Latin America Regional Workshop on HIV Prevention with Most-at-Risk Populations
From December 8-10, 2009, the technical consultation “Effective Prevention with Most-at-Risk Populations: Experiences from Latin America” was held in Antigua, Guatemala. The event was sponsored by AIDSTAR-One, USAID's Latin America and Caribbean Bureau, and USAID's Central American Regional HIV/AIDS Program through PEPFAR funding for Central America.
Sixty-one participants and presenters attended the technical consultation, representing US government agencies, universities, regional networks, donors and other stakeholders. Participants came from the United States, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, all the countries of Central America, Colombia, and Brazil, and engaged in facilitated discussions to share their experiences and ideas.
The purpose of the meeting was to share evidence and program experiences to inform policies, develop effective strategies, and improve HIV programming for most-at-risk populations (MARPs) in Latin America. Presentations focused on the characteristics of MARPs in the region, program models and strategies to meet these groups, defining what constitutes an integrated package of HIV prevention services, and monitoring and evaluation programs targeting MARPs.
Key outcomes from the regional workshop include:
- To design effective prevention policies, strategies, and programs, HIV policymakers and programmers need to rethink the concepts we use to study human sexuality and the categories we employ to segment populations that do not necessarily reflect how these groups self-identify. For example, the reality and specific needs of transgender populations are usually masked when they are grouped under the category of “Men Who Have Sex with Men” (MSM).
- Qualitative methodologies should not be seen as competing with quantitative approaches. They actually complement each other and allow for a broader understanding of how a program was implemented and how results were achieved. This is particularly important when evaluating programs that address behavioral change.
- How much a country invests in prevention is not a sufficient measure of commitment. It is crucial to consider how funds are allocated, especially towards programs that address the needs of most-at-risk populations.
Meeting Report: 2009 MARPs Technical Consultation in Guatemala (English) (PDF, 698 KB)
Meeting Report: 2009 MARPs Technical Consultation in Guatemala (Spanish) (PDF, 698 KB)
Presentation Videos
Lindsay Stewart shares impressions about the meeting
Haydee Cabrera shares the perspective of sex workers
Giovanni Melendez discusses USAID's Central American Program
Gabriela Paz-Bailey discusses the HIV epidemic in Central America
Mark Padilla discusses tourism and HIV in the Caribbean
Lucrecia Castillo shares impressions of the meeting
Carlos Magis addresses HIV issues in Latin America
Latin America Regional Workshop on HIV prevention with MARPs
Photo Gallery
Presentations
