Report by Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) developed in the lead-up to the 26th Global Fund Board meeting, which is taking place in Geneva on May 10-11, 2012. The report assesses the consequences of the sharp reduction in donor support that forced the Global Fund to halt new funding and to impose cost-cutting measures.
Over the last decade, the Global Fund has played a unique and indispensable role in responding to the HIV epidemic among people who use drugs in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). From 2002 to 2009, it approved $263 million for harm reduction in EECA alone—more than all other international sources combined.
The Global Fund made important investments in capacity building and advocacy efforts by civil society, but this work is far from complete; more, not fewer, funds are needed to build harm reduction capacity and political support, critical components in establishing sustainability. EECA, which is home to a fast-growing HIV epidemic concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID), has already been affected and will be hit particularly hard by the recent Global Fund changes in the near future – please see Quitting While Not Ahead for details. The Global Fund’s decisions to reduce funding availability based on country income level ignores the fact that income is not the determining factor for the availability of HIV services for PWID; rather, the decisive factor is political will. This is the wrong time for the Global Fund to reduce support for the HIV response in EECA, stepping away from sustainability and advocacy efforts on behalf of harm reduction. The need to protect harm reduction services from ideologically driven attacks and laws that directly or indirectly criminalise people who inject drugs makes it imperative to do more and better on critical enablers of harm reduction in the region.
The Eurasian Harm Reduction Network in partnership with International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network submitted a shadow report on Ukraine to the Human Rights Council as part of Universal Periodic Review process.
The submission focuses on the country’s progress in implementation of recommendations given to the Government of Ukraine by other UN bodies that review the progress made by country in the framework of international human rights commitments and tackles two issues – the rights of people who use drugs to harm reduction services and removing barriers in access to health for children and young people who use drugs.
Back in 2008 The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) expressed concern regarding the HIV epidemic in the country and recommended expansion of demand reduction services for people who use drugs. The submission highlights the legal constrains in implementation of the recommendations specifically the amendments made to the drug tables, which led to significant criminalization of extremely low amounts of narcotic drugs.
In 2011 the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) recommended removing barriers in access to health services, including harm reduction to children and young people who use drugs. The submission tackles the progress made by country (or lack thereof) in implementation of the recommendations.
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed. For more: http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/upr/pages/uprmain.aspx. The Council will review Ukraine during the 14th session (22 October-5 November 2012).
Presentation of MD. Damir Bikmukhametov on new options of treatment for chronic Hepatitis C.
Presented at the regional seminar “Hepatitis C treatment in resource – limited settings: mobilize for a joint regional campaign!“ which took place in Kiev (Ukraine) on March 28-30, 2012.
In times of economic crisis, governments face choices on how best to balance spending and where best to direct limited resources and generate prosperity. Managing the costs of interventions to ensure the highest quality and best outcomes for the lowest possible costs becomes a priority. The report shows that the dominant law enforcement approach results in misbalanced government spending. Countries of the region spend more than double amount of money on enforcement of laws on drug use and possession rather than harm reduction, while either drug use nor HIV epidemic are being contained pointing towards inadequate political priorities and inefficient spending of tax money.
The report aims to assess whether national funding allocated for drug-related measures achieves the goals of slowing down or reversing drug epidemics and protecting society from drug-related harms. It is based on comparing costs associated law enforcement activities around drug use and possession with no intent to supply versus the effects on drug use and health. The report draws on country costs assessments done in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Romania and Russia as well as analysis of data from other countries of the region, including Ukraine and Tajikistan.
It is a result of last couple of years work of international NGOs with the goal to draw the attention to the different costs at the expense of which the prohibitionist drug policies are implemented in order to activate the dialogue between the civil society groups and governments on more efficient and cost effective drug policy and budget implementation.
In October 2011, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria approached the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network concerning different types of needle-syringes and their possible influence on HIV transmission among people who inject drugs. While emerging evidence suggests that a switch to low dead-space (LDS) syringes could have a major impact on HIV, both the Global Fund and EHRN recognized that such an intervention can only succeed if it is fully informed by — and with the full backing of — local drug users, taking into account their needs, preferences and the local drug markets, and where reliable supplies of new products can be ensured at similar costs to existing syringes. The Secretariats of the Global Fund and EHRN agreed to conduct a rapid situation assessment on the types of needles and syringes that are procured and supplied through needle and syringe programmes and pharmacies in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The overall objective was to examine opportunities for introducing LDS syringes, and informing future policy and advocacy efforts. The rapid situation assessment was conducted by EHRN in November and December 2011, and the results of this study are summarized in this report.
Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) presents new publication – A guide to developing and implementing overdose prevention programs prepared by Janna Ataiants and Dasha Ocheret (EHRN). This guide was developed in response to the growing need among service providers working with drug users in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia to introduce overdose prevention work into their services. It summarized best regional practices and provides recommendations on overdose programming based on lessons learned from colleagues in the region.
Overdose is a major cause of preventable death among injecting drug users (IDU) in many regions in the world. Although the scale of the problem is huge, the official overdose statistics are often unreliable and dramatically underestimate real levels. As a result, governments do not have a comprehensive overview of the overdose situation and related deaths as well as consistent response strategy. Existing projects and programs aimed at reducing the impact of overdose are sporadic and of undetermined quality.
In January 2012, IDPC and EHRN released a policy brief on OST in Eurasia. Entitled Opioid substitution therapy in Eurasia: How to increase the access and improve the quality, the policy brief aims at providing an up-to-date overview of the state of OST service provision in Eurasia, with a particular focus on access and quality issues. It is based on data collected by the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network between August and November 2011, and is therefore intended to capture some of the most recent developments that took place in the region since the release of the 2010 Global State of Harm Reduction report.
EHRN’s report “Drug Dealers, Drug Lords and Drug Warriors-cum-Traffickers: Drug Crime and the Narcotics Market in Tajikistan” presents research on the role played by the police, petty drug dealers and users in the street level drug trade in Tajikistan. Synthesizing information received from interviews with individual Tajik drug users, as well as lesser-known studies by local researchers, the study brings to light a number of interesting details of the street level drug trade in Tajikistan and discusses their implications for drug policies in the Central Asian region as a whole. This research likewise illustrates the shocking state of corruption in Tajik law enforcement agencies and penitentiary facilities whereby police and prison officers directly facilitate the distribution of drugs. At the heart of this study are the upperworld-underworld nexus and a crucial transformation of the representatives of the state organs of power from “drug warriors” into “drug traffickers.”
EHRN's report „HIV and the Law in Eastern Europe and Central Asia“ (2011) reveals brutal drug users human rights violations and calls on governments to implement humane drug policies which support rights of millions of people who use drugs and promote effective measures in response to HIV epidemic.
Newly released report presents the results of monitoring of human rights violations in the region of EECA and recommendations to address urgent issues in the sphere of HIV and to improve access to prevention and care. The report was developed on the basis of collaboration among communities of people who use drugs from EECA who provided their personal stories to highlight most typical violations of health and social rights. The report was prepared in the framework of „Involving Drug Users in the Activities of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law‘ project which was conducted by EHRN from April to October 2011 with support from the Open Society Foundations.
This edition of the EHRN newsletter specifically highlights issues related to the rights of people who use drugs. In the content you will find editorial note by Mat Southwell (INPUD) and Olga Belyaeva (EHRN Steering Committee member) as well as measures to stop violations of civil and human rights against people who use drugs in Eurasia. Another section is dedicated to regional highlights, and also in the issue you will find updates from Secretariat and Steering Committee. EHRN’s newsletter „The Voice of Harm Reduction“ is a tool for our members to network, exchange best practices, promote successes and advocate for what we collectively consider the most urgent regional matters related to harm reduction and drug policy in CEECA.
∙ What recent economic analyses of harm reduction programs have to say about our field, and what implications research has for policy decisions;
∙ How to use cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit research when advocating for harm reduction programs or policies, and what kinds of things you might do in order to generate new information on the costs and benefits of harm reduction in your city;
∙ How to combine information from research in Western countries with data from Eastern Europe and Central Asia in order to strengthen your arguments; ∙ Where to find additional resources on the subject.
This edition of the EHRN newsletter specifically highlights issues related to overdose. In the content you will find editorial note by Dan Bigg from Chicago Recovery Alliance (USA) and Anya Sarang from Andrey Rylkov Foundation (Russia) as well as call for action to respond to overdose problem, best practice of naloxone project and stories on how naloxone saved someone's life. EHRN’s newsletter „The Voice of Harm Reduction“ is a tool for our members to network, exchange best practices, promote successes and advocate for what we collectively consider the most urgent regional matters related to harm reduction and drug policy in CEECA.
The study was conducted from March to July 2011 with the initiative of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network. The purpose of the study is to research prevalence of drug overdoses in 12 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The study was conducted through a survey, carried out among 63 local and regional experts, and an analytical review of existing literature. Information received indicates significant discrepancies between official statistics and the actual incidence of fatal and non-fatal overdoses.
In this statement the representatives of the community of people who use drugs and OST program clients in EECA appeal to national governments and international organizations and request to facilitate the adoption of guiding principles on humane drug policies; to facilitate putting in place such laws that protect human rights of people who use drugs on a non-discriminatory basis, and that contribute to achieving the goals of universal access to HIV prevention and treatment. The statement is based on personal experiences of people who use drugs, experiences of their families and friends.
ThinkingDrugs www.thinkingdrugs.org is a new website allowing the public to explore some of the arguments that are central to drug policy in the form of an argument map.The website looks at the arguments while referencing the situation in Russia, the Netherlands, Mexico and the UK. The results at the end allow the public to come to twelve different possible positions and then tweet them or post them to their Facebook wall. The website is available in Russian, Spanish and English.
Globally, between 130-170 million people are chronically infected with HCV and there are approximately 10 million people living with HCV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. HCV antivirals are extremely costly for governments let alone the individuals in EECA where the average household monthly wages and salaries per capita range from US $277 in Ukraine to US $564 in Kazakhstan. On World Hepatitis Day, EHRN called for civil society to demand HCV treatment price reduction in Eastern Europe and Central Asia in order for the millions of people living with HCV to gain access to life saving drugs.
In many countries around the world, drug control efforts result in serious human rights abuses: torture and ill treatment by police, mass incarceration, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, denial of essential medicines and basic health services.
Society AGIHAS - self-organization of HIV in Latvia, opened a new bilingual (Russian/Latvian) forum www.hivplus.lv. Participants of the forum can discuss the following topics: myths about HIV, HIV transmission routes, treatment and ARV, discordant couples, HIV and pregnancy, HIV dissidents.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) provides a new feature on its website: the listing of national harm reduction guidelines in Europe, along with some international standards and guidelines. The documents, along with a download link where available, are provided.
