Dhruv Jagasia, Manager, Indian Ocean

Interactive discussions about perspectives on producing music yourself, getting a break or making one happen, marketing and touring bands in India and the USA.

The American Center, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi

Entry is Free, No Prior Registration Required / (Please bring a valid Photo Id to enter)

Hurricane Bells & Them Clones Live in Concert:

January 30 2010, 6 pm onwards

Ashoka Amphitheatre, The Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi

Entry is Free

Queries: +91 11 46792243

www.theypfoundation.org / www.theyouthparliament.blogspot.com

About the Artistes

Hurricane Bells is the new project from Steve Schiltz, singer and guitarist of Longwave. After touring the better part of last year around Longwave’s fourth album Secrets Are Sinister ,Schiltz set up shop to create a new project with little else than his MacBook and an Mbox. He wrote, played, recorded and mixed every note himself, arranging what would become Tonight Is The Ghost. Some songs were fully crafted within the past 18 months, while others are newly architected from pieces written throughout his years as a songwriter. The song entitled “Monsters”, went on to become the soundtrack for the major motion picture, “New Moon”. Vagrant Records released Tonight Is The Ghost digitally on November 10, 2009. A b-side, Monsters, appears on the soundtrack of the second film of the Twilight franchise, New Moon.

For more information and videos log onto:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di4GRuZ2l1c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ECVi3bJoc&feature=related

http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/entertainment/movies/2009/11/hurricane-bells-interviewnew-moon-soundtrack-debut-video/

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/hurricanebells?ref=search&sid=516292615.3386950318..1

Them Clones were created sometime in 2000. “It came about as we were looking to forge an identity as a left-of-the-middle sort of band. The name reflects the general attitude of the band which was to look at their stage personalities as clones of their selves”. Inspired by the dramatic world of rock n’ roll and of course themselves, their tryst with songwriting has directed them across the course of the thoughtful to confessional, from the assertive to the provocative; but has been, consistently, accompanied by a tight groove or a silken melody. Apart from numerous concerts and gigs across, they were the chosen ones at Channel [V] LaunchPad in 2005 and also got voted as the ‘Best Band’ at JD Rock Awards twice in row in 2006 and 2007 along with the emphatic win as 2nd runners up at the Channel [V] AMP Big Break All Asia. Followed with their super successful single release 'My Life' in May 2009, their debut album ‘Love.Hate.Heroes' was released in October 2009, under Counter Culture / EMI records which was marked with a short nationwide tour.

Them Clones has also been nominated for this year's Jack Daniels Rock Awards is 'Best Band' category, along with 'My Life' and 'Love.Hate.Heroes' getting nominated for 'Best Song' and 'Best Album' slot. To vote, log onto http://www.jdrockawards.com

For more information log onto:

http://themclones.com/about/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Them_Clones

http://www.indiecision.com/2009/10/14/them-clones-love-hate-heroes-details/

For Music Videos log onto:

The Bomb Song - Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk1xMgtIZG4

My Life - Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk1xMgtIZG4

Be a fan of Them Clones on:

http://www.facebook.com/themclones

Follow Them Clones on:

http://www.twitter.com/themclones

Voice of Youth For A Better Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:34:00 +0000

Appeal for the inclusion of improved Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Rights (ASRH)

We would first like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your candidacy for President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for the upcoming presidential elections and we would like to wish you the best in this fair and free election.

The National Youth Coalition of Sri Lanka (NYCSL) is a youth run entity that advocates for the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights and needs of youth in Sri Lanka. The coalition includes the membership of youth organizations based in Sri Lanka and is supported by major international and regional youth coalitions and organizations. The NYCSL developed 9 recommendations through a consultative process in October 2008 (Please refer Annex 1: Recommendations report, REACH NOW 08).

While some of these recommendations have in fact been captured in goal 4, “Promote responsible adolescent and youth behavior” of the Population and Reproductive Health Policy - 1998, which was developed by the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine and most of the action plans developed for the implementation of this policy has not been implemented. (Please refer Annex 2: Action plan of the Population and Reproductive Health Policy, 1998).

As an organization that advocates the ASRH rights of youth in Sri Lanka, we would like to respectfully urge you to focus your action through the implementation of your election manifestos in the areas of youth, health and education based on the recommendations stated below upon your accession to the position of Presidency of our nation.

Background:

In Sri Lanka young people aged 10 to 24 years constitute 28% of the total population of 19.1 million, with a majority of them falling within the adolescent age group. Though there are strong cultural and religious traditions against sex before marriage in the country, the age of sexual debut for both males and females has been found to be early: 15.3 years for males while for females at 14.4 years. A national survey on young people aged 10-19 years revealed that a substantial proportion of school-going youth were sexually active. Six percent of those going to school in the 14-19 year age group reported heterosexual intercourse, while 10% disclosed having homosexual relations. Out-of-school adolescents revealed a higher percentage (22%) of sexually active adolescents^[1]. There is a need to promote responsible caring attitudes towards each other, to young persons of both sexes and promote responsible sexual behaviour so that the effects of these social problems and others like STD, HIV and AIDS will be mitigated in the future.^[2]

Recommendations

The recommendations have been divided into 4 key areas: Policy, Services, Awareness and Advocacy. The footnotes indicate the corresponding strategy that was developed under the Population and Reproductive Health Policy – 1998
Policy:

a) Ensure the involvement of young people in designing policies that affect their lives nationally, regionally and internationally
b) Develop policies that would ensure ASRH education/capacity building into educational curriculums: including schools, universities, colleges, vocational training institutes, military
c) academies and other such institutions with a high concentration of youth^[3]
^{d) Develop policies that address the SRH needs of young people including those living with HIV, gay and lesbian persons and disabled youth.}
^{Services^[4]^:}
^{^{a) Facilitate the provision of youth focused & youth friendly ASRH services and resources island wide}}
^{^{b) Increase and improve access to these youth friendly services , information & resources island wide}}
^{^{c) Focus on provision of ASRH/HIV information to ALL youth (through youth}}
^{^{Organizations/youth networks) Awareness:}}
Use key influencers including media/CBOs/NGOs, Religious leaders as well as established institutions to provide awareness programmes on ASHR[5]
Advocacy:

a. Develop a legally and state recognized youth advocacy group in Sri Lanka that become a voice for youth in ASRH related issues.

