APCOM and Bandanh Chaktomok, the national network of MSM and transgender communities in Cambodia, has launched the Scoping Report: CAMBODIA: The involvement of the MSM and transgender community with the Global Fund New Funding Model Country Processes. APCOM has conducted a scoping report in the country to assess the level of community engagement in the Global Fund New Funding Model (NFM) Country Processes. Generally, the Scoping Report aims to assess the level of engagement of the MSM and transgender community with the country dialogues in Cambodia. In addition, the report also aims to determine the level of engagements between the community and the Global Fund Cambodia’s CCM. This activity has been supported by the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund through the Consortium of MSM and Transgender Networks hosted by MSMGF.
The active involvement of Key Affected Populations (KAP), including the men who have sex with other men (MSM) and transgender people, in the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) country processes is a key feature of its New Funding Model. The GFATM instituted the Country Dialogue – an on-going process that occurs at the country level among the government, the private and public sectors, the networks of KAP, civil society and other technical partners as a means to ensure meaningful involvement of KAP leading towards the development of a robust concept note. However, the complexity of the model poses a challenge to the KAP and their communities to know when and how they can best participate.
“There has always been a strong presence and representation from the civil society in Cambodia in the HIV advocacy. However, there are emerging networks of organized members of the key population, such as the MSM and transgender people, that require capacity to engage fully in the political discourses that tackle their needs,” says Midnight Poonkasetwattana, APCOM Executive Director. “The involvement of the key population, as found by this report, is a good indicator that the voices of MSM and transgender people are being heard. We need to scale up the capacity building activities to achieve a more meaningful involvement.”
Bandanh Chaktomok organising a meeting with Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCC) to strengthen their communications in relation to the participation of the MSM and transgender community in the Global Fund country processes
The report shows active involvement among the representatives of MSMrepresentatives and focal points with the Country Coordinating Committee (CCC) and throughout the country dialogue process. In order for the MSM and transgender community, and their representatives, to articulate their issues and provide relevant feedback to the discussions, technical support and capacity building must be provided. Although there was limited opportunity for MSM and transgender to engage in writing up the concept note, the report encourages the same level of active involvement during the grant implementation phase. The report recommends to improve the communications between the CCC and the MSM and transgender community. There is also a need to increase transparency and accountability around the negotiations on programming and budget allocations.
“BC is happy to have contributed to the development of this report. The scoping activity proved meaningful not only to the network, but also to the other MSM and transgender people involved in the Global Fund New Funding Model,” said Bunthorn Kong, Bandanh Chaktomok’s National Coordinator. “The recommendations from this report will help address the gap between the CCC members and the MSM and transgender community in Cambodia.”
APCOM is currently providing support to Bandanh Chaktomok to enhance the MSM and transgender community engagement with the Global Fund Country processes including grant implementation. The capacity strengthening at a country level includes conducting a dialogue with the CCC and technical partners for the creation of communication mechanism platform between community groups and CCC. APCOM also supports the network for strengthen the capacity of MSM and transgender community to equip knowledge and skills on effectively communication and advocacy including the develop an action plan between MSM and transgender community with CCC in Cambodia.
Also See:
+ Engagement Report from Other Countries
+ Global Fund New Funding Model Country Dialogue Fact Sheets
