Policy Analysis and Advocacy Decision Model for HIV-Related Services: Males Who Have Sex with Males, Transgender People, and Sex Workers

"...structural and policy issues have created barriers for MSM/TG/SWs in seeking services and adopting individual and community harm reduction strategies..."

Noting that males who have sex with males (MSM), transgender (TG) people, and sex workers (SWs) are at higher risk for HIV transmission than other individuals, this resource is designed to provide country stakeholders - such as advocates, policymakers, and service providers - with tools to inventory, assess, and advocate for policies that affect access to and sustainability of key services for MSM, TG people, and SWs. The model maps service-specific policies to international human rights frameworks to identify needs and opportunities for policy advocacy that are intended to help improve access to services.

Published by the Health Policy Project and the African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR), with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Policy Analysis and Advocacy Decision Model for HIV-Related Services: Males Who Have Sex with Males, Transgender People, and Sex Workers is designed to help country stakeholders (in Africa but also globally) build a public policy foundation that supports access to and implementation and scale-up of evidence-informed services for MSM/TG/SWs. Its policy inventory and analysis tools draw from international laws, agreements, standards, and best practices related to MSM/TG/SW services, allowing the assessment of a specific country policy environment in relation to these standards. What publishers describe as a customisable, in-depth, and standardised approach is an effort to build stakeholders' capacity to identify "incremental, feasible, near-term opportunities to improve the legal environment and the resulting quality of and access to services for MSM/TG/SWs while long-term human rights strategies are implemented."

Amongst the lessons shared in this resource: "Best practices recognize the value that community partnership brings to program planning and implementation; services will be more accessible and effective if they are designed, implemented, and evaluated with the input of individuals and organizations who have personal or professional experience with issues impacting sexual health. Moreover, partnership with some of the more under-served MSM/TG/SW, such as youth, MSM who do not identify themselves as gay, non-organized or occasional SW, clients and romantic partners of SW, and individuals with multiple and compounded risks (e.g., sexual and drug using risks), is crucial in designing programs to address the specific needs of these populations."

Click here in order to access various focus briefs related to this publication, as well as to access the full PDF decision model in English.