I am a Leader and an Advocate, Andrew Francis
(Nov-28-2007)
 Andrew Francis, like many children in the community of Lionel Town, Clarendon, grew up with a fathering mother. However, despite the struggles Andrew’s mother taught him ‘not to mix up wid bad compani’ and worked tirelessly to ensure that he and his brother got the best education. She had no intention of letting them be like some of the men in their community who abuse women, and had no interest in getting an education.
Her efforts were not futile! Andrew is now a role model, a stalwart leader, a graduate from the University of the West Indies and youth advocate on sexual and reproductive health. He is also the Youth Advocacy Officer at the USAID funded Jamaica Solution to Youth Lifestyle and Empowerment (Ja-Style).
“I knew I would meet people who would have affected my life but I never thought the impact would result in me being a sexual and reproductive health advocate,” stated the 20-year-old Andrew Francis. He intends to ensure that youth are enlisted in the planning and implementation of programmes geared towards educating youth to make informed sexual decisions.
Go-Local Jamaica caught up with Andrew after his return from the Women’s Deliver Conference in London, England.
GLJ: What impact do you think you have had on Jamaican youth?
AF: I think I’ve had a great impact on the young people I have interacted with; they see me as someone they can emulate. In high school, students would come to me for advice for career and other life decisions they had to make. Some youth have made adjustments to their behaviours of violence and risky sexual practices as a result of my involvement with them.
GLJ: What sparked your interest in youth advocacy?
AF: When I volunteered with the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) as a Logistics Personnel for Youth Month 2005 my interest was ignited to be a negotiator between policymakers, government officials and those who are affected by the policies, laws and conventions that affect them. JASTYLE further facilitated this when I was selected as Jamaica’s youth representative to a UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS held in 2006. I was exposed to Advocacy at the International Level and as such I returned to Jamaica with the zeal to advocate on youth issues as well as build the capacity of others to advocate.
GLJ: How did you balance advocating for young people and your schoolwork?
AF: I do very badly at time management sometimes. (Laughs) Learning everything possible during class time because my spare time would have been spent advocating, training or attending other advocacy activities. Timetabling was critical thus I found leisure in advocating.
GLJ: What are some of the issues affecting youth as it pertains to HIV/AIDS?
AF: Young people are engaging in uninformed sexual activity at an early age because of ignorance due to the lack of adequate information. Although the knowledge and use of contraceptives is increasing there are still gaps that need to be filled. For example, our culture stigmatises and alienates young people from easy access to contraceptives. Our health services are unfriendly; youths are even chased away by providers. We also have a big problem accessing up-to-date and accurate reproductive health information.
Therefore, I think we need to introduce comprehensive sex education in our schools to ensure we reduce HIV/AIDS and pregnancy, adolescent and maternal mortality and unsafe abortions.
GJL: What are the main challenges youth advocates face? What do you think are some of the reasons why youth are not included on these policy committees?
AF: In my view, youth advocates need to understand their roles better. They must realise that they are not programme implementers; but individuals who review policies and fight for a cause that not only affects them but others as well. Youth often are not included on these committees because we are not of a particular political affiliation or because the Committee Members, or those who appoint persons, do not feel that young people’s voices should or even need to be enlisted.
GLJ: Where do you think we are as a country in terms of enlisting young people as key players in policy formation? Do you think enough is being done? What could be done to ensure that young people are included in the formation of these policies?
AF: We have been paying ‘lip service’ to enlisting young people as key players in policy formation and that has to stop! More can be done and needs to be done! One or two young persons must sit at the table whenever we are implementing policies or passing legislation whether in economics, security, health education every aspect of governance. One of the best ways to have relevant and effective policies is to facilitate more youth-adult coalitions and commitments to working together for the better of our country.
GJL: What experience have you gained from being an advocate and which experience is most remembered?
AF: Interacting with young people from all over has been phenomenal. I learn about their experiences in other countries and regions. Most importantly, I get an understanding on the strategies they use to effect change in policies.
One recent experience that stands out for me was at the Women Deliver Conference on Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood held in London. I represented the Latin American & Caribbean Region on a seven member, World Youth Leaders Panel that discussed Growing up in the 21st Century. What was even more rewarding was following that session the Organizers invited me to sit on a five-member panel that discussed how we can shape the future. I was the only youth representative who sat amongst accomplished persons like Hans Rosling and Dorothy Shaw. It was an out of the world experience.
Andrew makes true the adage that parents should train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Many young people are now engaging in risky sexual activities, as such he must be lauded for his advoacy work on sexual and reproductive health so we can curb the high levels of HIV/AIDS, teenage pregancy, and maternal health.
Andrew Francis leading the singing of the National Anthem at the Launch of Ja-STYLE in July 2007
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