Youth Council set to take Women Deliver by storm!
Get ready for an extraordinary event happening from 17 to 21 July in Kigali, Rwanda – Women Deliver 2023. This is one of the largest multi-sectoral & multi-stakeholder convenings to advance gender equality. About 6,000 people are expected to join in person and 200,000 will participate online. Today, we want to pay some extra attention to a participating group, our Youth Council.
Youth Council participating in Women Deliver 2023
Powered by Liliane Fonds’ Make Way program, this council focuses on empowering young people with disabilities, equipping them with advocacy skills and fostering youth-led research. As they actively prepare to attend the conference, these passionate individuals are gearing up to contribute abstracts, engage in consultations and collaborate with like-minded peers from across the globe.
Let’s introduce you to this dedicated Youth Council, who are not only making their voices heard but also shaping a more inclusive future:
- Vilda Atieno Otieno is 22 years old and lives in Kisumu, Kenya. She has a physical disability. She has a Bachelor in Social Work and is volunteering at Cheshire Disability Services Kenya as youth advocate for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of young people. She is currently involved as lead panelist for the biggest SRHR conference in Kenya. Vilda will also be speaking on the panel of the concurrent session organized by Liliane Fonds.
- Kelvin Besa is a 25-year-old young man from Zambia and is living with albinism. He is a teacher by profession and is very passionate about Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for persons with disabilities and vocal about the accessibility of SRH services. Additionally, he plays a big role in pushing for the African Disability Protocol in Zambia.
- Patience Gloria Babirye from Kenya is 26 years old. Patience is having a hearing impairment since she was 13 years old. She is currently participating in the disability law summer school (online) at the University of Galway as she was offered a scholarship. She spoke on a webinar of Gender and Disability of DCDD too and on the Make Way website there is a blog on Gloria!
- Zelalem Andualem is 24 years old and comes from Ethiopia. He is having a physical disability since an accident at the age of 16. He is passionate about access to SRHR services, taking the lead for the youth-led research in Ethiopia and has a great vision on meaningful youth participation.
- Wilhelmina Ice from Indonesia is 18 years old and became involved with SRHR through the My Body is Mine program in 2019. She has been advocating for SRHR for persons with disabilities in her communities, but also at larger SRHR-conferences in Indonesia. She acts as an advocate and peer educator for San Kita, an organisation in Labuan Bajo. Wilhelmina will also be speaking on the panel of the concurrent session organized by Liliane Fonds. Wilhelmina received a scholarship from Women Deliver to come to the conference.
- Patrick Tuyishimire (30) from Rwanda is deaf and a member of the Board of Rwanda National Union of the Deaf (RNUD), on the position of Youth Representative.
Through partner organization NUDOR he was appointed to a group of Regional Youth with Disabilities Council that is facilitated by Liliane Fonds. - Dinah Kabazayire is a 28-year-old from Rwanda. She lives in Kigali and thus is Women Deliver a great opportunity to connect with other young people with and without disabilities to discuss topics related to SRHR and gender equality. She has a physical disability and is looking forward to learn more about SRHR and excited that she is attending the conference.
- Claudine Mukarusine (32) is a Rwandan lady with albinism. After finishing high school she started leadership responsibilities. During her university studies she represented the students with disabilities in the college and took some initiatives with colleagues. Claudine has been making a positive change towards persons with albinism, girls with disabilities and in disability movement through advocacy activities and other different performances like representation, music and modelling, which has been changing negative mindset towards persons with disabilities. She is a bachelor degree holder in French, English and Education from University of Rwanda College of Education.