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Programs & Advocacy

What We Do &
Why It Matters

From grassroots community outreach to national policy advocacy YKP Lead Nepal works at every level of the response to advance the health, rights, and dignity of young key populations in Nepal.

Operating across all 7 provinces through the Global Fund Human Rights Grant, we deliver programs designed, implemented, and monitored by young people from the communities we serve.

Strategic Plan 2026 to 2030

Our Five Strategic Priorities

YKP Lead Nepal's 5-year strategic plan is guided by one goal: "Young People Leading the Way to End AIDS by 2030."

Priority 01
Youth Leadership

Build the capacity of young key populations to strategically lead HIV, health, and social justice responses at national and international levels.

Priority 02
Enabling Environment

Ensure a protective, rights-based policy and legal environment for young key populations with universal access to social, economic, and health services.

Priority 03
HIV, SRHR & Mental Health

Deliver a comprehensive package of youth-friendly HIV prevention, treatment, SRHR, and mental health programmes and services.

Priority 04
Funding & Institutional Capacity

Diversify funding for young key populations and strengthen the organisational capacity of YKP Lead Nepal as the national network.

Priority 05
Digital Health

Enhance capacity in digital health to contribute to a safer online space for young key populations through engagement, networking, and advocacy campaigns.

Target Populations

Who We Serve

YKP Lead Nepal works with the most marginalised and vulnerable young populations across Nepal, aged 15 to 29.

Young People Living with HIV
Peer support, treatment linkage, psychosocial care, and advocacy for rights and dignity.
YPLHIV
Children Living with HIV
Paediatric treatment support, disclosure counselling, and psychosocial wellbeing programs.
CLHIV
Children Affected by AIDS
CABA Cash Transfer advocacy, social protection integration, and community support.
CABA
Young People Who Use Drugs
Harm reduction, Hepatitis C kits, overdose prevention, and rights-based advocacy.
YPWUD
Young Female Sex Workers
SRHR training, GBV awareness, financial literacy, and legal rights education.
YFSW
Young LGBTQIA+ Individuals
Safe spaces, identity care, legal advocacy, and meaningful participation in decision-making.
LGBTQIA+
Focus Districts

Direct programming across 6 focal districts and 28 districts through community networks.

Kathmandu Bhaktapur Lalitpur Pokhara Dharan Chitwan Birgunj Jhapa Dhangadi
Surkhet Nepalgunj Butwal Rupandehi Bardiya Dang Palpa Nawalpur Gorkha Kaski Syangja Sunsari Morang Ilam Taplejung Dadeldhura Kanchanpur Bajhang Humla
2025 to 2026 Programs

Recent Program Highlights

Capacity Building
Healthcare Worker Training Phases 1 & 2
Using the newly finalized Healthcare Worker Training Manual, YKP Lead Nepal trained healthcare workers and ART counsellors across two phases in 2026. Sessions covered youth-friendly HIV service delivery, positive language, HIV epidemiology, counselling techniques, SRHR, gender rights, and facility-level action planning. Phase 2 specifically addressed HIV disclosure counselling for children and young people.
Participants
64 healthcare workers and ART counsellors (Phases 1 & 2)
Venue
Hotel Manang, Kathmandu
Dates
May 14–15 and August 23–24, 2026
Facilitator
Gaj Gurung (Phase 1)
National Consultation
National Consultation of YKPs and YPLHIVs
A two-day national platform bringing young key populations, community networks, civil society, and development partners together to identify barriers, set priorities, and develop a strategic roadmap. Thematic groups conducted SWOT analyses and produced a shared roadmap validated through plenary consensus.
Participants
31 (16 Female, 11 Male, 4 LGBTQI+)
Venue
Hotel Manang, Thamel, Kathmandu
Dates
June 10–11, 2026
Partners
NAP+N, NFWLHA, Mitini Nepal, BDS, FSGMN, UNDP Nepal
Provincial Advocacy
Joint Provincial Consultation Gandaki Province
A structured dialogue between YKPs, YPLHIV, and provincial-level parliamentarians and decision-makers in Gandaki Province. The consultation directly resulted in a landmark outcome: the Ministry of Social Development, Gandaki Province confirmed a dedicated budget line titled "HIV and Key Population" the first of its kind in the province.
Participants
21 (10 Women, 11 Men)
Venue
D Village, Pokhara, Gandaki Province
Date
May 27, 2026
Outcome
First dedicated "HIV and Key Population" budget line secured in Gandaki Province
Life Skills
Life Skills & Self-Care Training
A 3-day residential training delivering a curriculum covering ten core life skills: self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, creative thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, effective communication, coping with emotions and stress, and self-care. The training created a safe, trauma-informed space for YPLHIV and YKPs to build confidence and develop psychosocial skills for daily life.
Participants
30 YPLHIV and YKPs (86% female or gender-diverse)
Period
October 2025
Locations
Pokhara, Chitwan, Butwal (across years)
Method
Experiential learning, role-plays, group discussions, trauma-informed facilitation
Emergency Relief
Food & Treatment Support for Ultra-Poor YPLHIV and YKPs
Emergency food packages worth NPR 1,000 each distributed to low-income families of YPLHIV and YKPs across 6 districts. Treatment support provided through monthly reimbursements covering health checkups, medications, and medical costs for ultra-poor community members with household incomes below NPR 25,000.
Families Supported
475 families (2024) across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur & Lalitpur
Treatment Support
15 community members per month in Kathmandu
Districts
Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Chitwan, Dharan
Partners
Women's Forum Pokhara, Chitwan Sakriya Samaj, Dharan Positive
Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment

