Young Women Rising Report- WISEUP 2020

Wise Up: Young Women Rising was created to build a space for young women aged 18-30 in the UK. Currently, there is a lack of women specific spaces for young women living with HIV in the UK. There is a gap between the provision that focuses on living with HIV in adolescence and ageing with HIV (those that are 30+). Both are hugely important and necessary discussions, but the gap missing leaves young women lacking a space to explore, discuss and understand what it means to navigate the beginning of adulthood and live with HIV. 

You can read our report on Wise Up: Young Women Rising here. The conversations that the Young Women Rising weekend brought out around topics such as: U=U and identity echoed the findings from our report Invisible No Longer that ‘Women’s voices are not heard, their experiences and needs are not sufficiently recognised, prioritised and met.’ As you read this report, a theme that is evident throughout is that young women living with HIV lack a space to understand what and how living with HIV will impact their daily lives. 

Young Women Rising is a space that we hope will continue to develop a connective network of like minded women to: pause, reflect, rant, bounce ideas and share what matters to them, for them. Wise Up: Young Women Rising was ‘a weekend with an amazing girl gang and unpacking what it means to be a young woman living with HIV in a safe space.’ I hope that you’ll find this report refreshing, inspiring and that this will help bring about more space for young female voices to be heard. 

Mercy Shibemba

Co-Chair, Sophia Forum