Security toolkit: Protecting implementers and improving programme outcomes

The human rights related risks and barriers faced by key populations are well-recognised, and addressing these is understood to be an essential component of a comprehensive HIV key population programme. A related, but less well understood challenge is the security of those involved in implementing HIV key population programmes and delivering services to these groups. Implementing organisations – which are often themselves key population-led – are often on the receiving end of threats and violent attacks which are directly related to their work. This insecurity has a heavy toll on the physical and mental health of those working in programmes. It reduces the effectiveness of those programmes as they deal with staff arrests, damage to organisational reputation, limited mobility, and hacked data, along with other issues that direct attention away from programming, that limit programme reach, and that can cause programme beneficiaries to decide to avoid these services.

While human rights programmes take a long-term approach to address the root causes of violence, stigma, discrimination and human rights abuses, including working at a policy and legislative level, it is also vital to implement day-to-day actions to reduce the risk of security threats and incidents faced by programmes, and to respond to those when they occur. Systematically tracking and assessing risks and putting in place resources and measures to reduce those risks and to respond to incidents is integral to any HIV key population programme, is essential to achieving and sustaining results in HIV and human rights programming. It is also part of the duty of care towards front line organisations, workers, and volunteers, and is essential to make community-led programming a safe and sustainable option.

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is collaborating with FHI 360, and with the Civil Society Institute for Health in West and Central Africa (CSIH-WCA), to adapt tools that programmes can use to anticipate security risks, to plan ahead to reduce these risks, and to respond to incidents and threats. This document introduces the tools available to Global Fund programme implementers. They can be used to systematically build security measures into existing programmes, and as a basis for allocating resources to security as part of reprogramming or country dialogue processes.