Develop a legally and state recognized youth advocacy group in Sri Lanka that can become a voice for youth on
ASRH related issues

b. Advocate with families, religious institutions and key public figures to include ASRH in formal and informal educational steams.
^[6]

We as the National Youth Coalition, believes that, in the occasion of you being elected as the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, you will ensure the full implementation of the above recommendations and we as the NYC will provide our maximum support for the same. We as the NYC will be able to provide the following to your government;

Technical Support in the implementation of the said recommendation

Youth Mobilization

Networking

Milinda Rajapaksha,

Convenor: National Youth Coalition of Sri Lanka

nycsl@gmail.com, milinda.rajapaksha@gmail.com

Mobile No: +94772543307

CC-

All Presidential Candidates

Media

Minister of Youth Affairs

Minister of Health

Minister of Education

Director, Health Education Bureau

Director, Tharunyata Hetak

Director, National Youth Front

Annex 1: Recommendations report, REACH NOW 08

Annex 2: Action plan of the Population and Reproductive Health Policy, 1998

[1] National Survey on emerging issues among adolescents in Sri Lanka, Colombo: UNICEF 2004

[2] Rationale, Goal 4; “Promote responsible adolescent and youth behaviour”, Population and Reproductive Health Policy, 1998, Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine

[3] Goal 4, Strategy (a), ibid

[4] Goal 4, Strategy (c), ibid

[5] Goal 4, Strategy (c), ibid

[6] Goal 4, Strategy (g), ibid

Ringing in the New Year with ReRock!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:43:00 +0000

Wishing everyone a brilliant 2010 ahead - thank you so much for all your help, support and encouragement this past year, it means a lot and pulled us through :) Join us to celebrate with Airtel ReRock on the 9th, entry is free and passes are with us.

- The Team at The YP Foundation _______________________________________________

AIRTEL

Presents

RE ROCK II

The Garden of Five Senses Amphitheatre, Saket January 9th, 2009 6PM - 10 PM

~ Electric Plant ~ White Fang ~ Applied For ~ Unfinished Biz

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Barista Lavazza, Music World, Media Offline, The YP Foundation and PVR Cinemas

Gates Open at 5:00 PM Seating on First Come First Served Basis

No alcohol, arms or narcotics allowed on the premises

For Passes Contact : 011-46792243/44

Passes also available at Barista (Basant Lok Market, Khan Market, GK I, GK II, Kamla Nagar), Music World (Ansal Plaza, Vasant Kunj) & The YP Foundation office (N- 204 Greater Kailash I)

The South Asian Bands Festival 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:53:00 +0000

Amidst all the work happening for our fundraiser concert on December 10, 2009, we've just partnered with Seher, an Indian NGO that does some superbly interesting work with artists across South Asia, for The South Asian Bands Festival 2009 that's happening this December. The festival brings together some of the biggest names in music from across South Asia and is absolutely free. Here's three things you should know about it:

It's December 11,12,13 (yes, we actually planned our fundraiser such that it did not clash!), 6pm onwards.
Entry is absolutely free.
The venue is Dilli's Purana Qila. An apt piece of history to have music across South Asia unite and come together.

The YP Foundation is partnering with Seher to organize Artist Showcase Interactions, on each of the days, between the incredible group of artists playing as well as young aspiring artists we work with at The YP Foundation. If you are interested in registering for the interactions on any of the days, just email Ishita at theypfoundation@gmail.com.

If you're a big group of people coming from somewhere in the NCR region or Gurgaon, and you need us to help you with buses, to go to and come - send us an email and we'll see what we can do for you! (Big Group Definition: More than 20 people!!! =) )

Definitely an event you're not going to want to miss!

In Loving Memory Of.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:43:00 +0000

With the deepest of grief, we share with you the loss of someone who has brought immense life, joy and colour to our core at TYPF.

We lost Purple Malik today morning, after a brief and highly unexpected struggle with Blood Cancer two days ago. Purple came to us two years ago, as a young college student and journalist, and we have known her in multiple roles since, as a Friend, Graphic Designer, Events Curator, Staff Member, Colleague amongst many others.

We are at a loss at what to say, other than the fact that her voice and her art are still etched so clearly infront of us, when we look at the voice she gave our work through these past two years, in her digital story, her art work, 2 years worth of 4am online conversations on everything from poster designs to sound to our future dreams. She always took us to new heights, with her trademark intense hard work and easy going nature, becoming a part of each of us in different ways.

I last spoke with Purple a few days ago. She was taking some time off to heal and take care of herself, and mentioned to me that in these past few months that had been hard and challenging for her, coming to YP to all of you, kept her going and had helped her cope. 'It's been my happy space' are words that still resound in my mind. I feel somewhere, she would have wanted everyone at TYPF to know that.

We know and love Purple for her wild eccentricities, her brilliantly curious mind, her vision of the world, her sense of humour, her individualistic sense of dressing, the strikingly talented artist she is and her poetic heart. Some of my most life changing conversations and arguments, in art, on life have been with Purple, at early morning hours of working together, almost every second day for weeks on end in the last two years. She taught me how to see life a little differently, a second vision that we found in her art and in her hopes and dreams for what she wanted to do.

We cannot imagine not having her with us anymore. She is so many things for so many people, and this institution owes her so very much. We wish that she finds peace and knows how much she is loved, and how much we owe her, for how she brought us together and the laughter and light she brought to this organization.

We will keep you informed of when there is a prayer meeting held for her, TYPF is planning to hold a meeting at a time her family finds appropriate, where the organization can come together. We're also setting up a wall in office that's going to be hers, with messages for her, her art work, with the spirit that's just uniquely Purple, so do feel free to share any thoughts and messages you'd like to.

We also want to acknowledge Purple and highlight her video and art work at our upcoming concert in December, she was to have been the graphic artist who was going to design our first institutional brochure and it was a project that she and I had been working on for many weeks now, she was incredibly excited about it.

We celebrate and miss her, she will always be the most beautiful part of us.

- Ishita C.

Raising Decibel Levels - Support Youth Led Action!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Raising volumes for youth led action in India.

The YP Foundation.
Raising Decibel Levels.

The YP Foundation in New Delhi has, for the last 7 years, supported 5,000 young people directly; setting up over 200 projects in India, reaching out to over 3,00,000 youth in Delhi and to numerous youth across the country. Pilot projects have run from Mumbai, Pune and Chhattisgarh and we partner with a number of youth led organizations in Asia and the Pacific, as well as Internationally.

Now, we need your support!

On December 10, 2009, at the Ashoka Hotel Amphitheatre, we are hosting our first ever fundraiser concert, featuring British Folk Sensations Laura Marling (www.lauramarling.com) and Mumford and Sons (www.mumfordandsons.com), with East India Company’s Papon Angaraag Mahanta (www.papon.co.in).