The War on Drugs: Count the Costs campaign calls on governments and international agencies to meaningfully evaluate the unintended consequences of the war on drugs and explore evidence-based alternatives.
The CD contains materials developed within the EHRN project ‘Strengthening the potential of regional and international mechanisms that provide technical support for issues related to women, girls, gender equality and HIV’ (2009-2010), supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 2011
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria disbursed a record US$ 3 billion in 2010. This helped boost the number of people on antiretroviral therapy in Global Fund-supported programs to an estimated 3 million; increase the number of people treated for multidrug resistant TB by half; and contribute to a big expansion in malaria treatment and prevention.
The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) has published a speech by the DPA Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann who talks about the latest developments in the on the 40th anniversary of the war on drugs.
In November 2010 Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) video advocacy team asked activists, outreach workers and service providers who attended the 8th National Harm Reduction Conference in Austin, Texas what harm reduction meant to them.
The Information Sheet on Marijuana for Professionals developed by STOP AIDS NGO – ALBANIA covers such topics as appearance of Marijuana, methods of use, drug class, route of administration, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, effects, side effects and health risks, tolerance, dependence and withdrawal effects, etc.
The Report of the Global Commission on Drug Policy issued on June 2, 2011 argues that the global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world and vast expenditures on criminalization and repressive measures directed at producers, traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs.
In October 2010 Ukrainian Ministry of Health issued a Resolution introducing amendments to the 'Table of drug substance amount', which resulted in significant (up to 20 fold) reduction of drug amounts, possession of which implies criminal responsibility. This discussion paper was developed by EHRN and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network in reaction to the changes in the drug legislation in Ukraine. Paper argues the incompatibility of Ukrainian table of drug substance amount within the framework of European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Despite the existing problems in lack of government financing for harm reduction and the need to improve the rights of people who use drugs, including reform of punishment policies, Kyrgyzstan presents a good practice example when it comes to dialogue and partnership between NGOs and the Government. Report aims to evaluate the implementation of the Political Declaration in Kyrgyzstan; the results of the evaluation were presented during 54th session of UN Commission of Narcotic Drugs.
The Russian Government‘s failure to implement evidence based policies and lack of any cooperation with civil society and drug user community is setting Russia for the failure of goals set for drug demand reduction in the political Declaration. This report reveals the defects of Russia in implementing the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem, especially in the area of drug demand reduction and health protection.
Overdose is a major and often overlooked cause of death among people who inject heroin or other opioids. Yet there is a safe and effective treatment: the medication naloxone.
Authored by the editors of the Journal of the International AIDS Society, this e-course is designed to support the preparation, writing and submission of abstracts to scientific conferences.
Exclusive interview of Evgeny Zakharov, a Russian journalist, with Yury Fedotov, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Executive Director, held on March 24, 2011 in the UN’s headquarters in Vienne, Austria.
After 10 years of zero-tolerance, the Polish Parliament has decided to reform the drug law. In April 2011 it amended the drug law in order to give discretion to prosecutors in deciding whether to prosecute small scale drug offenders. The new law now awaits to be signed by the President.
At the 54th Commission on Narcotic Drugs session on March 24th, 2011 reports on the course of implementation by the Russian Federation and Kyrgyz Republic of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem were presented.
Harm Reduction at Work is a practical, hands-on guide written by Raffi Balian and Cheryl White, whose many years of experience in harm reduction, drug user activism, and organizational leadership have made them experts on working with people who use drugs.
Five years ago, governments in South East and Eastern Europe and Central Asia committed to move towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. With UNAIDS support, in 2006 most of the countries of these regions set targets and now, in 2010-2011, are reviewing their achievements, seeking ways to overcome challenges, and setting objectives and targets beyond 2010. The report provides recommendations to civil society and service providers, UNAIDS family and technical support providers, national policy makers and other stakeholders, donor community including the Global Fund and the European Community. The report‘s executive summary is available [in English] and [in Russian].
The Social Partnership Development Fund announced the launch of the first Russian website focused on HIV treatment - www.ARVT.ru. The site allows Russian-speaking users getting recent and reliable data on HIV treatment. Its main advantages are: an extensive database of documents and information on HIV infection and allied issues, rapid and timely provision of topical and important information.
In 2009 the non-governmental organization "SPIN Plus" representing community of people living with HIV and drug users in Tajikistan produced a film on the situation with drug use and HIV in Tajikistan.
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), 2011
On March 2, 2011 the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) released its Annual Report 2010. The report highlights the Board's concerns about issues such as designer drugs, synthetic cannabinoids and precursor chemicals and also presents regional developments and recommendations for Governments.
A new thematic page on drug use and hepatitis is now available on the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) website. The page features statistics on HCV prevalence and treatment of injecting drug users in Europe, evidence of effectiveness of HCV prevention in drug injectors, as well as information on other hepatitis viruses.
“Labor migrants from central Asia: problems and health risks (including HIV and other STI)” is an in-depth research held within a pilot regional project aimed at improving accessibility to HIV-related services among Kyrgyz and Tajik migrants working in Saint Petersburg, as well as among members of their families.
The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) has created 4 short video messages to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. In the videos a Taliban leader, a Mexican drug lord, a Russian mafioso and the girlfiend of an American drug kingpin thank the UN for keeping drugs illegal. These videos are part of the HCLU’s campaign to raise awareness on the unintended consequences of the global war on drugs. In addition to that HCLU team filmed the Drug Lords in Vienna who came there to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
Working Group on Advocacy of Substitution Therapy in Russia produced a short movie "I choose life". Video features story of Alexey Kurmanaevsky, a drug user activist from Kazan, Russia, who has recently filed a lawsuit against Russia to the European Court of Human Rights regarding the lack of opioid substitution therapy in Russia.
Watch the full length presentation by Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, the head of Open Society Institute's Global Drug Policy Program, that was recorded at the "Urban Drug Policies in the Globalized World" Conference in Prague, on September 30, 2010.
'Regions of expertise - How Knowledge Hubs are boosting HIV prevention, treatment and care across whole regions' is a report by GTZ which describes concept, evolution, results and lessons learnt by the three GTZ- and WHO-supported HIV knowledge hubs in Eastern Europe (including EHRN Harm Reduction Knowledge Hub). Aim of the Hubs is to encourage sustainable, regional and local ownership of comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment programmes. As well, all Hubs offered four basic services: technical training, direct technical assistance, support for technical networks and adaptation of World Health Organization and UNAIDS guidelines.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 2010
Focusing on European countries where amphetamine or methamphetamine is an important part of the drug problem,Problem amphetamine and methamphetamine use in Europe by European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction looks at the current situation in the light of the historical development of amphetamines use since the introduction of these substances as medicines in the 1930s.
“Drug policies and harm reduction in South East Europe” is a briefing paper by IDPC. This is the first of a series focusing on drug-related issues in SEE. It provides an overview of the current situation regarding harm reduction services and national drug policies in the region.
Association of Substitution Treatment Advocates in Ukraine (ASTAU) , 2011
The report was prepared by the Association of Substitution Treatment Advocates in Ukraine within the framework of the project of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) "Achieving Universal Access: Supporting Community Sector Involvement and Advocacy".
HCLU presents "Prison and Risks", the latest study on risks related to blood borne and sexually transmitted infections and drug use in the Hungarian prison system, based on interviews with formerly incarcerated injecting drug users. The study summarizes the findings of in depth interviews with 15 former inmate injecting drug users, conducted by the Drug Prevention Foundation in Budapest.
Youth RISE has launched a youth-driven training manual for HIV prevention, substance use, and sexual health in order to empower and educate young people, reduce stigma and ultimately save lives. The training manual “Young peer trainer’s guide” provides much needed free access to training resources for young people on HIV/AIDS prevention, substance use, sexual health and young people.
To better prevent and treat alcohol and illicit drug use disorders, the World Health Organization has launched the first global report on resources currently in use to respond to these health concerns.
It is estimated that currently 60 to 90% of the cocaine in North America and around the world (both powder and crack) is being cut with a potentially dangerous additive called Levamisole. Levamisole is an animal de-wormer which can be dangerous to human health. The website www.levamicoke.info provides material one can use to inform others about tainted cocaine, to raise awareness on the street and in nightlife venues, and to create awareness campaigns. On the website one can also find a printer-ready copy for an informative pamphlet.
In the age of economical crisis there is a risk that European cities might sacrifice their unquestionable achievements in the field of drug policy and harm reduction. Pavel Bem, the mayor of Prague and a former drug treatment professional himself, recognized this current trend and the need to create a new platform to promote evidence-based, pragmatic drug policies among cities.
In many countries around the world, drug control efforts result in serious human rights abuses: torture and ill treatment by police, mass incarceration, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, denial of essential medicines and basic health services.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2010
To mark World AIDS Day 2010, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) released a report highlighting the failures of governments and donors to effectively tackle HIV and injecting drug use, and the urgency with which a human-rights based, effective response is needed.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2010
There is a recognized need for guidance on providing IDUs with a medical examination and testing for HIV, viral hepatitis and several other infections on a regular basis. Guidelines for testing HIV, viral hepatitis and other infections in injecting drug users by EMCDDA provide guidance at a practical level, proposing a series of standard tests to be undertaken regularly on a voluntary and informed basis.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2010
The report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe 2010 presents the EMCDDA's yearly overview of the drug phenomenon. This is an essential reference book for policymakers, specialists and practitioners in the drugs field or anyone seeking the latest findings on drugs in Europe.
Transform Drug Policy Foundation launched its guide to the legal regulation of drugs 'After the War on Drugs: Blueprint for Regulation' on November 12, 2009. The guide proposes specific models of regulation for each main type and preparation of prohibited drug, coupled with the principles and rationale for doing so. Further, the book demonstrates that moving to the legal regulation of drugs is not an unthinkable, politically impossible step in the dark, but a sensible, pragmatic approach to control drug production, supply and use. Now guide is available in Russian language.
"LIVE! Using Injectable Naloxone to Reverse Opiate Overdose" is a documentary training film, made in association with Chicago Recovery Alliance. Film provides instruction on how to recognize opioid overdose and respond effectively using a combination of rescue breathing and injectable naloxone, a pure opiate antagonist. An actual overdose, caught on film in November 2008, provides the narrative framework in which the opiate overdose rescue process is illuminated.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights , 2010
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right of Everyone to the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health, Anand Grover, on October 25, 2010 presented his Annual Thematic Report.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2010
The handbook "Building a national drugs observatory", a joint production by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States (CICAD–OAS), presents and describes in a clear and informative way the core operational processes and the key strategic factors that are common to all national drugs observatories.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, established in 2001, has had an essential role in realizing the goals of Universal Access with providing more than 2.5 million people with anti-retroviral treatment and scaling up HIV-prevention services in 144 countries worldwide.
