There is no time to waste: How to scale up and expand leadership of people living with HIV and key populations – World

With an unacceptably high rate of new HIV infections, especially among vulnerable and marginalized populations, and an HIV treatment gap of more than 9 million people, an enabling legal and policy environment that respects human rights is more critical than ever to achieving an effective and sustainable response to HIV.

As the global community of scientists, communities, governments, non-governmental organizations and multilateral agencies prepares for the 25th International AIDS Conference in Munich, UNDP is scaling up the work of people living with HIV and other key populations to remove legal and policy barriers to health and HIV-related services and drive progress towards the 10-10-10 targets agreed by Member States in 2021. Science continues to offer an impressive array of tools. Sustaining the HIV response to 2030 and beyond requires creating enabling legal and policy environments, where rights-based and evidence-based laws and policies prevail, to safeguard progress and ensure that services reach those who need them most.

Below are some compelling examples from over 40 grantee organizations in 21 countries that the UNDP-led SCALE Initiative is supporting to remove structural barriers to progress. To drive this progress, it is critical to continue investing in and strengthening work led by and for people living with HIV and other key populations, including in relation to the 10-10-10 HIV targets to end criminalization, discrimination and gender-based violence that continue to drive new HIV infections and impede access to treatment, care and support.

Amplifying voices and breaking down barriers in Eswatini

In Eswatini, the LGBTIQ+ community faces significant legal and social challenges that impede access to HIV-related services. Princie Hlophe, a transgender woman, suffered a brutal attack motivated by her gender identity. Fear of discrimination often prevents people like Princie from seeking justice.

However, with support from The Rock of Hope, Princie was able to report the crime and receive the support he needed. The Rock of Hope has set up legal aid services and trained police officers to better understand and support key populations. Meanwhile, HealthPlus 4 Men has established support groups in all four regions of the country through its grant project to ensure key populations have easy access to psychosocial support and antiretroviral therapy (ART). These are part of vital efforts to break down barriers to justice and HIV and health services for the LGBTIQ+ community and other key populations in Eswatini.

Local and youth leadership driving change in the Philippines

SCALE supports three initiatives in the Philippines. TLF SHARE Collective’s “Bida ang Barangay” project educates barangay (small local district) officials and youth about sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) and HIV. Kim, an emerging community leader, and Zania, who now embraces her identity, are testimonies to the project’s impact. Their efforts have led to the passage of a proposed HIV ordinance, making Sumilao a beacon against discrimination.

The Philippine Alliance of Youth Leaders Against Discrimination (PANTAY) is implementing digitally-driven interventions to provide practical knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV prevention.

“The resulting efforts are manifesting not only at the barangay level, but also at the city level. We were able to establish the Bahaghari (rainbow) Council. It includes different government agencies and offices, such as gender and city development and health, which cover all sectors,” said Jonas, chairperson of the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth community council) of barangay Buli.

In Mandaue, Cebu, the Cebu United Rainbow LGBT Sector (CURLS) is working to implement anti-stigma and anti-discrimination policies. The long-awaited implementation of the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance regulations will expand livelihood opportunities for the LGBTIQ+ community, ensuring inclusive growth.

Promoting inclusive legal environments in Latin America and the Caribbean

In Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP is supporting organizations led by key populations to advocate for legal environments that respect their rights and dignity. The Jamaica-based Equality for All Foundation is bringing together communities to discuss how the rights of LGBTIQ+ populations should be reflected in the country’s national constitutional reform. In Guatemala, CAS and Lambda are working with communities across the country to draft a national LGBTIQ+ policy. The HIV Legal Network, under the coordination of the sex workers’ organization OMES, is leading the process of reforming Guatemala’s HIV law and drafting a report on the rights of people living with HIV and other key populations.

In Panama, the Iguales Foundation supports smaller transgender community organisations, assisting them with legal registration and challenging discriminatory insurance laws. Guyana Trans United (GTU) and Proud To Be Trans are collaborating in Guyana to build knowledge and capacity on the human rights of transgender people, and GTU is drafting a policy brief for parliamentarians.

HIV status: challenges facing women in Kazakhstan

More than 15 years ago, Elena Rastokina found out that she was HIV positive. Now open about her status and a mother of two, she is the founder of the Answer Foundation, which advocates for women’s access to social services in Kazakhstan.

From improving legal and financial literacy to providing housing support and overcoming stigma and discrimination, Answer provides comprehensive services to women living with HIV and works to remove legal barriers that block access. Elena’s work highlights the urgent need to dismantle bias and structural barriers to ensure that women living with HIV can access the services and support they need to live with dignity and hope.

Empowering trans people through identity in India

In India, the transgender community faces unique challenges related to identity and access to services. Baha Homsla, a transgender woman from Bihar, shares her experience of overcoming fear and stigma. Community-based organisation DOSTANASAFAR is helping transgender people obtain valid identity documents, enabling them to access essential government services.

This includes registering trans people on the National Portal for Transgender People and facilitating the issuance of Transgender Identity Cards. This not only facilitates access to healthcare and other services, but also strengthens the sense of identity and belonging. For many people, the trans ID card with their name on it represents a new lease on life, offering respect and equality.

Human rights and HIV services in Angola

The fight for human rights and legal reform is an everyday reality for many in Angola. Damiana Caculo’s experience with the impact of the law on HIV transmission underlines the urgent need for legal and social reform.

The Human Action Association amplifies the voices of people living with HIV and advocates for the removal of punitive laws that impede access to services and undermine dignity. Together with the IRIS Association and the Angolan Identity Archive, these organizations promote the rights of LGBTIQ+ communities and sex workers, and work to dismantle stigma and discrimination and improve access to HIV-related and other services.

UNDP’s commitment to community leadership

These stories highlight the challenges faced by people living with HIV and other key populations in too many countries. They also underscore the critical role that organizations led by and for these same communities play in dismantling the structural and social barriers that impede access to treatment and prevention, as well as progress toward global goals and targets and the commitment to leave no one behind. Putting resources in the hands of communities, especially at the local level, can help move mountains.

Their stories of courage, leadership and resilience are a testament to the transformative impact of efforts led by people living with HIV and other key populations, and the importance of scaling up solidarity and support for these people. UNDP looks forward to giving voice to their voices and working alongside them to scale up this work in AIDS 2024 and beyond.