Program Title: Removing Barriers to accessing HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Key Populations in the Caribbean

Grant Number: 1122

Grant Name: QRA-H-CARICOM

Disease: HIV and AIDS

Principal Recipient: Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

The overarching goal of the grant program is to contribute to the removal of barriers that impede access to HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for key populations, thereby promoting the achievement of regional HIV targets. Key populations are defined as People Living with HIV (PLHIV), Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), Transgender, Sex Workers (SW), Migrants, and Youth belonging to these groups.

The barriers to be addressed by the Grant Program include:

1. The legal and policy environment that is at odds with a public health response
2. Harmful societal norms and high levels of stigma and discrimination
3. Limited capacity of national programs to integrate and implement rights-based approaches
4. Limited capacity of national programs to provide innovative, evidence-based, high impact services that reach key populations, especially in the area of prevention
5. Weaknesses in health systems, particularly in the areas of strategic information and laboratory services
6. Insufficient attention to sustainability planning and financing.