Mark These Days: 25th November, 1st December, 10th December and 12th December

We believe in niche-advocacy. The UHC Micro-grant will enable us organize and conduct activities not normally facilitated by funders.

We hope to use this opportunity to show case the need for Refugee LGBTIQQ Targeting strategic Public health services.

Scope of Work:

The Nature Network, ROSCEA, SWKPAAP and MARPS in Uganda are four organizations that work together to leverage their potential to advocate for quality life through mobilizing communities to participate in daily activities of life and engaging in best practices promoting health, most especially for marginalized population groups.

Nature Network's Niche: Kenya -based Transgender-Led, Refugee social support safe space and uses Family-Based Therapy activities to build a context stimulating healing, agency, autonomy, self-belief, self-determination and self-preservation. They enhance continued humanization of refugees by highlighting opportunities for participation in daily activities of life through planned community activities. They promote and protect rights and dignity of refugees.

Refugee Organization For Security and Cooperation in East Africa (ROSCEA)'s Niche: Kenya based Human and Health Rights Activists-led, Refugee social support safe space and uses Family-Based Therapy activities to build a context stimulating healing, agency, autonomy, self-belief, self-determination and self-preservation. They enhance continued humanization of refugees by linking needs to services through facilitating mobility and highlighting security-consciousness. They promote and protect rights and dignity of refugees.

South And Western Uganda Key Populations' AIDS Awareness And Prevention Association (SWKPAAP)'s Niche: Uganda-based LGBTIQQ-Led Social Support Organization providing AIDS Prevention Information, Education and Communication in Southern and Western Uganda.They promote and protect rights and dignity of people living with HIV and Drug-Users.

Most at Risk Populations' Society in Uganda (MARPS in Uganda)'s Niche: Uganda-based Collaborative of 175 grassroots CBOs with the goal of enhancing participation in livelihoods, health seeking best practices and documentation. They promote and protect rights and dignity of orphans, disabled persons, vulnerable Children, young boys, girls and adult women and men.

Together, they are to use the UHC-Mini grant to conduct a UHC Event. The event has been named: Universal Health Coverage Campaign-Africa Baraza. It will be held in Nairobi, Kenya.

This event will be the climax for the year. It is truncated and staggered in such a way to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November);  World AIDS Day (1st December); International Human Rights Day (10 December); and Universal Health Coverage Day (12th December). This is to leverage the spirit of the symbolic events, catalyze communities to relate to the themes and empower them to utilize the opportunities and to encourage engagement in quality life promoting best practices.

It comes at a time when we are involved in addressing various UN Observances. Most especially, we want to translate the realities of vulnerability, susceptibility and missed diagnostic opportunities faced by marginalized population groups into voices demanding attention.

We aim at catalyzing planned, targeted interventions and social transformation activities. We leverage the inertia gained from the Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign, which takes place between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November) and International Human Rights Day (10 December) to symbolically link the spirit with the UHC 2030 events.

A critical number of Refugees, especially LGBTIQQ seeking quality services will be reached. This means they will access Information, Education, Communication, accessories and Providers through whom it will be possible to engage in quality life promoting activities.

The main attraction of the event will be centered on raising consciousness around how to access and provide quality, affordable and beneficial services. We want to disrupt what has been taken for granted and normed.

There are sexuality, identity and gender-related gaps in health access which need addressing. Using this fair, we hope to make it possible for refugees to showcase their needs, have providers take a realistic look into these needs and plan appropriate interventions. This is a unique situation, where the paradigm shift points toward the client using a safe space to have their needs voiced in a formal way. The High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) on 23 September 2019 provided a road map for inclusion and meeting the SDGs.  Beyond this High-Level Meeting, we endeavour to translate the UHC policies and programmes; gather collective and critical input to prioritize equality and equity-sensitive health interventions, as well as identify the best ways to meet Refugee LGBTIQQ specific needs.

Our work in Kenya and Uganda has enabled us position ourselves as niche-advocates. We will continue to address Refugee LGBTIQQ needs as UHC requires. This will include key policies, entrench inclusivity, advocate for financing, and engage in multi stakeholder collaboration, especially with different networks. We shall be part of reviews as we continue seeking a culture upholding cultural sensitivity, accessibility, affordability, accountability and beneficial services.