Population Size Estimate of Key Populations

On 16 and 17 May, the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) in partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham hosted a Population Size Estimate (PSE) Analysis and Validation Workshop of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), Transgender, and Female Sex Workers (FSW) at the Grenada National Stadium.

Representatives from Government and Civil Society were invited and given hands-on experience with checking, analysing, interpreting and presenting the data. Both Civil Society and Government discussed the potential of using the data to design programs and services targeting the key populations in Grenada.

The PSE goes beyond merely giving an estimate of MSM, transgender and SW communities in Grenada. It offers a breakdown of the age; education; income; religious belief; sexual practice; access to healthcare; HIV testing; stigma and discrimination from families and friends, healthcare providers, law enforcement and society; violence against key population; and domestic violence. The PSE is significant because this is the first such estimate of key populations in Grenada. We now have a clearer glimpse as to the size and the needs of these marginalised communities.

The data from the PSE will inform policy and programme design. Civil Society and Government will be better able to identify key issues impacting marginalised communities and strategic ways to address them. We will be finally able to make data-driven decisions regarding programming for key populations.

The PSE gives us a glimpse of a population of people, who have long been disfranchised and offers a chance to make informed policy and program decisions backed by valid data and further research into the MSM, transgender and SW communities.