Response Evidence Advocacy, Change (REACh)

The REACh programme will support organisations to respond to and tackle human rights barriers to accessing HIV services, including challenges facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. The programme aims to advance human rights in the HIV response, and is being implemented in Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa.

WHY THE PROGRAMME IS NEEDED

Structural barriers stand in the way of people being able to claim and realise their human rights – the gateway to achieving an end to AIDS. These barriers include gender inequality, stigma and discrimination, criminalisation of marginalised communities most affected by HIV, and widespread gender-based violence.
To unlock human rights barriers to HIV services and reduce the frequency and effect of emergency situations, community-led evidence of these barriers and their impact is needed. Using that evidence to inform and influence decision-makers is also critical.
Community-led organisations also need to continually strengthen their capacity and adapt in order to respond effectively to emergency situations, present evidence, and influence policy decisions at the regional and global level.

WHAT THE PROGRAMME IS DOING

• The programme combines emergency response, community-led monitoring mechanisms, and regional and global advocacy.
• Working with partners, we support human rights programming using REAct, our human rights monitoring tool, and other similar community-led monitoring systems.
• Partners lead on programme development to amplify civil society advocacy, promote sustainability via localisation efforts and utilise national expertise by prioritising local and regional consultants.
• We nurture peer learning, exchange and collaboration to support movement building and amplify advocacy asks.
• This programme also aligns with the Global Fund’s technical guidance for implementers to support the delivery of human rights programmes within national grants aimed at reducing human rights barriers to accessing HIV, TB, and malaria services.

HOW AND WHERE THE PROGRAMME IS WORKING

The programme will work with national organisations and networks in West and Southern Africa, including Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa. The programme runs from 2023-2025, with funding from the Elton John AIDS Foundation.