Meaningful Community Engagement in the COVID-19 Response Mechanism

In April 2020, the Global Fund established the COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) to support countries to respond to COVID-19 in mitigating its impact on HIV, TB, and malaria programs and strengthening health and community systems. On 7 April 2021, the Global Fund launched the second phase of C19RM. All countries receiving funding from the Global Fund are eligible to receive C19RM funding, including multi-country and non-eligible countries in crisis.

Effective and meaningful community and civil society engagement are crucial for developing a robust response to the pandemic. The COVID-19 Response Mechanism Guidelines calls explicitly for consultations with “civil society, key and vulnerable populations as well as communities, including those most severely affected by COVID-19”, including those countries experiencing significant disruption.