The Family Planning Association held a three-day training workshop for the technical hub of    experts under the Global Fund Multi-Country South Asia (GFMSA) HIV prevention  programme on 6th, 7th and 8th May at Ozo Colombo as its 1st phase of the "leaving No One  behind" intervention to build the momentum for sustainability of HIV prevention initiatives. The  technical    hub consists of 10 experts within legal, health, law enforcement and  media  sectors.

The training focused on looking at international and regional experiences on how changes to laws, policies and systems changed the social, legal and economic barriers and reduced stigma and discrimination and further, how it impacted the marginalized communities to come forward to protect their rights as citizens and obtain necessary health and other services in order to uphold their universally guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms. The training was facilitated by an internationally recognized group of veterans who represented Global HIV & Law Forum including Retired Supreme Court Justice Shiranee Thilakewardene, Retired High Court Judge of the Madras High Court, Prabha Sridevan, Mr. Anand Grover – Director of the Lawyers Collective and Senior Advocate practicing in the Supreme Court of India, and Ms. Amritananda Chackravorthy – Senior Legal Officer of the Lawyers Collective.

The Workshop was further enlightened by the presence of Members of the Community Role Models. Through several interactive discussions and role plays, they presented situations that they face regularly that infringe their basic human rights and how vulnerabilities increase the risk of HIV transmission. Additionally, they took the opportunity to guide the local tech hub as to what key changes they would like Sri Lanka to work on, especially in the aspects of legal and gender recognition, education and employment rights, discrimination from law enforcement for TGs and enhancing positive media reporting. Tech Hub members received certificates and signed a declaration of commitment at the end of the three day programme. Members of the Role Model Hub will be further receiving their training from the local Tech hub to enhance their capability and capacity to operate as role models and mentors to other community members as well as lead the advocacy agenda in the country.