This e-resource was elaborated by EHRN, TAG and TTAG and presents information for people living with hepatitis C, health professionals and treatment advocates. It includes treatment and management guidelines, advocacy tools, national reports from Georgia, Thailand and Ukraine. For people living with Hepatitis C this e-resource provides information on understanding the virus and how to organize support groups.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has released report “MDG 6: 6 things you need to know” at the Millennium Development Goal Summit that took place on September 20-22, 2010 in New York. According to the report nearly 10% of global HIV infections are due to unsafe injecting drug use today. Eastern Europe and Central Asia remains the only region where new HIV infections are on the rise.
Global State of Harm Reduction 2010 at a glance provides an overview of IHRA’s second major report in the Global State of Harm Reduction series, in a leaflet and poster format.
The paper "What can we learn from the Portuguese decriminalization of illicit drugs?" published in the British Journal of Criminology examines the case of Portugal, a nation that decriminalized the use and possession of all illicit drugs on July 1, 2001. The paper concludes that contrary to predictions, the Portuguese decriminalization did not lead to major increases in drug use. Indeed, evidence indicates reductions in problematic use, drug-related harms and criminal justice overcrowding. The article discusses these developments in the context of drug law debates and criminological discussions on late modern governance.
Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) has launched a film dedicated to International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, 2010. The film “Take Home Naloxone - The Right to Survive Overdoses” highlights the fact that deaths due to overdose are preventable using cheap and effective methods that do not stigmatize or criminalize people who use drugs. HCLU team hopes this movie will convince and mobilize professionals, activists and politicians to get rid of the prejudices and remove the barriers from Naloxone distribution.
What Works for Women and Girls: Evidence for HIV/AIDS Interventions, now available at www.whatworksforwomen.org, is a comprehensive review of successful HIV programming for women and girls spanning data from more than 2,000 scientific articles and reports in nearly 100 countries.
As many as one third of HIV-infected infants die before their first birthday, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said at XVIII International AIDS Conference on July 22, 2010, in announcing the new treatment guidelines Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Infection in Infants and Children: Towards Universal Access (2010 revision). Infants born to mothers who are HIV-positive should have their HIV status determined at birth or soon after, with a diagnosis of HIV infection confirmed within 4 to 6 weeks of age, so that treatment can be initiated as early as possible, as new WHO guidelines recommend.
Since the publication in 2006 of Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection in adults and adolescents: Recommendations for a public health approach, new evidence has emerged on when to initiate ART, optimal ART regimens, the management of HIV co-infection with tuberculosis and chronic viral hepatitis and the management of ART failure. This evidence formed the basis for the recommendations contained in the 2010 update, which outlines a public health approach to the delivery of ART for adults and adolescents in settings with limited health systems capacity and resources.
Deemed “essential medicines” by the World Health Organization, methadone and buprenorphine treatment help reduce drug injection and drug-related crime and improve public order, family satisfaction, return to employment, and adherence to HIV treatment. Unfortunately, even when methadone or buprenorphine are available, treatment fails to reach many of those who could benefit.
Drug Policy Guide to national policy makers by International Drug Policy Consortium is now available in Russian. The Guide aims to provide regional and national partners with a resource that they can use to conduct reviews of the national drug policies and programs in their areas, and engage with policy makers to work towards policy and program improvement.
Almost three decades after the discovery of HIV, the Lancet issued special series to highlight the threat of a largely unpublicized and growing HIV epidemic: in people who use drugs.
The overall goal of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network regarding drug policy is to achieve a balanced and human rights-oriented drug policy that does not criminalize people who use drugs. This paper presents position of EHRN towards access to drug-dependence treatment, including OST, and points out key principles and priorities in the area of drug policy.
Using input from national experts, this paper explores issues of drug policy and discrimination on the basis of sex in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine – five countries in which HIV is concentrated among injecting drug users (IDUs). Drug policy, public health approaches and cultural contexts vary among the countries, but none have more than a handful of pilot programs designed specifically for women who use drugs.
This report outlines interventions for tackling hepatitis C in IDU populations in Europe and the surrounding area. The publication includes examples of interventions focused on awareness, prevention, treatment and care. Based on the insights of these interventions EHRN concludes that while there are many barriers to delivering hepatitis C prevention, through effective service provision these can be reduced and, in many cases, removed.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2010
Injecting drug use is strongly associated with severe health problems in drug users, including both blood-borne infections (e.g. HIV/AIDS, hepatitis) and overdose.
International Centre for Science in Drug Policy, 2010
For anyone who wants to better understand the failures of prohibition, or who is looking for a refresher on years of research evidencing cost-effective, safe, and humane alternatives to the "war on drugs", the ICSDP presents 'Did You Know: The War on Drugs Edition'. Modeled after the viral YouTube series, DYN provides a fast-paced overview of the realities of conventional drug policies based on studies and reports from the United Nations, US Department of Justice, and a number of peer-reviewed journals.
Film ‘Nice People Take Drugs’ by Release, UK based centre of expertise on drugs and drugs law, shows the hypocrisy of politicians who remain silent on the issue of drugs despite their own experiences and, more importantly, despite the fact people are sentenced to death to commemorate World Drugs Day on June 26.
The Aidspan Guide to Round 10 Applications to the Global Fund is designed to assist applicants with the process of preparing applications for Round 10.
The IHRA report, titled "The Death Penalty for Drug Offences: Global Overview 2010", finds that hundreds of people are executed for drug offences each year around the world, a figure that very likely exceeds one thousand when taking into account those countries that keep their death penalty statistics secret. The report is the first detailed country by country overview of the death penalty for drugs, monitoring both national legislation and state practice of enforcement.
"Detention as Treatment: Detention of Methamphetamine Users in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand" – report by OSI documents the arbitrary detention of thousands of drug users, mostly young people, in controversial detention centers in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. The report calls on the United Nations and donor countries to immediately cease any financial support for maintaining or building new detention centers. It further calls on the governments of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand to release those currently detained, and devise strategies to permanently close drug detention centers.
"Ignorance is no longer an option: why and how to respond to the Hepatitis C epidemic in Ukraine" provides an overview of key issues driving and influencing the hepatitis C epidemic in Ukraine. The document summarizes its specific impact in the country; policy, health and social factors that guide access to diagnosis and treatment; and the main obstacles and challenges to a more effective response. The Ukraine-specific part of the report concludes with a series of recommendations.
The Aidspan Guide to Round 10 Applications to the Global Fund is designed to assist applicants with the process of preparing applications for Round 10.
Partners in Health (PIH) is a nonprofit corporation headquartered in Boston, USA, that implements numerous projects in Africa, South and Central America, Carribean working with such issues as HIV, TB, women's and children's health.
Overdose is a well-documented major cause of death among opioid users, and may be an issue among stimulant users as well.This document presents a brief overview of why overdose prevention matters for HIV/AIDS programs. Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs), principle recipients and sub-grantees should include overdose services in new proposals.
International Network of People who Use Drugs, 2010
From its inception in 2007, International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD) successfully engaged in international advocacy and the voices of people who use drugs were heard for the first time in a number of key international and regional development forums.
Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) produced “Paving the way”, a YouTube movie about the Harborside Medical Marijuana Health Center, a California-based organization that grows marijuana to supply the medical needs of patients who suffer from cancer, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain.
In Macedonia sex workers are pushed to the margins of society by a combination of prejudice, discrimination, and violence. “You Must Know About Me” is a first-hand account of sex workers’ experiences and aspirations off and on the streets, produced by Healthy Options Project - Skopje.
Since 1990 Mainline, an NGO based in the Netherlands, has been working on improving the health and quality of life of substance users in the Netherlands, Asia and Eastern Europe.
Open Medical Club launches a specialized Russian website www.health-rights.ru aimed at providing informational and legal support in the context of health care. The site will be gradually filled in with information materials; at the moment, online consultations are already available. English version of the website is available as well.
A new community on drugs and drug policy by the name of RYLKOVFOND is now available on LiveJournal. LiveJournal has been selected so that everyone can submit the information online and have an opportunity to communicate with all participants.
HCLU presents three uncut presentations from the 2009 Moscow AIDS conference by international and Russian experts on the legal analysis of the unavailability of methadone in Russia.
HCLU’s video advocacy team attended a press conference organized by the Russian delegation in Vienna at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), where the representatives of the world governments discussed the critical issues in international drug control policies.
On the eve of the World AIDS Day 2009, WHO released new recommendations on treatment and prevention in the context of HIV, based on the latest scientific evidence.
The first issue of bulletin on harm reduction in Russia released by former Russian Harm Reduction Network, currently known under the name of non-commercial partnership "ESVERO", presents evaluation of projects of the organization in different regions of Russian Federation.
The IDPC has launched the first edition of its Drug Policy Guide for national government policy makers. This publication is a collaborative effort by a number of IDPC members and partners, and brings together global evidence and best practices on the design and implementation of drug policies and programmes at national level.
The Global Fund Secretariat is in the process of developing the ‘IDU Initiative’ which explores and recommends ways to create demand at a country level for programming and evidence-based interventions for injecting drug users.
On November 22–24, 2009 in Sofia, Bulgaria the Civil Society Action Team (CSAT) in partnership with the EHRN and AFEW organized a regional seminar and workshop 'Meaningful Involvement' addressing involvement of organizations led by people living with HIV and people who use drugs from countries of Eastern Europe, Balkans and Central Asia in projects supported by GFATM.
Amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) have become the focus of increasing attention worldwide. There are understandable concerns over potential harms including the transmission of HIV.
The mission of AIDSPAN is to reinforce the effectiveness of the Global Fund and serve as an independent watchdog of the Fund and its grant implementers through providing information and advice, facilitating critical debate, and promoting greater transparency, accountability, effectiveness and impact.
WHO guidelines on OST review the use of medicines such as methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone and clonidine in combination with psychosocial support in the treatment of people dependent on heroin or other opioids.
Youth R.I.S.E., organization with an aim to empower young people who are affected by drug use to effectively and proactively work at systemic policy change to ensure that young people are included in harm reduction strategies - presents annual report for 2009.
The Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Network (MENAHRA) was established in June 2007 in order to strengthen harm reduction capacity, policies and interventions across all 22 countries in the region. Its 11th newsletter features a number of articles relevant to harm reduction from the MENA region and around the world.
New informational five-language website www.addicted2life.eu is the continuation of the project 'Addicted to Life'. It presents international information campaign for prevention and reduction of risks associated with amphetamine use.
To address lack of knowledge and awareness about chronic viral hepatitis on the part of health-care and social-service providers a new website was launched at www.KnowHepatitis.org.
