#KeyPopAsiaCOP21

PEPFAR and the Global Fund are two of our major funders for HIV programs in Papua New Guinea. We plea to both funders to work closely with key affected communities, including people living with HIV, so that there is sharing of resources, skills, knowledge, experiences and learnings. We feel there is a need at the community level for both donors to work together, communicate well and have one national plan.

Papua New Guinea

PRESS RELEASE

1 April 2021, Bangkok – The PEPFAR Country/ Regional Operational Plans (COP/ROP) 2021 resumes today, 01 April 2021, after being on a temporary pause since 09 February 2021. Together with the resumption of this annual process, APCOM releases FACT SHEET: VIRTUAL COUNTRY OPERATIONAL PLAN (COP) 2021

As the PEPFAR Country/Regional Operational Plan (COP/ROP) 2021 planning process resumes today, 1 April 2021, APCOM releases the newest addition to its series of fact sheets which serve as mediums in assisting community organisations. The ‘FACT SHEET: VIRTUAL COUNTRY OPERATIONAL PLAN (COP) 2021, Increasing Key Population’s Knowledge on, and Participation in, PEPFAR Country Processes in Asia Region’ is developed to support and assist key populations and communities to effectively engage in the COP/ROP Processes. APCOM’s COP21 Fact Sheet presents not only a summary of the relevant country processes, but also provide tips to key populations and their communities on how to engage in the processes of each phase.

FACT SHEET

“The COP/ROP 2021 presents a significant opportunity for civil society organisations and key populations to be meaningfully involved in all phases of COP/ROP 2021, particularly for those that will be representing key populations in the country processes. Through this Fact Sheet, more key populations and communities are able to understand PEPFAR and its mechanisms. With increased understanding, we hope to also increase engagements,” says Midnight Poonkasetwattana, Executive Director of APCOM.

The COP21 Fact Sheet is one of the first summarized information about the PEPFAR Country Operational Plan that is developed with the primary purposes of enhancing understanding of key populations and affected communities, and assisting in making their engagements more meaningful. By identifying the processes within the COP 2021, we are able to identify strategic entry points to present the priorities and service needs of the key populations in the 13 countries in Asia Pacific; Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Find out more from the U.S. Department of State:

COP/ROP 2021 introduces an optional focus on models and approaches to support the sustainability of key population-led civil society organizations, expanding the options available to strengthen and support the long-term viability and strength of these organizations as an opportunity to promote innovative models and a longer-term strategic approach to supporting key population-led service delivery.

The Fact sheet also highlight challenges that key population civil society organizations face related to sustainability, which is one of key focus of the COP/ROP 2021:

• Challenges in diversifying the HIV services offered to fully meet the needs of key populations.
• Inadequate capacity to develop business plans for sustainability.
• Lack of access to capital on preferential terms.
• Difficulty to fully integrate into national health systems and insurance schemes, thereby limiting their ability to sustain themselves and provide diverse and quality services.
• Difficulty accessing quality assurance and accreditation processes and tools due to the nature of funding and targeted service delivery
• National policies and practices that do not support key population programming and/or legal, functioning, and transparent social contracting mechanism.

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