Proceeds from the concert will support 6 of our programmes at The YP Foundation for 2010, where 1,000 young people will come together in New Delhi to conduct over 40 public programmes on understanding HIV/AIDS, Gender and Sexuality, Promoting Independent Music, Exploring Film, Life Skills and Mental Health and Education and Healthcare Initiatives for Street Children.

Date: 10th December, 2009

Time: 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Venue: Amphitheater, The Ashoka Hotel, B 50, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

Tickets: Rs 200/-

First Come First Served!

Call us for details/block your passes now at +91 11 46792243/ 9811073010/ 9910337160

Email: tickets@theypfoundation.org

Sponsored By
Power Grid Corporation, Rosmerta Technologies Ltd., Sareen Estates Ltd., Videocon

Supported By
The British Council, Only Much Louder, The American Center, Spiral Seed, Media Offline, Music Basti, Students for the Promotion of International Law, Indian Youth Climate Network, Artistes Unlimited

Online Partner
DelhiEvents.Com

Venue Partner
The Ashok Hotel

Media Partners
Hit 95 FM, Rolling Stone

About the Artists

Laura Marling is a folk singer-songwriter from Hampshire, England. Marling has toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK and beyond including Adam Green and Jamie T, whoinvited her on tour with him in 2006 after he attended her second-ever gig. She performed at the 2007 O2 Wireless Festival and also performed at the first Underage Festival in August 2007 at VictoriaPark, East London. Her television appearances include The Late Show with Craig Ferguson in the US, and 'Later With Jools' in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim was released on 4 February 2008 and was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize.

http://www.lauramarling.com/videos.php

Mumford & Sons are a folk n roll band from London. The band is made up of Marcus Mumford (vocals, guitar, drums), Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, dobro), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, organ), Ted Dwane (vocals, double bass). They formed in late 2007, rising out of London's folk scene with other artists such as Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn, Jay Jay Pistolet and Noah and the Whale. In February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from Alessi's Ark, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Peggy Sue, Pete Roe, The Cutaway and more. They have been long listed for the BBC's Sound of 2009. BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe made "Little Lion Man" his "Reaction Record" on 27 July 2009, before naming it the "Hottest Record in the World" the following evening. Mumford & Sons won Best Band at the 3rd Annual Balcony TV Music Video Awards in Dublin on 3 July 2009.

http://www.mumfordandsons.com/video

Papon (Angaraag Mahanta), East India Company - As a talented offspring of illustrious parents in the arena of Assamese music, he is not the only one. Yet, Angaraag Mahanta, son of singers Khagen Mahanta and Archana Mahanta, has managed to create a separate identity with his debut album Jonaki Raati, which recently hit the stalls in Assam. Inspired by the wide array of sound that he has been exposed to from the traditional Vaishnavite devotional songs of Assam to new-age electronica, Papon's music is new and free. Free to be confined by any genre, new to be identified with anything that already exists.

http://papon.co.in/

Save The Date - Spread The Word - Support Our Work

Vikalp – Searching for Alternatives: A Youth Festival for Social Change!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:11:00 +0000

Venue Partners: The American Center, India Habitat Centre and Management Development Institute

Media Partners: HIT 95 FM, DelhiEvents.Com and Tehelka Magazine

200 young people. 20 organizations. 1 Day.

Challenging. Understanding. Connecting. Inspiring!

‘Vikalp – Searching for Alternatives’ is a youth forum for social change for you to promote youth led dialogue and action in India.

The forum on November 14, 2009 will bring together young change makers to share best practices and examine strategies on how young people can build youth action in an inclusive and cohesive manner. Vikalp will focus on the four specific issues of gender and sexuality, education, disability and HIV/AIDS.

Vikalp is conceptualized by UNESCO, The YP Foundation and UNFPA, and will run from 10am to 10.00pm on the 14^th of 2009 at The American Center and India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

The festival will feature capacity building sessions, round table consultations, film, art, photography and music as well as You Speak: An Art Exhibition and Vikalp: A National Film Festival and Concert, featuring The Raghu Dixit Project LIVE! At the Amphitheatre, India Habitat Centre.

Children’s Day is a significant day for the city to come together to support positive dialogue on inspiring and building young people’s skills.

Save the date & Spread the word!

Festival Schedule

Part 1 - Time: 10am-6pm

Venue: The American Centre

Registration & Opening: 10.00 am

Young People and Gender in HIV & AIDS Responses

Time: 10.30 am-11.30 am

Share models of how you intersectionalities between HIV & AIDS and Gender in youth led or youth focused peer education work. The session aims at highlighting key challenges, best practices as well as provoke thought on how work with young people on HIV & AIDS and Gender and be more inclusive as well as effective.

The Road Less Taken - Urban and Rural Youth Routes for Change

Time: 12.00noon-1.00 pm

Creating interactions between diverse youth groups from both rural and urban backgrounds to share the strategy, challenges and relevance of their work. The session aims at highlighting multiple models employed, lessons learnt as well as potential collaborations and partnerships that are needed, to create sustainable youth networks.

Break for Lunch: 1.00pm-2.00pm (We apologize, lunch cannot be provided as part of the forum!)

Teach Whom? Innovative Strategies for Working with Young People

Time: 2.15 pm-3.15 pm

Individuals and institutions that work with education challenge what it means to different groups of young people. Examining multiple strategies used in formal as well as non formal spaces, the aim of the session is to share existing strategies; examining successes and failures, to understand the possibilities of where mainstream and non formal education can intersect. We hope to challenge and refresh, methodologies for teaching as well as the contexts in which young people work.

The ‘Beauty’ of Perception – Sexuality, Disability and Young People

Time: 3.30pm- 4.30pm

How do we see Sexuality and Disability? How does youth led work understand or include the intersectionalities between both in the work that they do? Sharing different models of work being done by diverse activists, researchers and organisations. It also attempts to understand the challenges of accessing sexuality education and training for disabled people, in an attempt to highlight the way forward in maintstreaming the sexual and reproductive rights of disabled youth in India’s programmes and policies.

Special Session: The Elephant In the Room: Finding Youth Friendly Funding

Time: 5pm - 6pm

This is a pre registered session for interested youth led organisations, bringing together donor and funders for an honest and open conversation on the how, where, when, what and why of funding decisions for youth led work in India. We hope to highlight key strategies and pointers for accessing institutional and corporate funding and create a open and interactive exchange of thought, opinions and strategies for supporting youth work in the country. To register, email us at vikalp@theypfoundation.org.