Injecting Advice / www.injectingadvice.com is a website that provides information about harm reduction for injecting drug users, and seeks to act as a great information resource for both injectors and outreach workers. Site includes different types of articles, best practice advices, podcasts, news and training information. Only English version of the website is available.
Though the number of countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia providing OST increased up to 25 in 2010 (out of total 29), treatment remains to be hardly accessible for those who need it. The new research provided by EHRN in countries of the Central Asia, shows that in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan less than 5% of the estimated IDU population has got access to the OST. The report concludes that existing drug policies are the key constrain to the access to medical care for drug users and calls the countries upon ensuring the availability of essential medicines as a core obligation of governments under the right to the highest attainable standard of health.
A new website on Take-Home Naloxone has been launched at www.take-homenaloxone.com. This is a website run by independent academics and healthcare professionals aimed at raising the awareness and profile of the use of take-home naloxone as a mechanism for reducing drug-related death, and to provide a forum for discussing innovation, training and practice developments.
The global trade in illegal drugs is a vast enterprise, estimated at more than 300 billion USD a year, with the United States as the largest single retail market.
An AIDS-free generation is not impossible. Yet the world is not on track to meet targets for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, and the global economic crisis raises concerns about sustaining and expanding assistance.
All the authors of this book have been working in harm reduction for the past ten years and have observed various developments on the drug scene, but as long as ignorance and fear of the unknown persist, we all will have work to do. In order to understand how deeply rooted prejudice is in society, we can look at statements like "marijuana is a springboard to heroin, and heroin users are incurable and live a maximum of five years" – which are often pronounced publicly by politicians, reported in the media, and expressed by medical doctors, sociologists, teachers, and others.
Once drug users realize that no one but themselves can solve these problems, once we begin to see other people around us facing the same problems, then and only then the problems may be solved. The battle has just started and victory is far away, but the first steps have been taken, and the effort will not be wasted.
According to HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe in 2008, 51 600 cases of HIV were diagnosed and reported by 48 of the 53 countries in the WHO European Region (data from Russian Federation not available).
The United Nations and Drug Policy: Towards a Human Rights-Based Approach is newly published paper that considers some of the normative, legal, policy and institutional challenges posed by international human rights law to the UN drug control system. It is co-authored by Damon Barrett from IHRA and Manfred Nowak, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.
The Action Framework (2009) was developed in response to the pressing need to address the persistent gender inequality and human rights violations that put women and girls at greater risk and vulnerability to HIV, and threaten the gains that have been made in preventing HIV transmission and increasing access to anti-retroviral treatment. The Operational Plan focuses on country-level action, capitalizing on the role of the UN Joint Teams on AIDS and fostering country leadership. It is structured around issues, which are accompanied by a recommendation, a set of results and corresponding actions as well as the parties to be held accountable for delivering results.
The handbook for people who have injected drugs has been written for current and ex-drug injectors. It gives information and advice about the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and the tests you can take to see if you have been infected. It also explains how to protect yourself from the virus if you are negative. If you are living with HCV, it explains the medical care you might need and what you can do to reduce health problems.
Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) produced 70 advocacy videos in 2009; 26 were Hungarian and 44 were in a foreign language. The vast majority of films deal with drug policy issues, within the framework of the European Drug policy Initiative program.
UNODC and WHO have released a policy briefing and technical paper on ‘HIV Testing and Counselling in Prisons and Other Closed Settings’. The document aims to ensure that incarcerated people are not forgotten by countries during efforts to scale-up overall access to HIV testing and counselling.
The submission to the Human Rights Council: Review of Kyrgyz Republic describes several key human rights priorities and provides recommendations for the Kyrgyz Republic to better respect, protect and fulfil human rights, consistent with its international legal obligations, in areas of particular relevance to effective response to HIV.
According to new data in the 2009 AIDS epidemic update, released by UNAIDS in November 2009, new HIV infections have been reduced by 17% over the past eight years.
The latest publication of the German HIV Practice Collection, 'Out of harm’s way', gives an up to date overview of the controversial international debate on the issue of reducing the harms of drug use and describes projects supported by German Development Cooperation (via German Technical Cooperation, GTZ) in five countries (Ukraine, Nepal, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan) that are struggling to reduce the severe personal, social and economic harms of illicit drug use and HIV.
Latin American Initiative on Drugs and Democracy, 2009
Publication ‘Legislative Innovation in Drug Policy’ by Martin Jelsma (Transnational Institute) summarizes good practices in legislative reforms around the world, representing steps away from a repressive zero-tolerance model towards a more evidence-based and humane drug policy.
Support from the Global Fund has been instrumental in increasing the availability of harm reduction services and supplies, such as clean needles and syringes.
Women who use drugs face a dual challenge: they are more vulnerable to both sexually and injection-transmitted HIV infection than male drug users, and they encounter greater obstacles to accessing the services they need. This report, by the Open Society Institute's International Harm Reduction Development Program, summarizes the results of field assessments of women's access to harm reduction, antiretroviral, and reproductive health services in five countries: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine.
Recent research has revealed that drug user registration laws in the former Soviet Union unfairly restrict the civil rights of drug users and impede their access to drug treatment. These laws, legacies of Soviet-era legislation emphasizing control over cure, also create conditions conducive to police corruption and abuse. This report, from the Open Society Institute's International Harm Reduction Development Program, presents the findings of three groundbreaking studies conducted in Russia, Georgia, and Ukraine that investigate the impact that drug user registration laws have on the lives of drug users and the quality of public health policy. (Thanks to the Canadian International Development Agency for their support of this project.)
Restrictions on stay and residence based on HIV status not only deny equal freedom of movement to HIV-positive people, they also affect their health, development and other human rights. 'Denying Entry, Stay and Residence due to HIV Status' advocates for non-discrimination in the freedom of movement of people living with HIV and provides tips how to help eliminate HIV-related restrictions on entry.
The AIDSPAN has produced a new publication ‘A Beginner’s Guide to the Global Fund’, which is now available in Russian. The purpose of this guide is to provide a broad introduction to the Global Fund for people who have little or no prior experience of the Fund - ranging from new CCM members, to NGOs, to government officials, to new sub-recipients, to journalists who have to write about the Global Fund.
On August 25, 2009, Argentina’s Supreme Court of Justice unanimously declared to be unconstitutional the second paragraph of Article 14 of the country’s drug control legislation (Law Number 23,737), which punishes the possession of drugs for personal consumption with prison sentences ranging from one month to two years (although education or treatment measures can be substitute penalties).
UNAIDS, donors and civil society, including networks of people living with HIV, have rightly demanded greater clarity on the relationships between needs, financing, activities and outcomes.
Injecting drug use remains one of the main factors leading to spread of HIV infection and related diseases in Russia: 79.8% of the total number of HIV cases and 62.7% of the number of new cases in Russia are bound to drug injection.
Тhe report ‘Civil society leads national response: Overcoming the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ukraine’ introduces the Global Fund supported programme in Ukraine.
Theonline resource guide ‘Health and Human Rights’ for practitioners and advocates covers the basic concepts and resources in health and human rights, and provides information on international treaties and enforcement mechanisms that can be applied.
An inventory of what has been done by EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries regarding behavioural surveillance related to HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) in eight subpopulations has been published by Еuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
More than 4 million people in low- and middle-income countries were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the close of 2008, representing a 36% increase in one year and a ten-fold increase over five years.
In September, 2009, HCLU released a short film, called Danish Street Lawyers which highlights an innovative approach of a Danish NGO ‘Gadejuristen’ that provides help to the most vulnerable drug users in Copenhagen. In addition to sterile injecting equipment they provide legal support to drug users and distribute pocket size cards with questions and answers about drug laws and harm reduction.
This online resource is a tool for activists, community organizations, researchers, policy-makers, journalists, health workers and anyone who seeks quick and easy access to a wide range of resources about HIV, human rights and the law.
This report looks at the extent to which the Global Fund is succeeding in its mission. This is the fourth annual progress report the Global Fund has published and it provides a snapshot of the results that can be drawn from the data collected from its increasingly extensive portfolio of grants.
2008 represented a defining moment in the history of the Global Fund, with the implementation of a new Secretariat structure and its move to becoming an administratively autonomous international financing institution. The year was also marked by a high level of activity, innovation and growth that reflects a dynamic organization which is effectively managing its transition from adolescence to adulthood.
This is a publication on access to hepatitis treatment in Eastern Europe and Central Asia prepared by Open Society Institute's Access to Essential Medicines Initiative. Awareness regarding HCV is largely nonexistent in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, even among most IDUs. That stems at least in part from a lack of access to most aspects of HCV-related care, from diagnostics to treatment to managing side effects. The high cost of treatment is a key factor. The aim of the publication is to raise awareness on HCV and promote advocacy among patients, civil society groups, government officials, multilateral organizations and funding mechanisms, and the pharmaceutical industry.
The Task Team affirmed that HIV-specific restrictions on entry, stay and residence based on HIV status are discriminatory, do not protect the public health and are overly broad in terms of rationally identifying those whose entry or stay might result in an undue burden on public monies. According to the Task Team, such restrictions have always been ineffective but have become even more inappropriate in the age of globalization, increased travel, treatment for HIV, and national and international commitments to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and the protection of the human rights of people living with HIV.
Smokable herbal mixtures under the brand name ‘Spice’ are known to have been sold on the Internet and in various specialised shops since at least 2006. Although advertised as an ‘exotic incense blend’, when smoked, Spice products have been reported by some users to have effects similar to those of cannabis. In January 2009, German forensic experts have identified the synthetic cannabinoid in Spice products. Responding to potential health concerns, Austria, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Poland, and Sweden have taken legal actions to ban or otherwise control Spice products and related compounds.
Despite the fact that prisons are attributed with high risk of HIV transmission, prevention programs, treatment, care and support to HIV-positive in prison settings are developed and implemented insufficiently. In addition, the situation in prisons, as a rule, do not respond to the needs of a particular sex. All existing programs and services in prisons for women were originally developed for men. In the meantime drugs and HIV infection is much more prevalent among female prisoners than male.
Opioid overdose in Russia is a problem that has grown more severe as heroin use expanded over the past decade, yet few studies have explored it in detail. In order to gain a clearer understanding of the situation, 60 drug users, both in and out of drug treatment in St. Petersburg, were interviewed concerning their overdose experience and knowledge about overdose recognition and prevention.
An increasing number of countries have introduced HIV programs in prisons since the early 1990s. However, many of these programs exclude necessary interventions such as needle exchange and methadone treatment. Not so in Moldova, whose experience with introducing and expanding a comprehensive HIV program, including such interventions, is described in this report. The report also provides recommendations for other countries wishing to start similar programs.
