Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Disabled and HIV/AIDS Organisation Lesotho (DHAOL) launched “HER Voice Fund” project as a platform intended to advocate for Adolescent Girls and young Women (AGYW) involvement in development strategies.
The project will address challenges that AGYW come across, particularly while engaging in relevant policy and program design processes that directly affect their lives and other
indirect factors that put them vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Speaking at the Launch DHAOL Executive Director Phantsi Makobane explained that DHAOL is non-governmental organization aiming at providing comprehensive care and
support to people affected and infected by HIV and persons with disabilities. He added that their mission is to create an enabling environment of society, free
from all types of exploitation, stigmatization and discrimination of HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) using human rights approach. Makobane said they work with persons with disabilities, key-populations and their
organizations in broad on matters concerning Economic Empowerment, Democracy, Citizen Empowerment, HIV, TB, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), Gender-Based
Violence (GBV), and Human Rights. He expanded that their work group is divided into Health & Social Development Commission, Education Commission, Democracy & Human Rights Commission, and Research & Economic
Empowerment Commission. The Executive Director explained that DHAOL coordinates the promotion and profiling of the HER Voice Fund in the country, organizes
coordination meetings with grantees around advocacy efforts at country level, coordinates advocacy efforts at country level as well as connecting the HER Voice Fund grantees
with network of AGYW organizations to promote the fund and its activities, monitors grantees’ activities, targets, manages and reports on funds for country level
coordination activities and promotes activities in implementation through social media posts. Also speaking at the launch HER Voice Fund Ambassador Lesotho Nthabeleng
Ntšekalle said HER Voice Fund is based on the principle that AGYW have a vital role to play in driving and shaping the HIV response. She added that their
experiences and needs must be central for policy making, program design and implementation. She added that the project seeks to support the meaningful
engagement and participation of AGYW in Global Fund (GF) country processes as well as national, sub-national advocacy, policy and strategy processes relevant
to AGYW and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)/HIV. Ntšekalle explained that in 2019, The Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+), won the global Fund support
for HER Voice Fund which came with the concept of Country-Lead and well-coordinated grantees through the help of the Ambassador. “The Country-Lead was nominated after a very strict, competitive process at a high level platform
led by the Ambassador [me] and [my] Mentor, very fortunately, DHAOL won the first Price. The grantees that also won the price showed proven knowledge,
experience and passion of working with young people in the HIV response. These were SHE Hives, Itumeleng Women Empowerment, Mosepele Foundation Development
Forum (MFDF) AND Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA),” Ntšekalle said. She furthered that some of the key responsibilities of HER Voice Ambassador being the face of the
HER Voice Fund in the country are representing the fund and its objectives at key meetings and events Lead advocacy activities around HER Voice Fund, attending events to talk about the fund work with the Country-Lead to monitor high-level
country plans – including country-specific advocacy objectives, meeting with grantees to find out what activities are going on in their country Potential to participate in the
Project Advisory Group in the selection of grantees She ultimately indicated that she is grateful that the advocacy for Women and Girls rights, Justice, available health commodities,
friendly and professional treatment of young people in health facilities, Menstrual Hygiene and a need for Free Sanitary towel will now be even more amplified as ‘unity is power’ in situations like this.
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