Vocational Training Programs

YKP Lead Nepal equips YPLHIV and YKPs with practical, market-relevant skills to access sustainable employment and economic independence.

Barista Training
15-day barista course at Nine Bar Cups Coffee covering coffee brewing, latte art, customer service, and cafe operations.
10 YPLHIV trained 4 placed as interns
Web Designing
3-month frontend development course at Broadway Infosys covering HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.
7 YPLHIV completed the course
Advanced Makeup & Beauty
15-day professional makeup course at Guna Beautician Training Center covering techniques, skin preparation, and color theory.
10 female YPLHIV enrolled
Fashion Designing
3-month fashion designing course providing young women YPLHIV with industry skills for sustainable livelihoods.
Female YPLHIV aged 18 to 29
Financial Literacy & GBV
3-day workshop covering budgeting, savings, loans, investment, insurance, and gender-based violence awareness for YFSW and YPLHIV.
20 participants in Pokhara
Foreign Employment Advocacy
Advocacy session on YPLHIV rights in foreign employment and study, covering legal rights, bilateral agreements, and ARV continuity.
22 YPLHIV participants (2026)
CABA Advocacy

Children Affected by AIDS
Cash Transfer Program

Since 2014, YKP Lead Nepal has championed the CABA Cash Transfer Scheme a Global Fund program providing financial assistance to children living with HIV under 18. Our advocacy has pushed for increased transfers and integration into Nepal's national social security framework.

National Study & Recommendations
Conducted a national study with Youth LEAD, NAP+N, and YKP Lead Nepal. Key finding: existing transfers insufficient due to inflation. Recommended increasing the amount and integrating into social security.
Provincial Advocacy Meetings
Advocacy meetings in Lumbini, Karnali, Gandaki, Sudurpashchim, and Bagmati provinces with 147 stakeholders to revise CABA guidelines.
National CABA Convention
70 participants from 7 provinces and 28 districts gathered to advance the integration of CABA into Nepal's social security scheme.
CABA Dissemination Meeting
57 stakeholders at Holiday Inn Express, Tangal committed to social security integration of the CABA Cash Transfer program.
70+
Participants at National CABA Convention
7
Provinces represented
28
Districts represented
"The CABA Cash Transfer Program has been vital for children living with HIV in Nepal since 2014 our advocacy ensures it reaches the children who need it most."
Impact at a Glance

Our Numbers 2022 to 2026

475
Families supported with food packages across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur & Lalitpur (2024)
64
Healthcare workers and ART counsellors trained in youth-friendly HIV services (2026)
31
Participants at National Consultation of YKPs and YPLHIVs (June 2026)
9
Major national and provincial events delivered January to August 2026
7
Provinces covered through GBV coordination meetings and community outreach
28
Districts reached through programs, conventions, and advocacy activities
90%
Post-test knowledge score after org development training (up from 46.3%)
1
New provincial budget line secured "HIV and Key Population" in Gandaki Province
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