UNDP donates health safety and food kits to people living with HIV, LGBTQIA and sex workers

24 de Julio de 2020

Donation of bio security and food kits to vulnerable populations

Santo Domingo.- In coordination with civil society organizations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) donated health safety and food kits to 437 people from vulnerable populations, to help mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with HIV, sex workers and people  in the LGBTQIA community.

This donation is the product of a consultation made to non-profits that work with sex workers and the LGBTQIA community, to identify the needs of this population within this emergency context. As seen in the results of the First Rapid Survey on the Needs of People Living with HIV, this crisis is disproportionately impacting these vulnerable communities. Results showed that 90% of participants had no access to services that guarantee their access to food and 55% stated being unable to acquire face masks or other health safety materials.

Besides receiving these kits, the beneficiaries were instructed on the proper use of face masks and other health safety and hygiene measures. They were also invited to participate in the second edition of the Rapid Survey on the Needs of People Living with HIV in the Dominican Republic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second edition of this survey, implemented by the United Nations interagency HIV team, will seek to identify trends regarding the results of the first survey, understand how people living with HIV are being impacted by this emergency context, and document their demands regarding: prevention of communicable diseases, access to antiretroviral therapy, medical attention and mental health support. The results of this survey will continue to inform the UN Framework for the Immediate Socio Economic Response to COVID-19, and protect the needs and rights of people whose wellbeing has been impacted during this pandemic, especially those in more vulnerable conditions, such as people living with HIV, LGBTQIA people and sex workers.

The donation was coordinated with the support of FHI 360, an international nonprofit, that works to improve the health and wellbeing of communities worldwide, and nine civil society NGO: ASA-REVASA, Diversidad Dominicana (Dominican Diversity), Trans Siempre Amigas (TRANSSA), Voluntariado GLBT (LGBT Volunteers), Movimiento de Mujeres Unidas (MODEMU), Comunidad de Trans Trabajadoras Sexuales Dominicanas (COTRAVETD), Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de Grupos Vulnerabilizados (Observatory of Human Rights for Vulnerable Groups), COLESDOM and Grupo de Apoyo Este Amor (This Love Support Group), who were responsible for delivering the kits and completing the surveys.

This initiative contributes towards fulfilling the 2030 Agenda, especially because of its contributions to improve the health and wellbeing of communities (SDG 3), reducing inequalities (SDG 10) and forming alliances for sustainable development (SDG 17). The UNDP keeps working towards inclusive and integral solutions to the COVID-19 crisis, leaving no one behind!