FPA Sri Lankasigned an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a Sub-Recipient under the Multi-Country South Asia Global Fund HIV in October 2014. The multi-country programme covers eight countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and is funded through a $16.7 million multi-year (2013-2015) grant from the Global Fund. UNAIDS Sri Lanka is providing technical support through the UN Country Team.

This regional programme addresses the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people in South Asia. As the Sub-Recipient in Sri Lanka, FPA will focus on strengthening community systems to improve coordination with local governments and health care providers, deliver concentrated and quality capacity development support, and provide technical assistance to ensure high intervention impact and sustainability.

Despite the gradually increasing prevalence among key populations, Sri Lanka is considered a low HIV prevalence country. However, there are real concerns that hidden epidemics may be present in certain higher risk groups, especially men who have sex with men and transgender people.

High social stigma and punitive laws that criminalize same-sex sexual behaviour in Sri Lanka create barriers to access health care for these populations, and make it difficult for health workers and organizations to reach them with HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes. In these circumstances, community-based organisations are best placed to engage with and respond to the specific needs of their communities.

Under the grant, FPA Sri Lanka will work to strengthen existing community-based organisations in the country working on issues of sexual health and human rights for MSM and transgender people through a range of capacity building activities. Furthermore, FPA Sri Lanka will work with national partners and community groups to strengthen an enabling policy and legal environment in society.