Thank you for agreeing to participate in our interview! Could you please briefly introduce yourself and Youth LEAD?
My name is Ikka Noviyanti. You can call me Ikka. I was born and raised in Indonesia, Bali and I’m 29 years old.
Youth LEAD began as a project to address the needs of young key populations in 2010 under the Coalition of Asia-Pacific Regional Networks on HIV and AIDS (7 Sisters), which UNFPA financially supported. It later gained support from various UN agencies, such as UNICEF EAPRO, UNAIDS RST, and UNESCO, as the project expanded across the Asia Pacific. The project's success established Youth LEAD as an independent network in 2012 after developing a three-year strategic plan and governance handbook. In 2014, Youth LEAD became a legally registered organization in Thailand through the financial and technical support of the Robert Carr Fund and UN partners.
When did you first become involved in the world of SRHR and HIV activism?
The first time I worked on HIV issues was in 2015, when I found out about my HIV-positive status. At that time, I was 21 years old and as a person who had minimal knowledge about HIV. I felt very down and wanted to know if I could connect with other people living with HIV, and this desire led me to work as a volunteer at a clinic in Bali that serves sex workers. After one year of volunteering, my eyes were opened to the wide array of issues sex workers were facing and worked hard to address their unique needs and situations. I attended multiple trainings about HIV that raised awareness on living with HIV and issues experienced by sex workers. I received an offer to work with a national organization in Jakarta for sex workers, and since then I continued my activism until I started to work with Youth LEAD in 2018.
You have done a lot of advocacy work with the Global Fund; could you share a bit about that and the advocacy opportunities it presents?
Recently, Youth LEAD participated in the advocacy for Global Fund replenishment. Communities and civil societies actively participate in governance at the international level. I am also a member of the GF Developing Country NGO Delegation. As members of the Board, we play a critical role in the development and evolution of organizational strategy, the funding model, the work of the Secretariat, and policy. Community and civil society representatives participate actively in the decision-making process at the country level through membership in the Country Coordinating Mechanism. This national body is responsible for creating the requests for funding and overseeing implementation. While ensuring that everyone can contribute meaningfully is still challenging, these organizations are increasingly making their voices heard. Several countries have started the discussion on Global Fund New Funding Model 4 (NFM4)-Allocation Cycle 2023-2025, and this is an opportunity to be actively involved in the processes of the Global Fund.
Congratulations on your new role as Regional Coordinator of Youth LEAD. As a young leader, what are some of the challenges or barriers you face?
This is a tricky question, and the difficult thing right now is adjusting to a new role. Right now, I am very easily distracted by the things I face, but I am very grateful because I have a solid team, many stakeholders who support me, and Youth LEAD.
Are there ways that the APA membership could support you further?
I think building stronger partnerships in the future will really help my development as an individual and also Youth LEAD as an organization.
What are some of your new year's resolutions for 2023?
My resolution for this year is to get organized, set the time for work and time for rest, and also think about mental health.
If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be and why?
I would be an elephant because they usually stay in small groups but are incredibly loyal to those around them. This is the closest thing to my nature.
YouthLEAD is an organization led by youth that aims to empower the lives of young key populations (YKP) ages 14-30 through education, advocacy and development in the Asia-Pacific region. Youth LEAD works with more than 50 focal points in 19 countries and works to enhance the lives of YKPs and advocate for their needs. They have established themselves as key agents of change in the HIV response under the common goal to end the AIDs epidemic by 2030. Ikka Noviyanti is a Regional Coordinator working for Youth LEAD since 2018 with experience working with YKPs in the national and regional levels.