This manual has been developed within the framework of the European Commission co-financed project „Expanding Network for Coordinated and Comprehensive Actions on HIV/AIDS Prevention among IDUs and Bridging Population”. It reflects the close co-operation of professionals working in the field of HIV/AIDS from four countries: Public Health Agency (Latvia), National Institute for Health Development (Estonia), Lithuanian AIDS Centre and NGO ”Dose of Love’’ (Bulgaria).
A joint Word Bank/UNAIDS report looks at the potential impact of the global financial crisis on HIV prevention and treatment programmes worldwide. Using data collected in March 2009 from 71 countries, the analysis looks at how the crisis could affect the nearly 4 million people living with HIV on treatment, and the 7 million who need treatment but don’t have access to it, and proposes some appropriate responses.
This publication is the first in a series dedicated to amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS). This study focuses on the supply and use of methamphetamine in Europe, set in a global context. Methamphetamine is probably the most widely consumed synthetic stimulant in the world. In many countries across the globe it is reportedly the second most prevalent illicit drug after cannabis.
British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 2009
The British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS released a report summarizing the impact of the ‘Insite’ safer injection facility. The report – entitled ‘Findings from the Evaluation of Vancouver’s Pilot Medically Supervised Safer Injecting Facility’ – provides a brief description of the work that has been done since 2003, as well as plain language summaries of each scientific paper that has been released. According to the report “The first several years of evaluation have yielded an array of scientific outputs, including more than 30 peer-reviewed studies describing the program’s impacts.
This publication was prepared by the Institute of Human Rights in Russia with the support of Open Society Institute (OSI - New York). Report observes situation with drug record in Russia and how it intervenes with human rights issues. On of the key recommendations of the report is to provide full access to objective information on the rights of citizens in connection with record in narcological clinic, the formation of the civil network to identify violations of the law in the field of drug treatment, as well as the development of methodologies to counter identified cases of violation of the rights of citizens when registering.
Training manual "The legal basis of the theory and practice of harm-reduction" was designed to support training courses on legal aspects of combating HIV infection, on drug use and harm reduction. It contains a wide range of information on HIV infection, drug use, analyzes the situation in the world and in Kyrgyzstan. The manual also reflects the basis of the international and national policy of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the practice of reducing the harm from illicit drug use.
The New Zealand Drug Foundation has produced a series of videos which are now published on their YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/nzdrugfoundation).
The clips are edited highlights from the February 2009 International Drug Policy Symposium: "Through the maze - Healthy drug law". A 60 minute DVD from the symposium is also available on request from
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
A study, conducted for the seventh issue of the series "Off Target" by civil society activists in six countries (Argentina, Cambodia, Moldova, Morocco, Uganda and Zimbabwe) showed that the program for the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV do not reach those groups for which they were developed initially - HIV-positive pregnant women and their children.
The film “10 years after UNGASS 1998: The Eastern European Experience” was filmed during the Drug Policy Training on December 12-14, 2008 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The training developed in partnership with the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) was one of the first activities in the framework of new EHRN project “Pilot regional coordination of civil society drug policy advocacy in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.”
ECUO has put efforts to develop united informational resource http://ecuo.org/countries, where main indicators of HIV/AIDS epidemic spread in 14 countries of CIS and Baltic are be presented. Information will be updated on a quarterly basis – and it will help to determine influence of prevention, treatment, care and support programs into overcoming HIV/AIDS epidemics in the region.
This year’s report stresses that despite important progress in the areas of access to antiretroviral therapy and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, considerable challenges combating HIV/AIDS in the world remain. Though many commitments have been made by Member States to protect the rights of people living with HIV and people vulnerable to HIV infection, many countries have laws and policies that are inconsistent with the commitments and result in reduced access to essential HIV services and commodities.
500 million people around the world are currently infected with chronic hepatitis B or C, many don't know they have the virus. You can only contract Hepatitis C if your blood comes into contact with infected blood and people who share needles to take heroin or steroids are at the biggest risk.
The report of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy - constituted by former presidents César Gaviria of Colombia, Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and Mr Cardoso of Brazil and supported by 17 independent luminaries – puts forward the findings of their impact assessment on the ‘war on drugs'. The conclusion is that the ‘war on drugs’ is ‘a failed war’ and calls for acknowledgment of this fact and the engagement of civil society and public opinion so that a debate on safer, more efficient and humane drug policies can take place.
This guidance was written for drug user’s self-organizations and harm reduction programs, working in Russia and other Eastern European and Central Asian countries. It aims to help in development and implementation of overdose prevention and assistance programs. The book gives practical information on overdose, describes general risk factors and strategies for overdose prevention and assistance. It also includes sample training program and practical advice by professional trainers.
Produced by the Open Society Institute, International Drug Policy: Animated Report 2009 highlights some of the disastrous effects of drug policy in recent years and proposes solutions for a way forward. This film seeks to show that pursuing a "drug-free world" can lead to more harm than good.
The video "A Drug-Free Sweden: By All Means?", presented by Hungarian Civil Liberties Union about drug-free policy of Sweden concludes that in its failure to provide comprehensive harm reduction measures such as needle and syringe exchange programmes, the Swedish Government is violating the right to health of people who use drugs, placing them at unnecessary and avoidable risk of HIV and HCV infection.
This guide provides information on the prevention, care, and treatment of HBV, and the impact of HBV on HIV disease. It is designed to be accessible to people with no medical training.Where medical terms are used, they are explained in detailed but simple language.
The Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) researched the progress in 4 countries of Eastern Europe all of which have experienced a major increase in drug related problems. While Lithuania, Georgia and Ukraine have improved access to modern drug dependency treatment, Russia continues to ban low-cost, effective drug treatment options like opioid substitution therapy. Report calls for a more balanced approach to drug policy with investment in public health and human rights equal to the investment that is made in reducing the supply of drugs.
Drug injecting is the driving force behind the explosive spread of HIV in Eastern Europe and behind the much larger epidemic of hepatitis C that affects the entire region. Young people – defined as 10 to 24 years old – represent both the greatest source of new injectors and the greatest hope for reversing the growth of injecting drug use. This report focuses on the situation among young people in nine CEE countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. It analyzes the obstacles to reducing the drug-related harm for this group, and recommends concrete ways to address these obstacles.
Given the prevalence of drug use and its role in driving the HIV epidemic in this region, overdose is believed to be a major cause of mortality among people living with HIV and illicit drug users alike. Nonetheless, reliable data on drug overdose are difficult to obtain in the best of infrastructural circumstances and may face unique obstacles in this region. Also, stigma and drug control efforts may at times conflict with life-saving efforts. The countries surveyed were selected based on varied experience with drug use, geography, overdose programming, and the presence of on-site researchers able to rapidly gather data.
The effectiveness of ART has been demonstrated for both active and former IDUs, including those on opioid substitution therapy (OST). The benefits are manifold and include cost-effectively improving both individual and public health, reducing HIV transmission and honouring everyone’s right to health. This report examines the barriers that Central and Eastern European IDUs face in accessing ART, and it highlights some of the ways that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governments have found to overcome these obstacles.
According to some estimates, over 3.7 million injecting drug users (IDUs) live in Central/Eastern Europe and Central Asia, most of whom are opioid users. In most of the countries in this region parenteral transmission of HIV is the most common, representing 50-85% of registered cases. The purpose of this paper is to examine the introduction of opioid substitution therapy (OST) in selected post-Soviet countries: Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The HIV epidemic in Russia continues to grow. Groups most affected by the HIV epidemic are injecting drug users (IDUs), also sex workers, men who have sex with men and inmates as well as their sexual partners. Russia has a steadily increasing number of patients in need of antiretroviral therapy as well. Though much progress has been made to move towards established Universal Access Targets for 2008, there are many barriers to be overcome for Universal Access to be reached by 2010. Report provides thirteen issues raised by civil society representatives in the process of the Country Report preparation for UNGASS 2008 and recommendations.
The aim of this report is to provide insight on ways to improve civil society involvement in and impact on country-level planning and evaluation of the response to HIV. CEEHRN analyzed the nature of civil society involvement in the process of establishing national targets as well as the impact this involvement had on the targets established. Target setting process was examined in 15 countries in the region of South-Eastern and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) presents an important public health problem globally and particularly in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. The infection spreads rapidly among injecting drug users (IDUs) due to its high infectivity. Availability of HCV prevention, treatment, care and support for IDUs is often not satisfactory. This report presents that spread of Hepatitis C is on the rise due to limited political commitment and limited availability of low threshold testing for IDUs and antiviral treatment for HCV, also because of discrimination. Report also presents recommendation for further actions.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) presents an important public health problem globally and particularly in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. The infection spreads rapidly among injecting drug users (IDUs) due to its high infectivity. Availability of HCV prevention, treatment, care and support for IDUs is often not satisfactory. The key finding of the fact sheet, based on a survey in 13 countries of the European Union (EU) and neighboring countries, is that in most countries HCV among IDUs is a neglected problem.
Paper summarizes realities of epidemic and governmental responses in the region, as well as evidence for action and details, possible roles of decision makers, services providers, donors, prison services, activists and researchers. Conclusions are that Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is more spread than HIV and that injecting drug users and prisoners are most hit by HCV.
Manual presents the best practices; includes a theoretical part with description and explanation of a burnout syndrome, as well as recommendations on burnout syndrome prevention and management based on the experience of the projects in the region. The manual also includes training programs, relaxation techniques, methods of stress management and a list of sources for further reading.
This report, based on a comprehensive survey of organizations working with sex workers throughout CEE/CA, offers sobering proof growing prevalence of sex work, drug use, and HIV—are increasingly intertwined. The aim of this report is to raise awareness on the key concerns and issues affecting sex workers to enable planning and implementation of appropriate health and social policies. This report is grounded in the understanding that sex workers have the rights to health and social support as do all members of society.
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) presents the report on Internet-based drug treatment interventions that provides a comprehensive review of the relatively new phenomenon of Internet-based drug treatment interventions (DTI).
DrugScope has launched the service of daily news and summary of the week's news on the topic of drugs, drug use and the harms they cause on www.dsdaily.org.uk.
As part of its campaign to raise awareness about the major challenge that illicit drugs represents to society as a whole, especially to the young, UNODC launched a dedicated website at www.unodc.org/drugs.
„Point of no return“ report has been prepared on the results of „Simona+“ project on monitoring and evaluation of governmental health care services accessibility, availability, and quality from the viewpoint of patients themselves.
The book “Outreach and counseling” published by Poltava “Anti-AIDS” Fund deals with a range of problems when providing drug users with information on prevention issues.
The report ‘The Incarceration of Drug Offenders’ published by the Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, provides an overview of some of the available incarceration data from around the world and brings together much contemporary research on the topic.
The report ‘Drug decriminalization in Portugal: lessons for creating fair and successful drug policies’ presented by Dr. Greenwald and the Cato Institute provides convincing evidence, that decriminalising drugs helps drug users and society in practice.
