REGIONAL RIGHTS TRAINING
With support from Asia Catalyst, 8 CBOs are currently implementing advocacy to
end discrimination in Asia. The plans focus on the following issues:
The problem statement
Stigma and discrimination are
among the main barriers to HIV
prevention, treatment, and care.
For the 4.9 million people living with
HIV (PLHIV) in Asia and the Pacific,
HIV-related discrimination reduces
overall access to healthcare by
33% (People Living with HIV Stigma
Index, UNAIDS). Marginalized groups
like LGBT persons, sex workers,
and people who use drugs are
disproportionately affected.
Most HIV services in Asia prioritize
a ‘test and treat’ governmentled response, which preclude
meaningful participation in program
design by PLHIV. Strong community
involvement is crucial to ending
the epidemic and protecting the
human rights of people living with
HIV and other affected populations.
Community based organizations
(CBOs) can create the social,
political, legal, and financial
environment needed to effectively
respond to the epidemic and prevent
further infections. However, CBOs
around Asia are often ill-equipped to
effectively represent the communities
they serve and lack vital skills and
resources to advocate for human
rights, change policy, and combat
discrimination.
China:
Myanmar:
1) Discriminatory fees charged to sex workers living with
HIV when accessing health services
2) Discriminatory fees charged to people living with HIV
when accessing health services
1) Discrimination against transgender persons living with
HIV when accessing all types of surgery
2) Discrimination against gay and bisexual men living
with HIV when accessing all types of surgery
Participants from Cambodia discuss
documentation strategies.Asia Catalyst photo, 2015.
Stopping discrimination in its tracks
In December 2014, Asia Catalyst
launched the first cycle of the Regional
Rights Training (RRT) program. This
18-month program works with eight
CBOs representing PLHIV and other
affected populations from Cambodia,
China, Myanmar, and Viet Nam. The
RRT program aims to increase the
human rights knowledge of these
organizations, develop their skills
to conduct human rights research
and documentation, and build their
capacity to develop and implement
evidence-based advocacy plans.
participants held internal coaching
sessions within their community
organizations and peer networks,
increasing the capacity of 209 staff,
volunteers, and community members
on human rights frameworks,
documentation, and advocacy.
With the skills and knowledge learned
from Asia Catalyst’s training, the
participating CBOs were able to
interview 202 people on issues of
discrimination against community
members due to their HIV status.
Each group used this evidence base
In order to effectively train participants to design and support their advocacy
in the full spectrum of human rights
strategy and, in August 2015, Asia
knowledge, documentation and
Catalyst provided seed funding (US
advocacy, Asia Catalyst convened
$3000) to each CBO to implement
representatives from all 8 organizations these strategies. Participants are
for three multi-day training workshops working in both their own localities
in Bangkok throughout 2015. Asia
and in coalition with other program
Catalyst tailor-designed a new
participants from around Asia,
curriculum to meet the needs of
ensuring the impact will be local
the participating groups, and gave
as well as regional. The 8 CBOs
follow-up assignments after each
represent communities totaling 9,199
workshop to ensure the training had
people across four countries.
been absorbed. Between workshops,
12
8 COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS
representing 9,199 marginalized
community members
from 4
countries
trained in 3 WORKSHOPS
interviewed 202 marginalized
persons to document human
rights violations
Implementing comprehensive
evidence-based human
rights
advocacy, with support and seed
Viet Nam:
Cambodia:
1) Discrimination against women living with HIV when
accessing sexual and reproductive health services
1) Discrimination against women living with HIV when
accessing childbirth services
2) Discrimination against gay and bisexual men living
with HIV when accessing health services
2) Discrimination against women living with HIV when
accessing sexual and reproductive health services
funding from Asia Catalyst
13