Capacity Building Sessions (these sessions will run parallel to the 4 roundtable sessions)

Think Out of That Box – Designing and Managing Youth Led Projects

(Facilitator: Akshay Sharma, The YP Foundation) Time: 11.30am - 12.30 pm

The Tao of Scale - Scaling Youth Led Work in India

(Facilitated by Surya Prakash Loonker, Catalyst) Time: 2.00 pm-3.00 pm

Taking IT Online - Online strategies for youth work

(Facilitated by Surenderan, India Youth Climate Network) Time: 3.15pm - 4.15 pm

Part 2: Vikalp – The Film Festival & Concert

Venue: The India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road

Time: 7.00 pm- 10.30 pm

A National Film Festival and Music Concert that highlights, challenges and ponders on our understanding of disability, education, sexuality, gender, rights and HIV & AIDS, featuring The Raghu Dixit Project LIVE!

You Speak: Art & Photography Exhibition / 7.00pm

Vikalp – Film Screenings /

7.00pm

Koshish - Dir. Mohit Gupta / 02:21 mins
Story about Koshish, an NGO working in Delhi with urban street and slum children.

Felicia - Dir: Surya Balakrishnan /13:12 mins
The film narrates the true story of Felicia, a 9-year-old girl, sold by her father into prostitution. Rescued by a police officer, the film is a recollection of Felicia's memories.

Flying Inside My Body - Dir: Sushmit Ghosh, Rintu Thomas, Sumit Sharma, Ajeeta Chowhan/ 35:34 mins
Flying Inside My Body explores how the form of the body can become a powerful physical language to express dissent over societal norms and conventions.

Being Male, Being Koti – Dir: Mahuya Banduopadhyay / PSBT/ 30 mins
Shot in Kolkata, the film explores the experience of growing up gender variant and not being able to understand, let alone explain the difference. The experience of a world where there is 'no one quite like me' is an intensely lonely, fractured and troubled one.

Children of the Same God – Dir: Nupur Bansal /03:14 mins
A young girl’s moment of inspiration whilst volunteering at a hostel for orphaned boys.

Vikalp – The Concert/ Featuring The Raghu Dixit Project LIVE! / 9.00pm

Entry to both venues is free. Please carry a valid photo ID to enter the American Center.

Queries/Roses/Brickbats: vikalp@theypfoundation.org or +91 11 46792243/44

Vikalp – Searching for Alternatives.

Spread The Word.

Save The Date - Young People Unite on November 14, 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:46:00 +0000

Vikalp – Searching for Alternatives is A Youth Forum for Social Change that brings together young change makers from across India.

Vikalp promotes youth led dialogue and action in India by sharing best practices and examining strategies on how young people can build youth action in an inclusive and cohesive manner. The forum will focus on the four specific issues of gender and sexuality, education, disability and HIV/AIDS.

The forum will host a public National Youth Festival on November 14, 2009 that brings together youth led and youth focused organizations. The festival will feature capacity building sessions, round table consultations, film, art, photography and music.

Vikalp is conceptualized by UNESCO, The YP Foundation and UNFPA and will run from the 13 to 16 November 2009 at The American Centre and India Habitat Centre, New Delhi and Management Development Institute, Gurgaon.

Save The Date - Ask Us for Details!

Email: vikalp@theypfoundation.org

Speak Up for Young People!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:04:00 +0000

We're asking for YOUR help, around 3 minutes of your time ☺

TYPF is trying to raise funds as well as raise the profile of the work that we do – and we’re in a competition where we need people to account for what we do – and why it’s important plus your experiences with us. Your feedback will also help us improve our work!

It doesn’t take long at all – if you have got a minute – could you go to http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/write/1530447 and write something for us?

GreatNonprofits, Little India, and GuideStar have teamed up to launch the 2009 InDiya Shine Awards to recognize the top-rated nonprofits that are making a difference in India or within the Indian community abroad.

During this festival period, organizations with the most positive reviews will be announced winners. There will be 3 winners in each of 3 budget categories (Small, Medium, Large).

What do winners get? Winners will be featured on Greatnonprofits.org and Guidestar.org, the premier site for philanthropic research on the Web. There will also be a special feature on the contest and the winners in Little India – the largest overseas Indian publication in the U.S., including special editorial content.

Just select in the form when asked that we are looking for the inDiya awards icon.

You can read our profile at http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/the-yp-foundation/

We really appreciate this – thank you!

PLEASE help us spread word!

Comstockery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:03:00 +0000

PRONUNCIATION:

(KOM-stok-uh-ree)

MEANING:

Noun: Overzealous censorship of material considered obscene.

Differing meanings of sexuality permeate our vocabulary, our expressions, our words, but really? What does it take to define sexuality? Seeing myself, as consciously possible to be someone defined within the ‘youngperson’ category, what does it take to illustrate sexuality?

Why is it that sexuality as regarding young people becomes even more contentious and forbidden? The ideals of an innocence which we as adults look back to, with fondness and longing sometimes seems to be a web we have created, an excuse to believe that not everything is gray. The dictionary defines childhood as the state or period of being a child, where a child is seen as a person between birth and full growth or any person or thing regarded as the product or result of particular agencies, influences, etc. While the first definition is most definitely the one we are looking for, let us for variety’s sake consider the 2^nd.

‘any person or thing regarded as the product or result of particular agencies, influences, etc’

The concept of Choice comes up often in debates around matters of rights. But of course we all understand that choice also exists within restraint. That very restraint which defines a child; our choices are in itself a product or result of certain agencies, influences etc. So what is it about choosing to be sexual that scares us so much?

A couple of observations will follow. And these are only mine. No references, no footnotes, no sources. Apologise to all those who believe that real writing has to be sourced.

In the end most of it seems to centre around 2 factors, one internal and the other external. Firstly, how sacred we consider the body to be. By sacred I don’t mean only holy or pure, but rather more, untouchable. Meant to be seen as an object of beauty, to be leched at, but from a distance, to be touched but only by strangers.

What I mean is this; when it comes to the bodies of women close to you, its sacredness and virtue is undeniable, the second the body in consideration is that of an unknown woman it becomes property, to be felt, seen, measured and enjoyed. Sacred also in the sense that the body which is more ‘used’ is unclean, not to be respected. But who measures what is sacred and what is not? What is used what is not? And when did use become an anathema? However much we might reiterate that sexuality is not just about sex, it does sometimes come down to that. Sex; the act, as well as Sex; the biology.