For several years UNAIDS has been reporting that HIV is spreading faster in Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States than in any other part of the world. In 1995 Lithuania was the first former Soviet State to introduce HIV/AIDS prevention measures among injecting drug users (IDUs) by adopting well-proven practices of Western, Central and South-Eastern European countries. The intention of this publication is to share the experience gained in the field of HIV prevention among IDUs and to provide the information about the lessons learned and successes achieved.
A survey of 132 organizations in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union assessed the accessibility of HIV medications, basic health care and substitution treatment for injecting drug users (IDUs) in the region. Organizations surveyed include harm reduction programs acting to reduce the negative effects of drug use or to suppport such efforts and representatives of governmental HIV/AIDS programs. Report provides recommendations for further action.
International Harm Reduction Program of the Open Society Institute published its new book in Russian language on overdose prevention and assistance, written by Matt Curtis and Lydia Guterman.
The World Health Organization and UNODC released a joint declaration recognizing overlooked issues linked to women's health in prison. The principles and recommendations of the Kyiv Declaration on Women’s Health in Prison are important steps towards improving health systems and addressing the health needs of women involved in the criminal justice system.
Country Coordination Mechanisms (CCMs) are only now beginning to focus on their role in overseeing the implementation of Global Fund grants. This guide describes what grant oversight is, and provides basic advice on how a CCM can plan and implement oversight. It includes some real-life examples from CCMs that have already started to do oversight. The primary target audience for this guide is CCMs. The guide will also be of interest to principal recipients (PRs) and large sub-recipients (SRs), as well as other stakeholders who are not on the CCM but who have an interest in the functioning of the CCM.
New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute , 2009
The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute is extremely pleased to issue this first formal set of guidelines devoted to the management of substance users with HIV.
Altough harm reduction was not mentioned in the Political Declaration adopted by the high level UN meeting on drugs (March 11-12, 2009), 26 countries supported a statement made by Germany that interpreted the term “related support services” (a euphemism substituting harm reduction in the text) as harm reduction services. Other governments, like the US, Japan and Russia opposed this interpretation. A new video on this issue is available now at the website of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union.
A Report on Global Illicit Drugs Markets 1998-2007, commissioned by the European Commission, found no evidence that the global drug problem has been reduced during the period from 1998 to 2007 – the primary target of the 1998 UNGASS, aimed to significantly reduce the global illicit drugs problem by 2008 through international cooperation and measures in the field of drug supply and drug demand reduction.
The purpose of this report is to provide information to Global Fund applicants on key attributes of a strong proposal. The report is based on an analysis of the strengths of all approved Round 8 proposals, as identified by the Technical Review Panel (TRP) when it reviewed the proposals.
Human Rights Watch and the International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) prepared this overview to assist country delegations during key debates at the UN High Level Meeting on drugs in March 2009 by showing the extent of support from international agencies and experts for human rights-based approaches to drug policy.
The accounts in this fact sheet, drawn from published literature and interviews with people who have passed through treatment in Asia and the former Soviet Union, detail the range of abuses practiced in the name of drug dependence treatment, and suggest the need for reform on grounds of health and human rights.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is an independent expert body that advises government on drug related issues in the UK. The new ACMD report focuses on HCV prevention among injecting drug users.
This report lays out the fundamentals of an effective national strategy for reducing the problems associated with both methamphetamine misuse and misguided U.S. methamphetamine policies. It presents policymakers with a diverse range of evidence-based policy proposals that seek to save lives, reduce wasteful government spending, and empower communities. The “four pillars” of an effective national methamphetamine strategy are prevention, treatment, policing and harm reduction.
A new, joint UNODC-World Health Organization (WHO) discussion paper, "Principles of Drug Dependence Treatment," highlights nine key principles for effective treatment of drug dependence:
1. Availability and accessibility of drug dependence treatment; 2. Screening, assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning; 3. Evidence-informed drug dependence treatment; 4. Drug dependence treatment, human rights, and patient dignity; 5. Targeting special subgroups and conditions; 6. Addiction treatment and the criminal justice system; 7. Community involvement, participation and patient orientation; 8. Clinical governance of drug dependence treatment services; 9. Treatment systems: policy development, strategic planning and coordination of services.
Under the motto "Nothing less," UNODC and WHO support a science-based and systematic approach to treating drug dependence such as that adopted to treat other chronic diseases considered untreatable some decades ago.
This list of UNAIDS’ preferred terminology has been developed for use by staff members, colleagues in the programme’s ten cosponsoring organizations, and other partners working in the global response to HIV.
Language shapes beliefs and may influence behaviours. Considered use of appropriate language has the power to strengthen the response. UNAIDS is pleased to make this list of preferred terminology freely available. It is a living, evolving document that is reviewed regularly. Comments and suggestions for consideration should be sent to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. The boxed list (summary of important points) overleaf highlights the most important points we recommend that users follow. This list may be freely copied and reproduced provided that it is not done so for commercial gain.
This is an important document that provides excellent guidance on word usage, especially when writing about health issues around HIV, AIDS, TB and other related topics.
In 2007, injecting drug users (IDUs) comprised the largest share of total HIV cases in at least 20 nations in Asia and the former Soviet Union. The percentage of cases attributed to injecting drug use is over 70 percent in some countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the region where HIV grew fastest in 2006.
In many of these countries, harm reduction has made important inroads - all countries in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union except Turkmenistan had needle exchange programs in 2007. In most, they remain too small to contain the HIV epidemic. Reports that new HIV cases among drug users have stabilized often reflect trends in testing rather than the impact of prevention. The challenge for many of the hardest-hit countries lies in turning commitments into practice, without sacrificing protection of human rights.
This OSI report provides a snapshot of some key developments in HIV prevention, policy, and treatment for IDUs in developing and transitional countries with injection-driven epidemics, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and some Asian countries. It includes overviews on such issues as community mobilization, methadone and buprenorphine treatment availability, harm reduction in prisons, and HIV treatment for IDUs.
The guidebook is written by veteran activist Karyn Kaplan and it’s aim is to help activists recognize human rights abuses that are systematically conducted and condoned by state and non-state actors and silently suffered by people who use drugs. The guidebook provides activists with the tools necessary to develop a human rights advocacy plan, particularly by documenting abuses against people who use drugs.
There are many countries around the world that restrict the entry, residence and stay of foreigners who are HIV positive. The Global database on HIV related travel restrictions has published a Quick reference on HIV related travel and entry restrictions.
The Global database on HIV related travel restrictions provides updated information from 196 countries, on existing regulations denying entry or residency for people living with HIV, based on relevant country legislation.
The theme of XVII international AIDS conference that took place in Mexico in 2008, was Universal Action Now. International AIDS Society issued the AIDS 2008 Impact Report to remind us about the importance of AIDS topic in the world.
This report serves as a resource for HIV professionals working in every sector of the response to AIDS, and a tool for the change required to strengthen the response to HIV/AIDS around the globe.
A decade after governments worldwide pledged to achieve a "drug-free world," there is little evidence that the supply of or demand for illicit drugs has decreased. Instead, aggressive drug control policies have led to widespread human rights violations and fueled epidemics of HIV and AIDS among people who use drugs.
The new book At What Cost? HIV and Human Rights Consequences of the Global War on Drugs examines the descent of the global “war on drugs” into a war on people who use drugs. After reading the stories in this volume of drug users beaten and strip-searched in public streets, forced to confess to criminal acts while undergoing painful and unmedicated withdrawal, and incarcerated without trial in prisons with high HIV infection rates, the question is no longer whether a drug-free world is possible – it is whether governments will be held accountable for violating human rights in their efforts to achieve it.
In a few months, the international community will commemorate 100 years of international drug control. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has issued its annual report about the operation of the international drug control system and analysis of the world situation in 2008.
For years, the INCB has called on Governments to fulfil that treaty obligation and make the availability of drugs a priority public health issue. The INCB is the independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body for the implementation of the United Nations international drug control conventions.
In January 2009, IHRA’s HR2 programme released a report entitled ‘Harm Reduction and Human Rights: The Global Response to Drug-Related HIV Epidemics’. This report provides a concise overview of the global situation in terms of drug-related HIV epidemics worldwide, with a particular focus on the regions of Asia, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub Saharan Africa.
The report also examines harm reduction within the context of international human rights law, addressing issues such as the right to health, abusive law enforcement practices and their effect on access to HIV prevention efforts and discrimination faced by people who use drugs in accessing HIV anti retroviral therapy.
The International AIDS Society (IAS) convened a scientific leadership summit of senior narcologists, psychiatrists and infectious disease specialists from 7 countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), from 17-18 October 2008, in Yalta, Ukraine. The purpose of the summit was to mobilize action on expanding access to opioid substitution therapy (OST) for injecting drug users (IDU). The primary objectives of the meeting were to review the current state of HIV among IDUs in the region, the body of evidence supporting the use of OST and country experiences with this intervention.
The following documents are available: - The final “Yalta Summit” Report [In English] [In Russian] - The Mapping of the availability of OST in select Eastern European and Central Asian countries
In the results of the research show that the most important role of civil society in Global Fund programming is at the implementation level, followed by proposal development. It has the least involvement in monitoring and evaluation, where its role is still minimal.
The resource kit has been developed jointly by World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS to provide specific guidance in planning for and writing Global Fund HIV proposals for Round 9. The kit is primarily intended for use by WHO, UNAIDS and other UN staff and consultants as they support country teams in developing Round 9 HIV proposals.
The content of the resource kit is a compilation of existing guidance developed by different technical agencies including UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and the WHO. It includes a number of technical guidance notes on cross-cutting issues relevant in the design of any HIV programme. There are also a number of practical tools included on managing the proposal development process including a planning matrix and costing tool.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) and other groups have shown, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective in treating injecting drug users (IDUs) for HIV – provided they receive adequate support. The effectiveness of ART has been demonstrated for both active and former IDUs, including those on opioid substitution therapy (OST). The benefits are manifold and include cost-effectively improving both individual and public health, reducing HIV transmission and honouring everyone’s right to health.
International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) prepared an overview of multi-lateral endorsement of harm reduction policy and practice. “International Support for Harm Reduction” is a useful manual for those engaged in advocacy work around harm reduction, drug policy, and the human rights of people who use drugs.
The document provides UN legal and policy statements on harm reduction, international reviews of evidence and overall global state of harm reduction in a list of countries supporting harm reduction in policy and/or practice.
The 19th annual World Report summarizes human rights conditions in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide. It reflects extensive investigative work undertaken in 2008 by Human Rights Watch (HRW) staff, usually in close partnership with human rights activists in the country in question.
