HIV-vulnerable groups struggle to access funds says new report

Only 4% of the $170 million grants that were analysed in the report actually directly reached organisations run by groups most vulnerable to HIV such as men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers as well as people living with HIV.

The research showed that organisations of women living with HIV and sex worker groups have the most difficulty accessing resources. Transgender groups have not received any direct funding despite HIV prevalence rates as high as 45% in some countries.

Anamaria Bejar who commissioned the report for the Alliance said, “The Alliance’s experience shows that these population groups must play a central role in the response to HIV, not just as beneficiaries of programmes but as the decision-makers and implementers of strategies and funds targeting their own communities.

“Those who decide on the destination of the funds tend not to trust in the management capacity of grassroots organisations and investment in building their capacity to manage grants and programmes themselves is still insufficient.”

The research shows that these groups face many barriers and that there is still not enough representation of marginalised groups on the Global Fund’s country coordinating mechanisms.