While discussing what sexuality means in training session last week, one of the participants very pertinently asked what the difference between sexuality and personality was. If sexuality encompasses everything, is influenced by everything and in turn influences all. How does it differ from how we describe ourselves as people? The answer given to that was; that sexuality specifically has to do with who we are as sexual beings. But the answer and question in itself now seem fundamentally flawed.

The question is not how sexuality is different but rather why we try to see and define the same as different from all other processes of living and growth. And that’s where questions of sacredness come in. The debates are numerous and the questions more so.

If we consider young people (seeing it from a solely age point of view), and the idea of sacred, the untouchability of the body comes into stark relief. My body is a temple, and even I’m not allowed to touch it so. I’ve taken part in a not too large, but decent number of workshops with the supposed ‘urban educated’ of Delhi on issues of sexuality. In most cases, sexuality or the expression of the same is still measured by the number of people we sleep with, how long we have been Confused and what all we question as ‘normal’.

Most don’t know where their vagina is located and admit that while it is okay for women to masturbate they themselves don’t do so. The Hypothetical, Abstract women masturbate. With men the picture is different, of course they’ve had wet dreams and of course they pleasure themselves, its natural, What becomes ironic is not just that women don’t talk freely about such issues but rather that they truly never thought that they to have a right to pleasure,( or correct anatomical knowledge to do so). It might sound silly and stupid but do we not know that women too can pleasure themselves.

Such incidences are symptomatic of many larger issues, gender issue remain at the bottom of understanding of sexuality and identity, but even identification of the same takes time.

Sexuality and health awareness is coated in the language of rights. Of affirmativeness, of positivity. But the question remains of what is culturally suitable? Queries surrounding sexuality and culture form a beautifully blurred image in my mind. Is the language of rights too universal?

Sexuality education and the coming of HIV has made private habits of people a matter of public debate, the oft talked of distinction between public and private spheres once again holds us enthralled. Heated passions and questions of morality are thrown about, but once again, can the state tell us what we can or cannot do in our homes? Why is it that when it comes to young people, the debate changes course, it’s no longer a question of confidentiality and privacy, but rather of morality and culture? If women are considered the symbols of Mother Nature and the Motherland, the ‘young people’ occupy a similar culturally sacred space in our collective consciousness. Young people are the ‘future’, the inheritors of culture, ethnicity and national pride. We are the ‘leaders of tomorrow’.

And what do we do with everything that is considered sacred and essential for survival? We preserve it, protect it, and hide it from harm. But the problem here is that we, as people, have this tendency to not listen, to at some level rebel. I don’t mean a great consensual declaration of rebellion, but rather little acts of thinking which make us want to do things our own way. Not always right, not always wrong. A book on participatory processes I was reading, said something which stayed with me. Participation is not a onetime process. You can’t expect people to turn 18 and suddenly become responsible citizens. Participation is about ownership and ownership grows, with responsibility and realisation of its importance. I believe that it’s the same with issues of sexuality and what young people should know. ‘Responsible behaviour’ (whatever that might be), doesn’t come from not knowing or ignorance and nor does it come with censored knowledge, but rather with ownership and understanding of our bodies, gender and all things sexual.

Going on to the external factor, marriage it seems is seen as the root cause of stability in society, the essential unit in political, sociological and all other such processes. Sexuality in all its glory is seen to threaten this stability, hence destroying the ‘moral’ fabric of society. Again many strands are present in this thinking, for example:

Sexuality= promiscuousity= unfaithfulness and divorce.

Heterosexual marriages= procreation= right marriage.

Understanding of gender issues= women negating traditional roles= instability in married life.

There are many, many more such connections, but we shall leave it at that. In essence, when sexuality issues come to the fore, traditional understandings of nature and societal processes are shaken, and in the end it is stability of society and ‘human kind’ which is valued more than dignity and rights of an individual.

In essence, the paradox/ absurdity/conundrum remain. Sexuality is intrinsic, powerful, deeply personal and individual. Its repercussions and expressions are the very foundations upon which our societal systems are based.

Yes, things are changing, ‘times’ are more liberal and free, But what does it really mean in today’s world to be liberal, not only in politics, but in thought and action?

Ishita Sharma

What Does Your Vote Want? Help Us Know!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:08:00 +0000

The Right to Information Branch is a division of the The YP Foundation that develops young people’s engagement with legislative process and increases their awareness of laws and policies in India. We help young people apply the law more effectively to their daily lives.

Our current project is called ‘What Does Your Vote Want? - Exploring the RTI Act’. We aim to generate awareness on how young people can utilize the act, as well as how it can be made more accessible to young people. By incorporating the inputs of key stakeholders, experts, and the youth, The YP Foundation will help young people in Delhi file RTI Applications and create a more regular dialogue with the government, promoting the concept of active citizenship and accountability amongst young people and the government.

The following link is to a survey where we are trying to learn more about what kind of accountability young people are looking for post elections, from the 2009 Government at national and local levels, as well as what they do and don’t understand about the system of voting.

Link: http://www.sendspace.com/file/3ea0in

The document is a word document and once filled, can be emailed back to theypfoundation@gmail.com. We appreciate your taking the time out to do this! (Should you do it ☺ )

Your responses will be used to design our Right to Information programme for young people (16 - 25 years) this year, so by participating you will effectively ensure we are designing an effective response, based on young people's needs.

Please help us spread word!

***********************

“My Eid is Peace. Wherever there is peace, there is Eid for me. In Arabic, Eid means happiness that comes again and again. What gives us greater happiness than peace for humanity, that is irrespective of the religion you identify with? Peace that celebrates diversity, that is my Eid.”

- Asghar Ali Engineer, South Asian Youth Peace Meet 2009

Call for Applications: VIKALP: Searching for Alternatives

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:34:00 +0000

Call for Applications

UNESCO and The YP Foundation

VIKALP: Searching for Alternatives

A Youth Forum for Social Change

13th-16th November 2009, New Delhi

The Youth Forum on Social Change, to be held in New Delhi from the 13th to 16th of November 2009, is aimed at promoting youth led dialogue and action in India, by bringing together young people from across the country to share best practices and examine strategies on how they can build youth action in an inclusive and cohesive manner.

The Youth Forum aims to facilitate the active engagement of young people, by focusing on youth led community work in four specific issues of gender and sexuality, education, disability and HIV/AIDS.

The four-day forum will bring together 32 young people who are implementing existing youth led community work in these four cross cutting areas. All expenses relating to travel, accommodation and food will be covered for outstation participants only.

For projects/initiatives that are developed as an outcome of the 4-day forum, UNESCO and TYPF will make available small grants to support collective youth leadership and shall also provide mentoring and support in the development, implementation and assessment of these initiatives. Participants who are selected for the forum must be willing to conceptualize and design initiatives that incorporate the outcome of the learning’s of the forum.

For more details, please email theypfoundation@gmail.com The deadline for submitting applications is September 18, 2009. Email theypfoundation@gmail.com to get a copy of the application.

Please do help us spread word!

Youth Statement to Governments at ICAAP

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:35:00 +0000

In the last two days, over 150 young people ranged from 17 to 35 years, representing over 20 countries, came together in solidarity. The youth group at the second largest AIDS forum in the world, the 9^th ICAAP, drafted a collective commitment to increase young people’s stake in programmes and policy processes that impact their lives and their rights.

As youth from Brunei, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Japan, China, Philippines, Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, Burma, Malaysia, Samoa, Lao, Papua New Guinea and South Korea, this commitment we make, is deeply personal. It is to achieve meaningful youth participation by developing strong adult peer partnerships, increase funding and capacity building for youth led and youth serving initiatives, mainstream human rights in the HIV and AIDS response for all young people, recognize and affirm young people’s sexual reproductive health and rights and eliminate stigma and discrimination amongst young people.

And one wonders, what exactly does that mean? As a 24 year old who has been part of this incredibly diverse forum, there is a question that repeatedly comes up in all of our communities. Young people ask about it, in confusion. Parents ask about it, worried. Teachers and Schools wonder what to do with it, communities discuss it, in secret and our governments are still grappling with developing a comprehensive framework to implement it.

Why is sexuality so problematic?

Why as society, are we so scared to address any kind of sexuality education or rights cohesively? What stops us from giving young people complete rather than half baked information that is critical and life saving and that can protect them from disease, empowers them to be informed individuals and that teach them to be respectful to their own needs and desires and to be respectful towards the rights of others as well?

Why is there in all of our countries, this huge gap between what’s happening in our lives and how empowered young people are, to be able to address these issues within their own societies?

Sexuality Education is about young people’s right to know. The arguments based on cohesive Sexuality Education being against our cultural and moral values are invalid and do not justify denying young people the information and skills they need and are entitled to. Exhaustive research studies show that implementing comprehensive sexuality education does not lead to an increase in early sexual activity.

Majority of the awareness work we do around the prevention of HIV/AIDS isn’t nearly half as effective as it should have been, because there is this underlying silence that no one will address. And as governments, as leaders, you cannot look away from the fact that young people are contracting HIV every day because they do not have the knowledge and tools to protect themselves. When you take the so called ‘safer route’ and substitute conversations about recognizing multiple sexuality and gender identities, staying healthy and protecting oneself from STI’s and feeling comfortable with one’s own body with conversations instead, about promoting self control and abstinence, you destroy any open space or possibility for conversation between young people and their families and communities.

No religion or society in the world, wants its young people to contract STDs, wants its young women to die in early childbirth or see violating inequalities between men and women. Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a framework that addresses each of these issues. It is not just about how to have sex, but rather about good quality school based sexuality, relationship and HIV education that increases the age of sexual debut and has positive effects on the risk of STIs and unintended pregnancies and attitudes towards people living with HIV.

It is also not automatically covered under the ambit of Reproductive Heath. When we replace curriculums on sexuality education and call them population control, family and life planning, health education, we need to ensure that we are still addressing sexuality as a basic component of human nature, that needs to be integrated in a larger framework of human rights.

Young people from Asia and the Pacific commonly identified various gaps and highlighted best practices present in how comprehensive sexuality education was being addressed in their country, some of which I’m sharing with you today:

· Many young people at this forum have highlighted the problems faced with having decentralized governments. There needs to be a standardized approach taken to implement comprehensive sexuality education. Central governments need to be able to dialogue clearer with state governments or provinces, to lobby for a standardized, comprehensive approach that is made accessible not just in government schools, but to out of school youth and those in private and faith based institutions as well.

· We believe that the approaches the ministry of education and ministry of health in each country implement could be aligned to ensure a more effective outcome, making schools a safe space for such conversation.

· We also believe that UN organizations in each country can play a key role in ensuring that this happens, because they have access to spaces of influence with governments that as young people, we do not.

· The importance and need of explaining to young people, condom use as well as negotiating the same was flagged as critical. Young people from Malaysia and India specifically felt that this was lacking in the approach that their governments implemented.

· Youth from Pakistan, Malaysia, Papua New Gunea, Indonesia, Burma, Bangladesh and India felt strongly that comprehensive sexuality education is only effective if the form by which it is taught is without shame or embarassment and that currently in their countries, a larger focus needs to be made on implementing peer education services, as this makes the information contextualization easier and more age appropriate.

· They also felt strongly that teachers implementing curriculums need to be trained. The Brazilian Government partnership with civil society organizations who have the capacity and infrastructure to be able to do this was a best practise highlighted. We believe that civil society organizations and peer education has greater potential to be able to correctly implement community specific comprehensive sexuality education and partnerships should be encouraged by governments in asia and the pacific. Young people from China and Japan endorsed the need for this strongly.

· Young People from Pakistan feel that the lack of a specific curriculum in sexuality education in Pakistan has led to limited information being made accessible in certain provinces of the country. A study by a recent NGO in the country revealed that sex education being conducted was not age appropriate, it was only in class 12 that many male students are taught anatomy and that often, frogs reproductive systems are used to explain human biology and sexuality.

· A greater effort needs to be made to dialogue with the positive power of faith and religion, as most young people pointed out that religious texts such as the Holy Quran have clear passages that advocate for recognizing women’s rights as well as reproductive health. However, it is often in the interpretation of these texts and a lack of community understanding on interpreting religious beliefs that biases step in. In Bangladesh, Imams are trained and in Brunei, christian priests have now been trained to address the HIV reponse.

· Many young people feel that counseling and testing services are not comprehensive in their countries, services are not affordable and healthcare professionals are judgemental and stigmatize often the services they are offering. In Papa New Guniea, youth pointed out that there is an understanding of the approach that needs to be taken, but simply a lack in implementing youth friendly services and an educational curriculum.

· Youth from Indonesia pointed out that comprehensive sexuality education is seen as an extra curricular activity and is not compulsory learning. We strongly feel that comprehensive sexuality education should be made age appropriate and mandatory for all young people.

