CRG

ABSTRACT The Global Fund Secretariat published six requests for proposals to select technical assistance providers for its Community, Rights, and Gender program for the next three years.

ABSTRACT With the world’s largest HIV epidemic, and one third of all new HIV infections in the country affecting adolescent girls and young women, South Africa faces a monumental challenge in addressing prevention for the youth population. With the biggest Global Fund investment so far in a program focused on adolescent girls and young women, South Africa will take this on, targeting not only youth but also their sexual partners, caregivers and communities.

ABSTRACT The six Regional Platforms for Communication and Coordination form a key part of the Global Fund’s work to strengthen community engagement in all of its processes, as part of the Community, Rights and Gender Strategic Initiative. Almost one year after the Platforms’ relaunched, in a follow up to our introduction of the Platforms in November 2017, we highlight some of the work they have produced and results achieved so far.

ABSTRACT The Global Fund’s six regional Community, Rights and Gender (CRG) platforms came together at the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) to host the Global Fund Community Zone in the Global Village. The networking zone provided space for AIDS 2018 participants in Amsterdam to connect with each of the regional platforms, learn about key areas of work under the Global Fund CRG Strategic Initiative, engage with community partners that receive support from the Global Fund and discuss relevant issues to civil society and community groups. The Community Zone also hosted a townhall meeting with Executive Director Peter Sands.

ABSTRACT In 2015, the OIG launched a human-rights complaint mechanism for violations alleged in the context of Global Fund-supported programs – but one year later, it had not been used to report a single complaint. The Global Fund wondered why, and has just published an independent report on the mechanism’s low uptake.

ABSTRACT A two-day meeting attended by civil society and community advocates, the Global Fund, technical partners and state representatives has equipped participants to more meaningfully engage in the implementation of Global Fund grants in the African region.

ABSTRACT Work to implement the third objective of the Global Fund Strategy 2017-2022 – Promote and protect human rights and gender equality – is progressing well, although there have been what the Fund calls “minor issues and delays.” These issues can be attributed in part to a lack of resources and insufficient internal capacity on human rights issues.

ABSTRACT The “mandate” of the Regional Platforms for Communication and Coordination has been renewed under the Communication, Rights and Gender Strategic Initiative, the successor program to the Special Initiative that was in place from 2014 to 2016. Five of the six regional platforms will be hosted by the same organizations as previously. The platforms will support communities to access technical assistance and to engage in all aspects of grant processes.

RÉSUMÉ Le Centre régional d’assistance technique, qui héberge la Plateforme régionale de communication et de coordination d’Amérique latine et des Caraïbes, a organisé une réunion « de clôture » de deux jours à Bogota (Colombie). Un des points forts de la rencontre fut la présentation des résultats de trois études sur l’assistance technique fournie par des organisations de la société civile dans trois pays : la Bolivie, la République dominicaine et le Salvador.

ABSTRACT The Regional Center for Technical Assistance, host of the Regional Communication and Coordination Platform in Latin America and the Caribbean, organized a two-day “closing” meeting in Bogota, Colombia. One of the highlights of the meeting was the presentation of the results from three studies on technical assistance provided to CSOs in three countries: Bolivia, Dominican Republic and El Salvador.