With financial and technical support from National AIDS Authority, UNESCO, UNDP, UNAIDS, FHI360 and KHANA, Bandanh Chaktomuk (BC) successfully organized a 3-day workshop in Phnom Penh focusing on enhancing the leadership and capacity development of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender (TG) community networks.
The event brought together 36 MSM and TG representatives including the elected members of the BC executive committee and representatives of the network from more than 10 provinces of Cambodia. The objectives of the workshop were to:
• Review overall progress from the previous mandates, the two-year action plan and other key priorities for 2013 and beyond.
• Deepen the understanding and knowledge among Executive Committee members about international, regional and national commitments, policy framework, and the challenges and needs of MSM and TG people in relation to human rights, legal, health and social services, stigma and discriminations and livelihood improvement opportunities.
• Increase understanding of the qualities of good leaders
• Develop personal confidence, communication and advocacy skills
• Enhance communication and partnership among new executive members, provincial representatives and advisory members and key partners of BC Network.
In order to achieve the objectives, various thematic topics were covered and facilitated by the resource persons from the government (National AIDS Authority and National Centre for HIV/AIDS Dermatology and STDs), UNESCO, UNDP, UNAIDS, KHANA and FHI 360. Some of the topics are:
• Political declarations and national commitments on human rights protection
• Enabling environmental initiatives for those people from key populations who are affected by HIV
• Targeted HIV services to MSM/TG and mechanism at national and sub-national levels for key populations, in particularly young MSM and TG people
• Getting to Zero 2011- 2015 UNAIDS Strategy and What does Getting to Zero mean for Community Network?
• Role of the Community Network in achieving HIV response using core competencies
• The qualities of good leaders of a community network and leadership skills
• Leadership strengths consultation
• Participatory approaches and planning
• Vision for the preferred future
The workshop employed participatory methods: lectures, plenary discussions, group works and presentations. Most of the comments and recommendations raised during the discussions and plenary sessions clearly presented the critical challenges faced by the communities in their everyday lives and greatly emphasized the importance of the active role to be played at the national and provincial levels in advocating for the rights. The importance of empowering and mobilizing community members to promote, respect and protect their rights were also discussed.
View the workshop report.
For further information about this workshop, please contact Nimol Soth at n.soth@unesco.org
Source: UNESCO Phnom Penh
Related Links