· Moreover we are absolutely sure, that a pure abstinence based approach does not work, as it discourages, embarasses and stimgatizes young people from asking honest, open and relevant questions. A sex positive approach that mainstreams sexuality as part of human rights to HIV is needed. The recent move by US President Obama to advocate for age appropriate comprehensive sexuality education and replace abstinence only education is testament to this. Youth from Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Malayasia, Singapore, Brunei, Pakistan, Samoa and South Kora felt that this was a critical factor and were unable to communicate the same to their governments effectively.

· Youth from India highlighted the need to involve young people in reviewing and developing effective models to implement comprehensive sexuality education curriculai. We also feel that young people are aware of the cultural sensitivities in their countries and are at times, better placed to develop approaches that are comprehensive yet practical and senstitive to the needs of the community that they will be used in.

It was clear that all 150 young people feel that in each of their countries, there needs to be a significant increase in recgonizing diverse gender and sexual identities and addressing gender equity, both in their respective country’s legal and societal frameworks. We believe that you can pretend that an issue doesn’t exist in society and refuse to address it, but if you overlook entire communities of people and their fundamental right to express their own identity, you will only fuel anger. Governments weaken themselves when they do this and they are less respected by their own citizens. As youth, we need to see an increase of positive role models in governments.

Sexuality Education is guided by the principle, that by empowering young people and giving them a safe space in society where they can ask questions, you are investing in develop a very critical human resource that builds the future and promise of any country. And to our minds, that’s exactly why we are we need to support implementing CSE. We believe these issues are key to empowering young people to protect themselves and that if you give young people their right to information, skills and services and that if you trust rather than judge who you think they are, young people can negotiate high-risk situations more effectively and reduce their vulnerability to a range of issues, specifically, violence, HIV and substance abuse.

We have been working for the past 5 months, through E consultations, skill building sessions, advocacy training to now at ICAAP, developing a special youth corner that hosts an adult and young people commitment desk. This commitment desk is testament to the fact that as young people, we will hold you, leaders, decision makers and governments, accountable to working with us. We hope you will raise the bar by making a commitment that highlights how our governments and ministries believe in investing in young people’s future and their rights and showcase best practices in how we can work together.

A comprehensive sexuality education framework has many benefits. It improves maternal health, integrating HIV and STI prevention, reducing unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions, encourages democracy through building critical thinking skills and promotes gender equality by empowering young people and involving young men and boys. Our call to you is to redefine the possibility and potential of how we see and work with young people in our societies.

A participative, affordable, youth friendly, well-implemented comprehensive sexuality education framework is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. In this century, with poverty, HIV, climate change and global recession becoming a deadly reality, you cannot walk away. It is unforgivable, inexcusable and inhumane. As decision makers and political leaders, we need you to choose people over politics and development over silence.

As the youth forum from ICAAP, we believe in the positive power of what young people and decision makers can do, if they work together. We hope we can count on you, in the most meaningful way possible, to lead the change we need to see.

Ishita Chaudhry

On behalf of the Youth Forum, Bali Youth Force at the 9^th ICAAP

Youth Statement at 9th ICAAP

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:03:00 +0000

Bali Youth Force

Bali Youth Force is an integrated alliance of local and international youth organizations and young people from Asia and the Pacific coming together to collectively advocate for the rights of Young People at the 9^th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. It is a united team of a diverse region.

The following recommendations are a compilation of the outcome of a month long online consultation with more than 50 Young people across Asia and the Pacific, as well as the experiences and inputs of over 130 youth delegates at the two day Youth Pre Congress.

1. Achieve meaningful youth participation

All young people have the right to meaningfully participate in programmes and policy making processes that affect their lives. Several international documents such as the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS, Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Conference on Population and Development Program of Action, the Beijing Platform for Action as well as the Millennium Development Goals recognize and endorse this. Our governments have committed to implement the provisions in these documents.

Decision-makers must:

· Institutionalize youth-adult partnerships[1] in all local, national and international processes

· Ensure democratic processes for youth participation to have leadership role in developing, implementing and monitoring programmes and policies

· Ensure capacity-building for young people to access and engage effectively with policy processes

2. Strengthen financial commitments for youth-led and youth-serving initiatives

Youth-led organizations and groups have demonstrated a positive impact at international, national and local levels in responding to HIV and AIDS. Governments and donors must:

· Increase long-term funding for youth-led and youth-run initiatives

· Ensure adequate resources for operational and programme costs for sustainability

· Ensure youth access to existing funding mechanisms, making them youth-friendly

3. Mainstream Human Rights in the HIV and AIDS response for ALL young people

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all people have the fundamental right to life, health, livelihood and dignity. These rights need to be respected, protected and fulfilled for all young people, including but not limited to:

· Girls and young women

· Orphans, street children and other vulnerable young people

· Young people who inject or use drugs

· Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer young people

· Young sex workers

· Young people in juvenile homes and prisons

· Young people living or born with HIV

· Young people living with disability

Human Rights Principles must be applied to all components of the HIV response from prevention and testing to treatment, care and support for all young people without discrimination.

4. Fulfill young people’s sexual and reproductive rights

Governments must respect, protect and fulfill young people’s sexual and reproductive rights, including but not limited to:

· The right to comprehensive sexuality education[2] which enables young people to make informed decisions about their lives

· The right to comprehensive and youth-friendly[3] sexual and reproductive health services, especially condoms, contraceptives, safe abortion, emergency contraception, management / treatment for sexually transmitted infections, voluntary counseling and testing for HIV

· The right to express and enjoy their sexuality[4]

5. Eliminate stigma and discrimination against young people (esp. marginalized young people)

Stigma is an obstacle for effective HIV prevention, testing, treatment, care and support for all young people. Universal access cannot be achieved without eliminating stigma and taking affirmative action. Young people living with HIV and other young people from key populations[5] face layered stigma, thus increasing vulnerability. Governments and decision-makers must:

· Develop , enforce and monitor comprehensive anti-discriminatory laws and policies in partnership with communities

· Ensure adequate capacity-building and earmarked funding within all programmes for addressing stigma and discrimination

[1] Youth-adult partnership are those where responsibility is shared with all partners – adults and young people

[2] A rights-based approach to Comprehensive Sexuality Education seeks to equip children and young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values they need to determine and enjoy their sexuality – physically and emotionally, individually and in relationships. (IPPF Framework of Comprehensive Sexuality Education)

[3] Youth friendly service delivery is about providing services based on a comprehensive understanding of what young people in that particular society or community want, rather than being based only on what providers believe they need. (Provide: Strengthening youth-friendly services, IPPF)

[4] Sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout life and encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. (WHO)

[5] Key populations are those where risk and vulnerability converge. HIV epidemics can be limited by concentrating prevention efforts among key populations. The concept of key populations also recognizes that they can play a key role in responding to HIV/AIDS. (A Framework for Priority Linkages, WHO, UNFPA, IPPF & UNAIDS)

DAY 2- 26th July 2009 – What Does Your Vote Want?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:57:00 +0000

What Does Your Vote Want?’ Is a non political, non partisan project both initiated and run by young people in 2008 that aims at sensitizing young voters, by giving them relevant and necessary information regarding the Indian Electoral System. The project successfully registered more than 4000 people in Delhi and Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The natural question, post Elections 2009, is what next? How do we make young people active in governance processes? What Does Your Vote Want now goes on to launch a platform for governance accountability in collaboration with the India Habitat Centre, where the young people can directly dialogue with representatives from government to discuss their key issues and concerns.

