 Who are you? Since 2013, Chimee Adioha has been working in the areas of gender, arts, and literature in Nigeria. His major strategies for social justice and equality have focused majorly on tools like photography, film and literature. His work has also revolved around media and communications, creative writing and social work. He has served as a member of the inclusion & engagement committee of the Commonwealth Youth Council. In 2016, he founded an alliance of boys who are rewriting and strategizing against toxic masculinity in Nigeria. He also curates a youth led literary magazine in Nigeria called BLACK BOY REVIEW. He lives and works in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos. Why are you passionate about HIV, SRHR and Social justice? My passion for SRHR and social justice has begun since I was a child. I didn’t know the right language and terminologies but I felt I was sad that many things that involve humanity were not right and I felt something needed to be done. I think I started putting action since 2013, just when I was going to university. There was this need to engage with young people, talk about sexual rights, write about these topics and get them published. Sharing same space with a lot of queer people in my country also created the possibility of understanding the concept and motive for sexual and reproductive health rights. I joined a human rights policy and research organization in 2017, working with under-served young people and women. That space opened my eyes to situations of injustice in severe need of justice. My work every day centers around these people and there is this automatic urge to to push more and act more, regardless of the shrinking space that Nigeria offers its activists. Why did you join The PACT as a Communications Lead? I have joined The PACT after reading through and realizing I could be a part of a youth led team working day and night to end AIDS by 2030. It was like one of those spaces that I have listed in my “to do”. I was also grateful for the opportunity to communicate and share the work of The PACT- as I believe the work is not complete without adequate communication. How do programs happen? How did a meeting go? These are crucial and critical incidents that promote a particular work. It’s my pleasure to be a part of this process for The PACT. What are your hopes for the future of the youth HIV movement? The future of the youth HIV movement is nothing close to slim. The future looks so realistic, even more realistic than presently. A lot of young people are becoming a force that can’t stop. A lot of young people are getting involved. That will double or triple in the future. There is no such thing as when a whole community gathers to solve a problem. The work gets done hundred times faster. |
