Robert Carr Fund/2019-2021 Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC)

Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC)

The Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) Coalition is a regional coalition of over sixty (60) grassroots Caribbean civil society organizations and community activists.

 

Grantee type:
Regional
Grant:
$560,000
Grant period:
2019-2021

 

CVC’s beneficiaries include all people who are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS or restricted in their access to justice and health care services, including people living with HIV, sex workers, women and girls who are ISP, youth who are ISP, migrants who are ISP, incarcerated persons, lesbian, gay, bisexual, MSM, and transgender persons.

 

Context

  • In the Caribbean as of 2017, an estimated 310,000 people were living with HIV with an additional 15,000 people contracting the virus each year. Key populations and their sexual partners represent two thirds of all new HIV infections in the region.
  • As of 2017, 84,000 (27%) of the 310,000 people living with HIV had not been diagnosed, 129,000 (43%) had not accessed HIV treatment, and 186,000 (60%) had not achieved sustained viral suppression. Fewer than 500 people were likely accessing PrEP.
  • Key populations throughout the Caribbean report lack of confidentiality, high stigma and discrimination, and limited access for basic health services such as HIV testing, STI screening and treatment, and mental health and addictions counselling. Key populations in all Caribbean countries also report social and economic exclusion, including rejections by family and local communities and discrimination in employment and education, and very high rates of interpersonal violence, gender-based violence and sexual violence.
  • Most Caribbean countries have laws and policies that impede efforts to prevent and treat HIV among key populations. These include laws that criminalize sex work, criminalize sexual acts in private between consenting adults, criminalize drug use and possession and restrict provision of services without parental consent to adolescents younger than 16 years of age.
  • People in inadequately served populations (ISPs) such as people who are LGBTQ, sex workers, drug users or adolescents have important direct experience of HIV-related health needs and barriers to health services. The capacity of networks of inadequately served populations (ISPs) to organize and advocate is central to efforts to improve human rights environments, improve HIV service accessibility, and improve efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of national and international funding for health and human rights.

 

RCF funding 2019-2021

The Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) Coalition received US$ 560,000 in funding from the Robert Carr Fund for work during 2019-2021, which was a continuation of steady RCF funding support for CVC since 2013. This funding was allocated to both core and strategic program costs, investing in CVC’s organizational capacity and CVC’s convening of collective action across the Caribbean.

 

Geographic coverage

The Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) Coalition is a regional network convening and supporting over 60 organizations and individuals in all countries and territories of the Caribbean.

 

Population coverage

The Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) Coalition supports the empowerment, leadership, health and rights of people living with HIV, sex workers, women and girls who are ISP, youth who are ISP, migrants who are ISP, incarcerated persons, lesbian, gay, bisexual, MSM, and transgender persons.

 

Activities 2019-2021  

  • With RCF funding in 2016-2018, the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) Coalition provided capacity assessments, trainings and support for local community organizations in countries such as Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, and supported the organizing of a new United Caribbean Trans Network (UC Trans). CVC also launched a human rights violations “Shared Incident Database” involving 34 community organizations in eleven countries, rapidly documenting over 2000 incidents for potential pro bono legal assistance and generating data for country reports and advocacy. CVC also sponsored community education, advocacy and media work to advance human rights through the Caribbean, including community education related to high-profile legal cases in Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad, and a regional “Do You Dare” campaign that challenged politicians and leaders to publicly support human rights for all.
  • With RCF funding in 2019-2021, CVC will provide further support for United Caribbean Trans Network (UC Trans), a regional Caribbean trans network formed in 2018. CVC will help UC Trans to map trans-friendly services in the Caribbean, convene regular regional network meetings, apply for formal organizational registration and develop a 3-year regional trans strategic plan and a related fundraising plan. Funding will also be allocated to trans organizations in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana for support groups, access to legal services, stipends for trans leaders, and national organizing.