Youth at the Table
Story by: Mweru Peter, Mbale Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDS-MNYPA, Uganda
Focus Areas: SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being; SDG 5 – Gender Equality; SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 17 – Partnership for The Goals; SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; SDG 13 – Climate Action; SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities; SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure;
In Mbale and across the Bugisu sub-region, decisions about health, budgets, and services have traditionally been made without the voices of young people, despite them being the most affected by gaps in SRHR, HIV services, and youth-friendly interventions. Health Unit Management Committees (HUMCs) and strategic district committees are mandated by the Ministry of Health’s 2019 guidelines to include youth representation, yet this rarely happens in practice. Instead, older individuals, disconnected from the lived realities of adolescents, occupy these critical seats.
This lack of meaningful youth participation has had profound consequences. Health facility budgets fail to prioritise adolescent-friendly services, leading to frequent stock-outs of SRHR commodities, limited HIV prevention tools, and services that fail to address the needs of young people. The situation was so stark that, in one facility, a 67-year-old man was seated as a “youth representative.” It was a clear sign that the voices of young people had been silenced in spaces where their perspectives matter most.
With the AU-EU Youth Action Lab Representation grant, MNYPA saw an opportunity to challenge this status quo and drive power shifts. Understanding that for young people to influence policies, budgets, and the services they rely on, they had to be present and actively engaged in these decision-making spaces. This became the foundation of MYPA’s journey.
At MNYPA, it is known that meaningful change requires more than just talking about youth inclusion – it demands action. They conducted a baseline assessment on the functionality of Health Unit Management Committees (HUMCs) across Mbale District. The findings were striking, with none of the 36 health facilities having a youth representative, and most young leaders having little to no understanding of the budget process. Decisions that directly affected young people’s health and priorities were being made by people who not only overlooked the realities but often refused to acknowledge them.
When the AU-EU Youth Action Lab Representation Grant arrived, it came as a turning point – a tool – to disrupt these entrenched structures and claim young people’s rightful voice and rewrite the narratives. With this grant, MNYPA plans to mobilise a team of youth leaders, peer advocates, and community champions, equipping them with the skills to understand and influence the district budget cycle. Through youth-led budget advocacy budget training, district consultative forums, and advocacy campaigns, spaces where young people can meaningfully engage with decision-makers will be created.
MNYPA will partner with district officials, local government leaders, and other civil society actors to ensure that youth perspectives are not just heard but integrated into policy discussions. This will go beyond being “in the room” to having a seat at the table, pushing for structural reforms in HUMCs and ensuring that young people are formally recognised as key stakeholders in health and SRHR budget decisions.
