The objective of this paper is to examine the human rights content and impact of the Global Fund’s work in three areas — grant-making processes, grants, and advocacy, especially to see how this unique institution manages the balancing act to which its principles lead. Without pretending to have conducted an exhaustive investigation, we examine some experiences of empowerment of criminalized and marginalized persons living with and vulnerable to HIV in Global Fund processes and ways in which these processes have and have not resulted in human rights-friendly changes in policy and national decision-making. We also consider both the ways in which Global Fund support has strengthened legal and human rights activities and the ways in which it may inadvertently have reinforced activities or institutions that undermine human rights. Finally, we consider the way in which public advocacy by the Global Fund has advanced human rights responses to HIV.
Authors: Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Open Society Foundations