In collaboration with the India Habitat Centre and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, The YP Foundation is looking to explore and understand the role of the RTI Act in governance accountability through an interactive discussion entitled "The Right to Information = the Right to Accountability? Exploring the RTI Act", the first forum in this series.

The RTI Act has been an interesting success story in India. The forum examines the current status of the Act, it’s role as a tool of governance, accountability and transparency. With the current proposed amendments on the act by the Centre, it is critical to bring together organizations working with the act, experts in this field, representatives from the government and young people to examine the last four years of functioning of the Act and where it stands currently.

The audience comprises of youth from across the city, with the following speakers confirmed:

§ Mr. Salman Khurshid, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) in the Government of India, writer and lawyer.

§ Wajahat Habibullah, Chief Information Commissioner

§ Shekhar Singh, RTI expert, part of NCPRI

§ Manish Sisodia, Kabir

§ Representatives, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

Chayan Adhikari (Vocalist: Advaita), will conclude the discussion with a performance.

Venue: Amaltas Hall, The India Habitat Centre
Event Partner: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative & India Habitat Centre

DAY-1 25th July, 2009 – What The YP Stands For

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:51:00 +0000

· In Concert: A performance by Swarathma, a leading music band in the country. Swarathma was formed in 2002, as a Bangalore based Indian Folk/fusion band. They released their debut album on Virgin Records and were nominated for the Jack Daniels Indian Rock Awards in 2008. Winners of the Radio City Live 2006 nation wide content for Bangalore’s Best Band in 2006 and were finalists for the Radio City Live content for India’s best Hindi Band. In 2008 Swarathma recorded for a compilation album funded by the British Council. They have performed both in India and internationally.

· In Exhibit: 7 Years of The YP: Artwork, paintings, photography and installation art showcasing young people’s work with the issues we work with.

· In Film: Digital Stories by the YP’s Youth-led Staff: featuring staff members' journeys with The YP Foundation, on what it means to run a youth-led organization and projects that create social change. Supported by the Global Fund for Children and the Centre for Digital Storytelling, USA.

Venue: The Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre

Backyard Sound: Why I work with original music in Delhi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Three years ago my friend dragged me to a concert at the India Habitat Centre to volunteer for this “youth organisation” called the YP. Well, I thought the organisation was actually Silhouette, a branch of the YP, and the difference has since been pointed out to me more times than I can count. He told me there was a band called Thermal and A Quarter playing at the Amphitheatre, so called because they comprised four guys, three of whom were “mallu” and the fourth a quarter mal. Now I know you’re expecting me to rave about how it was a life changing experience, how I fell in love with Original Indian bands and the YP and decided to give my life to working for the branch I currently head. Well you would be sorely mistaken. In came final year exams and pressure from my parents, and out went anything that kept me away from the books. But where there is a will there is a way. I kept myself involved with the YP as best as I could, being called in once in a while to help with projects or lend my acting skills (humble though they may be) to a short film or two.

After I graduated from college I suddenly realised that I had a lot of time on my hands and no way to use it productively. I had joined the Law Faculty of Delhi University, where extra-curricular activities are pretty much non-existent. I had all this passion and energy and nothing to funnel it into. Around the same time The YP Foundation (or, if you would rather, TYPF), no longer the Youth Parliament I remembered, had its 6th Anniversary Celebration. I tagged along with some friends to the India Habitat Centre, a place I have come to see as a third home now (the second being the old Defence Colony Office). As my friends went through the elaborate exhibition, looking for their grinning faces amongst the sea of photographs, I found myself most envious. I wanted that. I wanted to work with other young people who thought like I did, liked the same music, and had a passion for the arts. I wanted to see my mug in an exhibition, take pride in a poster I helped design or the performance of a band I helped pick. So as soon as Raghu Dixit and Them Clones finished a brilliant set each, I set out to enquire when the next YP Induction was. I wanted to sign up!

It has been almost a year now since that day. I have experiences that have been enriching and draining; wonderful and also completely ball-busting. I have had the privilege to meet many passionate and exciting people, all driven by the common goal of working for what drives them, though the actual medium may differ. This past year has also been quite an eye-opener. Up till the TAAQ concert, I had heard of bands like Zero, Half Step Down and PDV but had never gone to any of their gigs. The closest I had come was downloading Bandeh off the net. Not because I couldn’t, mind you. Being in college, getting into bars or pubs wasn’t that hard (the fact that at this point I could grow a decent goatee definitely helped). I didn’t go because I didn’t think they were worth it. Like many of the people whose minds I am now working to change, I couldn’t be bothered to give artists like them a chance. I fantasised about bands like Metallica and Red Hot Chilli Peppers coming to India, and paying 1500-3000 Rupees for a chance to see them, rather than take a 15 minute drive to a pub and see these guys perform. In my mind, the bigger the venue, the bigger the band. Surely a band that performed in a small dark smoky bar couldn’t be all that great, right?

I have since been mesmerised as acts like Indian Ocean, Swarathma, Raghu Dixit, East India Company and Five8 have taken the stage. The last of these in fact is a band featuring two of my colleagues and friends from YP. It is an amazing realisation that talent like this has existed right in our backyards and yet so many of us have not given it a second thought, for whatever reason. Things are changing, slowly maybe, but they are. Every week I hear a new song by an Original Indian artist on the radio; I catch videos by Them Clones or Indian Ocean on VH1; I see an album by a Swarathma or Raghu Dixit in Music Planet. I wouldn’t think to presume that I have any great role to play in this evolution, but I am happy that I am trying to do my part. As a young “Music Enthusiast” I am proud that the people from my city, and from my country, are taking a chance to pursue their passion. And I am proud to support them in whatever way I can. Even if it’s just by standing in the crowd with a lighter shouting my lungs out.

Zafar Khurshid