WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider the latest version of a dispute between the U.S. government and global health organizations over the “anti-prostitution loyalty oath.” This time the judges will determine whether the same First Amendment protections that shield U.S.-based organizations from the policy should also apply to their local affiliates.
The case is rooted in a decade-long debate over global health policy, and it has broad implications for how the U.S. government treats local organizations. It could undercut a high-priority push toward localization that U.S. development and global health agencies are currently trying to advance, experts say.
“We consistently drop the ball on key populations programming for HIV, because we need to have the work being done by key populations-led organizations who can identify their own needs and their own security needs,” said Beirne Roose-Snyder, director of public policy at CHANGE.