{"id":3002,"date":"2016-08-07T19:58:39","date_gmt":"2016-08-07T23:58:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/?p=3002"},"modified":"2016-08-28T20:00:42","modified_gmt":"2016-08-29T00:00:42","slug":"the-global-fund-releases-a-progress-report-on-its-gender-equality-and-key-population-action-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/2016\/08\/the-global-fund-releases-a-progress-report-on-its-gender-equality-and-key-population-action-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"The Global Fund releases a progress report on its gender equality and key population action plans"},"content":{"rendered":"
Source:<\/strong> AIDSPAN<\/a><\/div>\n
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6. NEWS and ANALYSIS<\/div>\n
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28 Jul 2016<\/div>\n
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Charlie Baran<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThere are clear signs of progress, but challenges must be addressed\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Global Fund is poised at a critical and exciting juncture in the evolution of its work on gender quality and key populations. But if a range of fundamental challenges go unaddressed, further progress will be severely limited. This was the conclusion of a report released last week by the Community, Rights, and Gender (CRG) Department at the Global Fund.<\/p>\n

The 58-page report, Gender Equality and Key Populations: Results, Gaps and Lessons from the Implementation of Strategies and Action Plans<\/a><\/em>, is technically a progress assessment of the Gender Equality Action Plan 2014-2016<\/a><\/em> and the Key Populations Action Plan 2014-2017<\/a><\/em>, but is\u00a0functionally an overview of the steps the Global Fund itself has taken since 2014 in the areas of gender equality and key populations. The report, which was developed by long-time advocate Sarah Middleton-Lee, focuses on, \u201cthe role of the Global Fund Secretariat in developing, implementing, monitoring, and promoting the Action Plans.\u201d Thus, its focus is narrowly upon the actions of the Secretariat, and not on the wider experience of Global Fund-supported programs.<\/p>\n

The report goes through the gender equality and key populations action plans objective-by-objective and provides examples of progress, wherever they were found, between 2014 and 2016.\u00a0 The findings are then synthesized into a series of \u201cstrategic messages,\u201d which form the heart of the document. The strategic messages seem to be the author\u2019s attempt to present findings in a useful and actionable way, particularly for the Global Fund Secretariat, which is the primary audience of the report. Below we summarize each of the strategic messages.<\/p>\n

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Strategic message 1<\/strong> describes how the action plans have been useful in providing \u201cclear and strategic frameworks\u201d for the Global Fund Secretariat, and observes that, \u201cthey serve as a strong statement that these issues matter to the institution.\u201d However, the fact that action plans have had varied visibility and accountability within the Secretariat is an important consideration in weighing their impact. The author states that both plans could be further strengthened through greater conceptual clarity, more fluid coordination within the Secretariat, and continual \u201cadaptation to [a] dynamic environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strategic message 2<\/strong> posits that implementation of the action plans, in conjunction with the roll out of the new funding model, has led to the Global Fund making \u201csignificant progress in the areas of gender equality and key populations.\u201d The report assessed progress with respect to the Global Fund\u2019s \u201cpolicies, processes, tools, and good practice, data and evidence, capacity and expertise, and leadership.\u201d Some examples include: changes to the Eligibility Requirements and Minimum Standards for CCMs<\/a><\/em>(policies); establishment of the CRG Special Initiative<\/a> (leadership); the implementation of Country Dialogue (processes); and trainings and sensitization sessions for Global Fund Board members and Secretariat staff (capacity and expertise).<\/p>\n

Strategic message 3<\/strong> details the limitations of the action plans in advancing investments in gender equality and key populations. Ten specific challenges are discussed, including:<\/p>\n