Satellite Session on Engaging Civil Society in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Ministerial Commitment to adolescents and young people’s needs and rights.

This campaign urges ministers of health and education in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) to act on UN recommendations that could improve the health, education and prosperity of over 158 million young people in the region. The more supporters this campaign can show, the more likely ministers in the region are to take urgent action.

Right now in 21 countries across the ESA region, education and health ministers are meeting to discuss a range of bold actions that could dramatically improve the knowledge and health of millions of young people – while reducing the impact of broad challenges that young people face today. These challenges include high rates of HIV infection, unintended pregnancy, maternal death, gender-based violence and limited access to health services.

As a young person, parent, teacher, leader – or someone who cares about young people – please add your support to this campaign to ensure the ministers from Eastern and Southern Africa make the right decisions when they meet together for a historic meeting on 6th December 2013 in Cape Town. With your support, the ministers will understand it’s time to act now – and commit to providing better futures for their young people

This session will

• Present and discuss the ESA Ministerial Commitment from a civil society perspective and to highlight the role of civil society in the implementation of the commitment  to ensure positive health outcomes for young people through the ESA Commitment process.
• Agree on an advocacy strategy (using the Commitment) to reach policy makers, key decision makers, religious leaders, traditional leaders, parents and community
• Agree on a Monitoring Framework to monitor the agreements and hold governments accountable for delivering on the commitment.