Introduction

Increasing participation of key populations means involving people from key populations in all aspects of project design, implementation and evaluation. Participation is different to consultation – consultation means asking people their opinions and then deciding yourself what to do.

Participation means actually sharing power, so that people from key populations are visible in all parts of the work and shaping what happens across the project.

TL made a deliberate decision to increase the level of participation of Key Populations throughout the project by:

• Focussing the micro-mapping and planning at site level on which populations were most affected by HIV

• Hiring people from Key populations as paid Field Officers

• Training and supporting volunteers from Key Populations to carry out outreach and accompanied referrals

Why is increasing participation of Key Populations important for my project?

Including members of key populations in all elements of project design, delivery and evaluation will:

• Strengthen project design

• Ensure projects reflect the needs of key populations

• Ensure projects respond to changing needs of key populations

• Ensure projects respond to changing environments of risk in a timely manner

• Help reduce stigma and discrimination

• Build capacity and contribute to sustained response for key populations

• Help mobilise key populations

How can we increase the participation of people from Key Populations in our organisations?

Policies and Procedures

• Recruit members of key populations

• Ensure organization policies, procedures and systems consider needs of key populations

• Ensure organization systems consider needs of key populations

• Performance Based Incentives