What business do youth have making HIV and AIDS laws in Nigeria? (PLA 64)

This article highlights how a group of young people in Nigeria were able to influence Nigeria’s national legislation on HIV and AIDS anti-stigma and discrimination bill, in order to make it more responsive to the needs of young people in the education sector. We explore how a youth advocacy group (YAG) meaningfully contributed to national policy. We highlight the different strategies used by the YAG to engage with peers and with policy makers and legislators. It is aimed at policy makers and institutions that work to increase young people’s participation in governance issues and young people themselves. Key lessons learnt about young people’s participation in the policy-making processes are also highlighted. It demonstrates that young people do not need a legal background or formal education to participate in legislative processes. No matter how small their number, they can effectively mobilise, educate and motivate their peers to action and bring about policy change.

Participatory Learning and Action (PLA, formerly PLA Notes) is the world's leading series on participatory approaches and methods. PLA publishes articles on participation aimed at practitioners, researchers, academics and activists. All articles are peer-reviewed by an international editorial board. See: www.planotes.org

Keywords: Children, youth, young people, child rights, participatory governance.