Nadia Rafif, ITPC Advocacy and Influence Lead believes we can achieve the 10-10-10 targets by 2025 if we acknowledge the crucial role of local communities and we ensure they have the support and resources they need to advocate for their rights and implement effective strategies.
The combination of community leadership, community data, equal and meaningful community engagement, and community-led action produce sophisticated, cost-effective instruments that drive transformative change, better system outcomes, greater efficiencies, social accountability, and ultimately, more prepared, just and resilient societies.
Communities are the experts.
What stands in the way of achieving 10-10-10 targets
The global rise of fundamentalism, nationalism, and populism has given rise to a poly -crisis which includes:
- Climate change driving viral outbreaks and new epidemics
- Increased pollution, water and food insecurity
- Economic recession
- Human rights violations
- War and conflict in the Ukraine and the Middle East resulting in displacement and migration
- Cybersecurity threats; technological disruptions, the rise of AI and increasing technological inequity
- The ever-increasing mental health crisis
- Potentially reactionary political transitions in key donor with elections in 2024
What corrective action must we take to achieve the 10-10-10 targets by 2025?
Firstly, we need more collective advocacy and solidarity around the decriminalization of drug use, sex work, and same-sex relationships, as criminalization drives these groups underground and hampers access to health services. We have seen what progress is possible in countries like Mauritius and Nepal.
Secondly, when the political and social context is unfavorable, instead of losing ground, we must build alliances with women’s organizations and other human rights networks to advocate for broad anti-discrimination laws and policies that can unite different people suffering from discrimination and injustice, rather than dividing them. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and the role of local communities is crucial.
Lastly, the voices of affected communities are vital. Communities most affected by an issue should have the resources to influence decisions that affect them so they can contribute data and solutions to common issues and can’t be ignored.
This will bring resilience and sustainability to not only health systems, but also countries and global architecture. We have real world examples of this – community-based organizations were the first to deliver at home treatment to people living with HIV during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and they successfully pushed for multi-month dispensing. This requires investment in capacity-building, including funding, which is unlikely to come from their oppressors.
Their role in community-led monitoring is essential to document discrimination and its impact on their lives. They are also essential to monitor Fast Track Targets.