In the report you can find information on condition of human rights in countries that belong to our region. Report highlights the situation in Eastern Europe: while Russia has made considerable progress expanding access to antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV - it still refuses to make methadone maintenance therapy available to drug-dependent people. Moreover, in Ukraine human rights abuses fuel the HIV/AIDS epidemic: Ukrainian NGOs report continuing police interference with the delivery of HIV prevention services and drug users are frequently discriminated against receiving antiretroviral treatment.
Issue 4 of a quarterly electronic publication from i-Base that focuses on HIV treatment for injecting drug users (IDUs), ARVs 4 IDUs, Volume 1 Issue 4, December 2008. ARVs 4 IDUs is a not-for-profit community publication that aims to provide a review of the most important medical advances related to clinical management of HIV and its related conditions for injecting drug users, as well as access to treatment.
In quarterly bulletin for December 2008 you can find different IDU-related studies, articles on drug interactions, antiretrovirals and journal reviews.
Many of the debates in Vienna revolve around the consistency of CND policies and decisions with existing UN conventions, declarations and mandates around drug policy. Book of Legal Authorities for UNGASS gives easy access to the relevant texts, and explains how they can be used to improve the outcome of the review. This resource will serve as useful background material for those involved in the Vienna negotiations, but can also be used by NGOs and governments as general reference material. The material is available in English.
Toolkit on HIV and AIDS in places of detention by UNODC is designed to assist countries to mount an effective national response to HIV in prisons and to improve and, if necessary, reform their prison systems. The toolkit provides information and guidance to people who work in and with prisons and prisoners. More specifically, it offers practical guidance on what measures countries need to take in the short term to prevent the spread of HIV (and other infections) among prisoners, and how they can provide them with treatment, care and support. It also discusses necessary medium- and long-term reforms to facilitate such measures. [In English]
In the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, where the number of people living with HIV has more than doubled since 2001. Widespread stigma and discrimination remain an entrenched aspect of daily reality for each of the 1.5 million people living with the virus in the region.
In this regard, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on December 10, 2008 released special report “Living with HIV in Eastern Europe and the CIS: The Human cost of Social Exclusion”. The report explores the human face of the epidemic, identifying the every day aspects challenges faced by people living with HIV in the region. The analysis in the report is underpinned by the findings of an innovative six-country research study conducted in collaboration with Oxford University and local social research institutes in Georgia, Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia and Turkey, representing the range of epidemiological profiles in the region.
AIDS Outlook is a new report from UNAIDS that provides perspectives on some of the most pressing issues that will confront policymakers and leaders as they respond to the challenges presented by AIDS in 2009. This report provides insights based on evidence on new ways to build on and improve the AIDS response. The report provides examples of how countries are applying modelling techniques to better understand HIV incidence, with the aim of reinvigorating HIV prevention. AIDS Outlook relies upon both estimates of HIV prevalence and impact from data collected from around the world—as well as perspectives from those responding to AIDS in countries and communities. The report also includes an interview with UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot where, on the eve of his departure after 14 years as head of the organization, he reflects on past milestones and future challenges of the AIDS epidemic. [In English]
Soros-Kyrgyzstan Foundation issued new publications on the rights of injecting drug users (IDUs) and sex workers to healthcare services. The materials were included into the Foundation’s annual activity report.
Project team monitored implementation of the rights of sex workers to healthcare in the state medical institutions of Osh city, where services are broadly available for the general public, including the vulnerable groups. Violations of the right to healthcare by medical staff were identified when analyzing questionnaires and interviews conducted among sex workers.
Violations of the IDU’s rights are also present in the Kyrgyz healthcare system. This conclusion was based on the data gathered during the analysis of IDU’s rights in the context of access to healthcare services in Bishkek. The report highlights that provision of medical services to IDU’s is often insufficient. It also brings up a question of humanism in the work of medical staff.
On the website of JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes a new free supplement dedicated to the topic of injecting drug use is now available.
This guidebook was created as a resource for the development and implementation of drug overdose prevention and response programs within drug user activist groups and harm reduction organizations in the Russian Federation and elsewhere in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This guide combines practical information about overdose and common risk factors with strategies for preventing, identifying, and responding effectively if witness to an overdose. This guide also includes sample overdose training curricula and a collection of ‘tips from the field’ from experienced overdose trainers and harm reduction experts.
After the War on Drugs: Tools for the debate is a guide to making the case for drug policy reform. It is designed to reframe the debate, moving it beyond stale ideological arguments into substantive, rational engagement and to provide the language and analysis to challenge the prohibitionist status quo, and to make the case for evidenced based alternatives.
This is a collection of information materials produced by the Open Health Institute in Russian, Uzbek and Tajik languages. All booklets in all languages are available at the Institute’s website at www.ohi.ru in the section “Links and Resources”, sub-section “Информационные материалы проектов”. Direct links for the files in Russian: «ВИЧ/СПИД», «Инфекции, передающиеся половым путем», «Что такое вирусный гепатит».
UNODC's new Global Amphetamine-Type Stimulants Assessment Report warns that synthetic drugs such as ecstasy, amphetamine and methamphetamine - the drugs of modern times - are becoming more popular in developing countries. The report documents a spread of these drugs to new markets, and notes an increased involvement of organized criminal groups in the trade.
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, IDPC, 2008
The European Commission has circulated a draft of the next EU Drugs Action Plan to member states for their comments . This document is due to be debated by member states’ representatives at two meetings of the Horizontal Working Group on Drugs (HDG) held, respectively, on 29 September, and 13/14 October 2008. Than it will be presented to the Council and is expected to be adopted before the end of the year.
Unfortunately, this leaves very little time and opportunity for civil society views and suggestions to be incorporated into the final draft. The most constructive process by which this can happen is for NGOs to contact their country delegates to the HDG meetings to promote their views and concerns. Please also check an advocacy note compiled by an IDPC for a list of issues and proposals recommended for inclusion in the document.
The Global Fund launches its 9th Call for Proposals on October 1, 2008, only seven months after the 8th Call was launched. This CSAT Action Alert provides information and practical suggestions for actions that civil society can take in relation to the forthcoming Round 9 Call for Proposals by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund).
The policy document calls for more planning to make sure that services are reaching drug users with HIV and/or TB. Issues such as marginalisation, discrimination, homelessness and imprisonment can mean that drug users are not accessing the services they need. Better TB infection control is needed in places like prisons – and there’s real concern about recent cases of virtually untreatable extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). There is also a call to provide universal HIV and TB treatment to drug users, with specialist adherence support provided if needed.
This report is the transcript of the keynote speech delivered by Professor Paul Hunt (then UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health) at the opening of ‘Harm Reduction 2008: IHRA’s 19th International Conference’ in Barcelona, Spain on May 11th 2008. It contains some of the strongest comments to date from a UN human rights monitor in support of harm reduction and against human rights abuses resulting from drug policies and practices. It details some of the multiple human rights abuses experienced by people who use drugs and criticises the ‘bizarre’ situation in which countries can acknowledge their human rights obligations on one hand, yet suffer ‘amnesia’ about these obligations when they participate in the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
This speech and report is a useful reference tool for future advocacy and research on harm reduction and human rights around the world.
Aleksandr Zelichenko, Chief of the Center of Police Reform, 2008
In last few years Kyrgyzstan accumulated good practical experience in cooperation of police, governmental, non-governmental organizationsand local communities in HR activities. But this active police involvement had been preceded by the decade-longeducational campaign against “police illiteracy” in the problem.
This paper describes the way of police training in basic knowledge on HIV/AIDS nature, its prevention, and tolerant attitude to the injected drug users in Kyrgyzstan.
Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS (TPAA) announced the release of a new policy brief «Russian Federation Strategy to Address HIV/AIDS Epidemic Among IDUs.»
The number of HIV infections and people living with HIV/AIDS is currently continuing to grow in Russia, despite the priority measures to address the spread of HIV/AIDS undertaken over these past several years. A total of 42,770 new HIV infections were registered in 2007, which is almost 8% higher than were registered in 2006. As a decade ago, injecting drug use has been a main driving factor of the epidemic responsible for over 65% of new HIV infections in 2007. By the end of 2007, injecting drug use had accounted for 83.5% of all HIV cases with known transmission causes.
The policy brief provides an analysis of the key factors contributing to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as well as an overview of measures taken to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in Russia. Based on the analysis, the brief proposes a set of policy priorities and recommendations to effectively address the epidemic through prevention of its further spread among IDUs as a target most at-risk population.
Produced by the World Health Organization, Priority interventions: HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in the health sector is the definitive 'one-stop shop' designed to help countries, donors and other stakeholders expand and improve their response to one of the greatest health-care challenges of our time.
It includes everything from how to expand condom programming to the latest in treatment recommendations, guidelines and standards. Priority interventions is designed to be a 'living' web-based document that will be periodically updated with new recommendations.
The Dublin Declaration on Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia, signed in February 2004, is a key European document on HIV/AIDS. It sets out 33 actions for governments to undertake as related to leadership, prevention, living with HIV (including treatment and care) and partnership in the 53 countries of the WHO European Region. This document, prepared under the auspices of UNAIDS, highlights the successes and shortcomings of the implementation of the Declaration, as called for in Action 33 of the Declaration itself. There are 15 thematic sections complemented by nine country reports.
Programs to prevent overdose can be very effective but are neglected throughout the region. On August 31, the World Overdose Awareness Day, Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) launched a regional report “Overdose: A Major Cause of Preventable Death in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Recommendations and overview of the situation in Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Russia and Tajikistan”. The report also summarizes the evidence from other parts of the world around overdose and is drafted by a researchers team led by Phillip Coffin, author of a number of articles on overdose. It was funded by the French Ministry of Health, Youth, Sport and Voluntary Sector through the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe.
EHRN hopes to follow up the report with future events and resources on this important issue. Please feel free to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
with feedback and suggestions.
We are also very grateful to a dedicated national people: Mikhail Torban, Egija Lapina, Madina and Sher Tokombaev, Maram Azizmamedov, as well as WHO-EURO (major funder of the research), and others who support the initiative. We also thank all our members, who helped gather materials for the list of useful resources.
The Report, launched on 26 June highlights the need for humanitarian organizations, working in partnership with governments and local communities, to increase the scale and scope of programmes for HIV prevention, treatment and care, and for tackling the associated stigma and discrimination.
The Report not only analyzes the enormous economic, social and intellectual toll of HIV and AIDS but also details the vast challenges the epidemic presents to governments, humanitarian organizations and local communities.
Fighting bureaucracy, simplifying procedures, improving coordination, confronting gender inequalities, and involving local communities including, especially, people living with HIV - are among the solutions offered by the Report, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of HIV programmes. Better preparedness for emergencies, reducing risk, and further research into HIV’s impact on people living in disaster zones are also examined.
