Public Health

• EKHN is developing its Public Health interventions and programs in response to the pressing need to address the persistent gender inequalities and human rights violations that put WG/TG at a greater risk of, and more vulnerable to HIV. Thus, EKHN focuses on actions in three areas, outlined below:
• Strengthening strategic guidance and support to national partners to ‘know their epidemic and response’ in order to effectively meet the needs of WG/TG.
• Assisting countries to ensure that national HIV and development strategies, operational plans, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and associated budgets address the needs and rights of WG/TG in the context of HIV.
• Advocacy, capacity strengthening and mobilization of resources to deliver a comprehensive set of measures to address the needs and rights of WG/TG in the context of HIV.

EKHN is rooted in a broad-based human rights approach and reflects a number of principles, including participation, evidence-informed, tailored and ethical responses, partnership, the engagement of boys and men, leadership, multisectorality and accountability.

Discrimination and violations of human rights influence both the spread of HIV and WG/TG’s access to care and treatment. Consequently, the HIV response must be based on and infused with a full respect for human rights for all and greater gender equality. EKHN Project Operational Plan pivots on the need to invest and be accountable for protecting and promoting the rights of WG/TG and to focus on their needs in all different stages of epidemics. The Project framework therefore build upon the global and regional political commitments to human rights and HIV outlined above: