Glossary
The Robert Carr Fund invests in global and regional networks, and their consortia, that address the health and human rights of inadequately served populations (ISPs).
How do we define Inadequately Served Populations (ISPs)
The Robert Carr Fund (RCF) defines the term “inadequately served populations” (ISPs) as populations facing a high HIV risk, mortality and/or morbidity compared to the general population, and, at the same time, facing systematic human rights violations and barriers to information and services.
As people with direct experience of key health-related needs and barriers to health services, ISPs are central to efforts to improve human rights environments, improve HIV service accessibility, and improve efficiency and effectiveness of national and international funding for health and human rights.
The Robert Carr Fund includes the following populations as ISPs:
- People living with HIV
- Sex workers
- People who use drugs
- Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
- Trans and gender diverse persons
- People in prison and other closed settings
- Women and girls who are ISP
- Children, adolescents and youth who are ISP
- Migrants who are ISP
- People living in rural areas who are ISP
People living with HIV
People living with HIV (PLHIV) are people who carry the HIV virus as a chronic infection. People living with HIV can take medicines (HIV treatment) to prevent HIV-related illness and prevent onward transmission of HIV. Because of lack of testing and treatment, some people living with HIV do not know they are carrying the virus. People living with HIV face systematic human rights violations and related barriers to information and services in all regions of the world.
Sex workers
Sex workers are female, male and transgender adults and young people (over 18 years of age) who receive money or goods in exchange for sexual services, either regularly or occasionally. Sex workers are at higher risk of HIV and other STIs and also face systematic human rights violations and barriers to information and services in every region of the world.
People who use drugs
People who use drugs are at higher risk of HIV and other health issues (such as HCV or overdose) in large part because of social exclusion, neglect and inaccessibility of health services and harm reduction services. People who use drugs face systematic human rights violations throughout the world, including stigma and discrimination, criminalization and mass incarceration, a lack of protection by police, and violence and abuse from police and others. This creates barriers to access to health services.
Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
Men who have sex with men (MSM) is a term defining people by their gender and a set of behaviors regardless of their identity or self-identification. Gay, bisexual, and other MSM may be at higher risk of HIV and other STIs because of their sexual activity and sexual networks and because of neglect and inaccessibility of health services. MSM face systematic human rights violations and barriers to information and services in every region of the world.
Trans and gender diverse persons
Trans and gender diverse persons is a term that refers to people whose gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth. Transgender people may be at higher risk for HIV because of their sexual or drug taking activity and their drug-related and sexual networks and because of neglect and inaccessibility of health services.
People in prison and other closed settings
People in prison and other people in non-voluntary confined settings (such as jails or detention facilities) may be at higher risk of HIV and other infections because of the conditions where they are held and/or because of the contexts that led them to be detained. People in prison and other people in non-voluntary confined settings experience lack of health information and health services and systematic human rights violations in every region of the world.
Women and girls who are ISP
Young women and adolescent girls face disproportionate risks for HIV infection, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, because of gender inequality and a lack of empowerment in negotiating safer sex and access to prevention and treatment. Women and girls face persistent gender inequality, systematic human rights violations and barriers to information and services in all regions of the world.
Youth who are ISP
Young people, including adolescents (ages 10-18) and young adults (ages 18-30) face disproportionate risks for HIV infection because of a lack of empowerment and experience in negotiating safer sex and access to prevention and treatment. Young people also face systematic barriers to information and services and lack of legal recourse to human rights violations in all regions of the world.
Migrants who are ISP
Migrants are people who have relocated, especially for economic, political and social reasons. Migrants may have higher HIV risks because of exposure to new sexual partners and networks and may have minimal access to health information and services and little or no protection against human rights violations.
How do we define Networks
The RCF considers a network to be a membership of organizations that pool skills, experience, and resources, working towards common goals. A network creates venues for social action and is sustained through jointly developed governance structures, resources and regular communication. The Robert Carr Fund considers a consortium of networks to be a network-led group of networks, where other types of agencies or organizations with specific expertise may join.
The RCF supports networks and consortia to be democratic and representative, with governance, leadership and decision making involving and being informed by the populations who are intended to benefit from the work. The RCF also supports networks and consortia to function in an open and participatory manner, with structures, policies and procedures that facilitate broad participation in network activities, decision-making, and leadership and facilitate communication and collaboration across countries, populations and thematic priorities.
Participatory network
A participatory network is a network in which people who represent and serve ISPs are able to communicate and collaborate across regions, populations and thematic priorities, and participate in the activities, decision-making, and leadership of the network.
Consortium of networks
The RCF considers a consortium of networks to be a network-led group of networks and/or other organizations with specific expertise that adds value or compliments expertise of regional/global networks.
Other Definitions
Pooled fund
A pooled fund is a fund that aggregates contributions from multiple donors for collective investment. Donors can specify certain priorities, restrictions and reporting requirements, but otherwise agree to collective goals and monitoring and evaluation for the fund.
Core funding
Core funding describes funding that is directed toward an organization’s core mission and operations and not tied to any specific programmatic cost. This is distinct from “activity funding” or “programmatic funding” which describe funding targeted to specific programmatic activities and outcomes. The Robert Carr Fund provides funding for both core costs and activity costs.
Participatory grantmaking
Participatory grantmaking seeks to be accountable, transparent, and collaborative by involving both funders and non-funders in setting priorities, developing strategies, developing proposal forms and review processes, developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks and processes, and participating in advisory committees and governing boards.