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Y-PEER Website Launch to Further Boost Youth Programming in Uzbekistan  

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN – In October 2009, UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund in Uzbekistan, launched the www.youthpeer.uz website aiming to improve communication among peer educators throughout the country and strengthen consolidated youth programming initiatives.  

This website will serve as a knowledge exchange platform and a tool that helps the network members share their success stories and discuss existing challenges. Maintained in three languages – English, Russian and Uzbek – the website is a tool available for everyone who is interested in joining Y-PEER network, a ground breaking and comprehensive peer-to-peer initiative in the area of reproductive health and HIV prevention pioneered by UNFPA.

Y-PEER became active in Uzbekistan in 2005, as part of the regional network functioning in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and Arab States. Today, Y-PEER in Uzbekistan is a network of more than 200 young persons volunteering in the area of reproductive health and build capacity of their peers in promotion of healthy lifestyle.  

One of the important features the website contains is a Peer of the Month section that helps identify the peer educator who did the best job within Y-PEER Network during the current month and most actively engaged their peers in learning activities. This section motivates all members of the network and makes them strive for better results in their work.  

The website also contains the photo gallery illustrating various events organized by peer educators in the country and a link to the global Y-PEER website that helps local peer educators stay connected with their colleagues overseas and finding efficient solutions for healthy lifestyle promotion.  

“We are keen on involving young people in our programming in the area of reproductive health and HIV prevention because we believe that youth participation has practical necessity allowing the organization’s work respond to the actual needs, interests and specifics of young people,” – commented Ms. Nuzhat Ehsan, UNFPA Representative a.i. in Uzbekistan. “Our Fund ensured that ideas and opinions of Y-PEER members were taken into account while the peer network website was under construction, so that young people are fully satisfied with the crucial communication tool they now have at their disposal.”

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programs to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. 

For additional information please contact:

Mr. Maksim Fazlitdinov 

Programme Associate on Advocacy/Communication

UNFPA/Uzbekistan

Fazlitdinov@unfpa.org