The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will host the meeting that brings civil society groups and UN organisations together as part of a task team. The purpose of the meeting is to define strategies for the 2008-2009 period that will ensure young people are involved and aware of Millennium Development Goal 6 that addresses HIV, AIDS and Malaria. In particular, the task force aims to ensure young people are involved in acheiving the MDG 6 indicator on universal access to treatment for HIV and AIDS by 2010.

Marie-Claude Julsaint, World YWCA Programme Director for the Americas and Caribbean will represent the Alliance of Youth CEO’s. ”As the World YWCA, we are one of the largest youth organisations globally. Given that HIV is a priority area of the World YWCA we have experience and best practises to share with the group,” says Julsaint.

The YWCA has developed a solid base of programmes that respond to the pandemic at multiple levels, particularly in the most affected regions. YWCAs around the world are delivering reproductive health and HIV education to women and girls in 70 countries. A number of education tools have been developed by women in the YWCA to mobilise women's leadership at the community level and to address HIV related stigma and discrimination.

One such initiative is a publication documenting leadership by young women under 30 years old. Launched in 2006, 'If I kept it to Myself: Young women Intervene in a World of AIDS' features 21 young women from every region of the world. In addition, the World YWCA trained 250 young women on HIV and AIDS advocacy during the International Women's Summit on Women's Leadership on HIV and AIDS in July 2007. A training manual, 'Empowering Young Women to Lead Change', developed in partnership with UNFPA, continues to equip young women around the world with the skills to respond to HIV and other global issue young women face.