Positive Networks Consortium (PNC+)
The Positive Networks Consortium (PNC+) was a global consortium of four networks funded by the Robert Carr Fund to advance the health and human rights of people living with HIV (PLHIV). The four participating networks were the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), The Asia-Pacific Network Of People Living With HIV (APN+), the Caribbean Network Of People Living With HIV (CRN+) and the East Europe and Central Asia Union of People Living With HIV (ECUO).
| Grantee type: Global Consortium |
| Grant: $1,898,100 |
| Grant period: 2016-2018 |
| Lead organization: Global Network of People Living With HIV (GNP+) |
Partner organizations:
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- Worldwide, approximately 37 million people are living with HIV. 75% know they are HIV-positive; the rest – over 9 million people – are not yet diagnosed.
- Three out of five people have started HIV treatment and approximately half of all people living with HIV have undetectable levels of HIV, preventing HIV-related illness and any onward transmission of HIV. However, this means that half of all people living with HIV – over 18 million people – still need access to services and support for effective HIV treatment.
- People living with HIV also face systematic human rights violations in all regions of the world, including discrimination in employment, education and health care settings. This potential for discrimination, violence, and other human rights violations creates barriers to access to health services.
- People living with HIV have important direct experience of HIV-related health needs and barriers to health services. The capacity of networks of people living with HIV to organize and advocate is central to efforts to improve human rights environments, improve HIV service accessibility, and improve efficiency and effectiveness of national and international funding for health and human rights.
RCF funding 2016-2018
The Positive Networks Consortium (PNC+) received US$ 1.9 million in funding from the Robert Carr Fund during 2016-2018. This funding was allocated to both core and strategic program costs to help build the capacity of each of the four networks – GNP+, APN+, CRN+ and ECUO – and to support collective action globally. In 2019, the Robert Carr Fund did not renew funding for the PNC+ consortium but provided a year of renewed core bridge funding to all four networks and invited all to apply for further incentive funding for 2020 and 2021.
Geographic coverage
The Positive Networks Consortium (PNC+) was a global consortium, convening and supporting organizations and individuals through four networks — the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), The Asia-Pacific Network Of People Living With HIV (APN+), the Caribbean Network Of People Living With HIV (CRN+) and the East Europe and Central Asia Union of People Living With HIV (ECUO).
Population coverage
The Positive Networks Consortium (PNC+) focused on the global empowerment, leadership, health and rights of people living with HIV.
Activities 2016-2018
With RCF funding in 2016-2018, each of the PNC+ partners – GNP+, APN+, CRN+ and ECUO – was able to strengthen national, regional and global organizing, advocated for human rights and legal protections, and developed campaigns for greater access to services. Examples of network activities include:
- In Asia and the Pacific, APN+ and GNP+ supported over 30 national PLHIV networks in building capacity and advocacy related to issues such as HIV viral load testing, PrEP, viral hepatitis testing and treatment, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
- In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, ECUO worked with eight other regional networks on a 2018 campaign “Chase the virus, not people” to increase attention to the health and human rights needs of key populations in the region. ECUO also decentralized and improved its network governance by a regional General Assembly and Board of Directors.
- In the Caribbean, CRN+ supported HIV environmental scans in 13 countries and follow-up meetings and trainings about specific health service and human rights issues. CRN+ also updated its network governance constitution and sustained core operations of its staff and Board.
- At a global level, Robert Carr Fund funding provided core support for GNP+ as it hired a new director in 2017, developed a new global strategic plan, recruited new Board members, and strengthened its financial management.
Results 2016-2018
The results of Robert Carr Fund support for GNP+, APN+, CRN+ and ECUO were incremental but important, building on sustained support since 2012 for organizing by people living with HIV:
- Network strength and influence: All four networks – GNP+, APN+, CRN+ and ECUO – are recognized partners in global and regional advocacy. RCF funding helped each to sustain and build democratic and representative governance structures and to have capacity to link PLHIV activists across countries and regions.
- Human rights: GNP+, APN+, CRN+ and ECUO provided steady support for PLHIV in many countries to advocate for their rights to health services and to confront stigma, discrimination and criminalization.
- Access to services: With RCF funding through the PNC+ consortia, people living with HIV were vocal advocates for access to health care. As examples, APN+ helped PLHIV in Indonesia, Myanmar and Pakistan to advocate for viral hepatitis testing and treatment, and CRN+ helped HIV+ youth in the Dominican Republic to monitor and advocate for quality of services, improving services at four facilities.