A final chapter deals with the funding of HIV programmes and details possible corrective measures by donor governments and partners. The World Disasters Report also includes a section on disaster statistics and analysis of global trends.
Some 3 million people now have access to antiretroviral therapy according to a report issued by WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF. The report notes that one million people started on treatment last year alone which represents an increase of around 42% from the previous year.
The rapid scale-up of treatment has been attributed to a number of factors, including increased availability of drugs, in large part because of price reductions; improved delivery systems; and increased demand as the number of people who are tested and diagnosed with HIV rises.
However the report also warns that despite the rapid scale-up there are an estimated 6.7 million people in need of treatment who are still unable to access the life-saving drugs. Other challenges outlined in the report highlight the obstacles to achieving universal access and the Millennium Development Goals including: weak health systems; a shortage in health workers; a lack of sustainable long term financing and weak information systems.
The report underlines the urgent need for enhanced political commitment, better coordination and additional research to address some of these challenges if the goals that have been set out are to be achieved.
This short paper summarizes the key findings, conclusions and recommendations of research into community sector involvement in the 2008 review and reporting on progress towards the 2001 Declaration of Commitment (DoC) on HIV/AIDS of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS (UNGASS) and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. The paper covers experiences from diverse political and epidemiological contexts, based upon four national and four regional studies. The paper was coordinated and supported by the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO).
This report is divided in two main sections: · Section A discusses the main findings in relation to the involvement of the community sector in the national processes to review and report on progress in achieving the Declaration of Commitment and the Political Declaration. · Section B discusses the main findings in relation to the analysis of the content of the national progress reports, identifying key issues covered or missing.
Canadian AIDS Society, The Canadian Harm Reduction Network, 2008
The Canadian AIDS Society launched a new publication entitled "Learning from Each Other: Enhancing Community-Based Harm Reduction Programs and Practices in Canada." The report is the culmination of a 17-month-long study based on the findings of a harm reduction symposium and a series of focus groups, site visits and community walkabouts in nine medium-sized cities across Canada.
Targeted to health care professionals, outreach workers and service providers working in the field of harm reduction in Canada, the report highlights how various programs were developed and implemented, the challenges encountered and the lessons learned along the way. It also provides in-depth testimony from people with drug-use experience about what works well, what does not, the impact that harm reduction programs and services have on their lives, and what can be done to improve programs.
Burnet Institute’s Centre for Harm Reduction, 2008
COPS HR has been established within the Burnet Institute’s Centre for Harm Reduction (CHR). The aim of COPS HR is to establish a network of police who are supportive of, or want to know more about, the police role in reducing the harms associated with illicit drug use with specific reference to needle and syringe programs, methadone, supervised injecting facilities, peer education and outreach work.
Several documents were recently added to the Burnet Institute website that may be of assistance for police and those working with police in the area of harm reduction. These documents can be downloaded here in English.
Furthermore, COPS HR is collecting relevant documents, training material, research papers, websites and advocacy material for distribution. If you have any worthwhile material, please send it to:
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, OSI, 2008
A new resource to support the greater involvement of people who use drugs in policy and programming was launched at the International Harm Reduction Conference in May.
The report, Nothing about us without us: greater, meaningful involvement of people who use drugs: a public health, ethical and human rights imperative, sets out the case for involving people who use drugs – including the benefits of involvement and the right to participate – and the evidence-base that supports this approach. It also describes how people who use drugs are routinely excluded by organisations and institutions, including civil society organisations, and urges a more inclusive way forward. The report also contains lots of useful strategies and resources.
Accompanying the report is a poster which sets out a manifesto for greater involvement by people who use drugs.
The Republic of Georgia has experienced rapid economic, political and social change after the gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Drug-related affairs are no exception. The scale of the illicit drug market has increased, drug use has become more common and the citizens attitude towards drugs has diversified. As a consequence, the government has been forced to respond to these challenges. Today Georgian drug policy, at least at the rhetorical level, endorses a balanced approach. In reality, however, preference has been given to law enforcement interventions. Prominent among them is coerced drug testing. Under measures introduced in 2006 the consequences of a positive test result include the imposition of severe fines and the confiscation of assets. While apparently increasing government income, the policy has proven to be problematic and failed to reduce the availability of illicit drugs within Georgia.
Since 2001, the number of countries having submitted Country Progress Report has been increasing; however, the point of this study is to see if involvement of PLWH and civil society has become more effective, too. Analysis of information available leads to the conclusion that not all of the countries of the region see the added value of involvement of civil society and PLWH representatives, and this disbelief leads to cases of non-involvement or tokenistic involvement of civil society. The latter is even more dangerous, as in such a case resources are being spent only to demonstrate involvement, but not to actually ensure productive collaboration with civil society.
The report identifies current difficulties for full involvement of PLWH and civil society organizations, and offers recommendations on how to better tackle them. While geographical coverage of the report is limited to Europe and Central Asia, its finding may prove to be effective in other parts of the world as well.
This report consolidates existing data on drug use, HIV and hepatitis C, documents harm reduction policies and practices worldwide, and records the activities of relevant multi-lateral agencies (such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime).
Section 1 of the ‘Global State of Harm Reduction 2008’ provides a global overview of harm reduction policy and programming in response to HIV and HCV epidemics.
Section 2 contains nine regional overviews which examine the situation and harm reduction response in further depth in Asia, Eurasia, Western Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, North America, Oceania, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Section 3 explores issues that are key to assessing the global state of harm reduction, including human rights, non-injecting drug use and civil society engagement in multilateral processes.
The 51st meeting of the CND took place in Vienna from 10th to 14th March 2008. It was an eventful meeting, and this summary of proceedings covers the key aspects of the week, including NGO involvement, the Thematic Debate, progress of resolutions, human rights, coca leaf, harm reduction and the INCB.
The latest version of the IDPC Advocacy Guide provides an update on the emerging process for the review of global policies on controlled drugs being conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. It describes the latest situation on the planning for the review, and sets out the IDPC position on which issues need to be addressed in the review, and how these issues may be tackled in order to achieve a constructive outcome.
«Providing needles and syringes within harm reduction programmes” brochure was published in March. The publication contains an overview of scientific data on realization of projects providing injection equipment for injecting drug users aiming to prevent HIV transmission. The material is composed with consideration of Russian context of harm reduction programmes and includes recommendations on low-threshold injection equipment exchange programmes development in Russia.
The publication shows that drug maintenance therapy (also known as substitution therapy) is an integral part of complex measures taken by governments to fight drug addiction and AIDS epidemics, and a very significant addition to traditional methods of opioid dependence treatment and HIV prevention.
The publication contains the information on the substitution therapy, its legal status in Russia, its efficacy and economic benefits, as well as on legal control over its provision.
Ahead of the high-level meeting on AIDS, that will take place in New York on 10 - 11 June, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has submitted a comprehensive report on the progress made in implementing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS for consideration by Member States. The report is based on the country progress reports that Member States submitted to UNAIDS by 31 January 2008.
Experience has shown that methadone and buprenorphine are powerful tools for treating drug addiction, increasing access to HIV prevention and treatment, and improving the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. In July 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) added methadone and buprenorphine to its Model List of Essential Medicines. In developed countries, medication-assisted treatment is a standard option for people who are addicted to opiates such as heroin. Yet, as this fact sheet shows, this life-saving treatment remains largely inaccessible in developing and transitional countries with injection-driven HIV epidemics. Less than 2 percent of injecting drug users were accessing methadone or buprenorphine treatment in government clinics as of 2007. With injection drug use accounting for ever greater numbers of HIV infections—UNAIDS estimates that nearly one-third of new infections outside Africa are among injecting drug users—the implications of failure to provide treatment are striking.
This is the fourth in a series of `50 Best' document collections – created by IHRA in order to provide free, accessible harm reduction resources on its website. The idea is to highlight the papers which best summarise the evidence-base, reasoning and justification for targeted and practical alcohol interventions and approaches.
A WHO/Europe report from an expert consultation in which recommendations were made and consensus reached in defining the goal of antiretroviral therapy and ART failure, strategies for switching to second-line ART, minimum monitoring requirements and the use of drug resistance testing.
[In English] [In Russian] (note that the Russian version is limited to the consensus and recommendations of the meeting).
This fact sheet, produced by the Open Society Institute International Harm Reduction Development Program (OSI IHRD) demonstrates how certain police practices help fuel HIV epidemics by driving drug users away from lifesaving care, while doing little to stem drug use. The document also gives examples of emerging partnerships between police and health providers that prove that law enforcement and HIV prevention programs can work together to save lives while reducing crime.
The implementation of opiate substitution therapy (OST) in prison settings is still not meeting the same standards as in the community and is far from being adequate. Recent studies indicate that opioid substitution treatment initiated in the community is most likely to be discontinued in prisons. This often leads to relapses both inside prisons and immediately after release, often with severe consequences as high mortality rates after release from prisons indicate. With the goal to promote qualitative and effective drug treatment in prisons, we are happy to present two new publications on OST.
“Opioid substitution treatment in custodial settings: A practical guide” prepared by Andrej Kastelic, Jörg Pont and Heino Stöver is based on the expertise of scientists and medical doctors/psychiatrists/ healthcare professionals working in the field of substitution treatment in prisons. The publication follows the guidance and recommendations of several international publications such as the WHO Regional Office for Europe: Health in Prisons. A WHO guide to the essentials in prison health, the UNODC/UNAIDS/WHO framework for HIV prevention, care, treatment and support in prison settings, as well as the WHO/UNAIDS/UNODC Evidence for actions technical paper: Interventions to address HIV in prisons – Drug dependence treatment.
This guide is aimed at prison doctors, contracted doctors, prison health care workers, prison administration, NGOs and others involved in delivering or supporting substitution treatment to opioid dependent prisoners.
The report: “Reduction of Drug-related Crime in Prison. The impact of opioid substitution treatment on the manageability of opioid dependent prisoners” which was prepared by Scientific Institute of the German Medical Association and Bremen Institute for Drug Research (BISDRO), University of Bremen presents the results of the research conducted in Austria, England, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain and investigates prison staff’s and inmates’ experiences with the effects of the introduction of opioid substitution treatment in the prison setting.
The Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) decided at its session in March 2007 to adopt a new international labour standard on HIV/AIDS in the form of “an autonomous Recommendation on HIV/AIDS in the world of work”. The draft Recommendation will be discussed for the first time at the International Labour Conference (ILC) in June 2009 and discussed for a second time and adopted at the ILC in June 2010.
The first document produced called a “Law and practice report” and its accompanying questionnaire have now been sent to the member States. Governments are to reply to the questionnaire in consultation with most representative organizations of employers and workers, national Ministries and institutions dealing with HIV/AIDS, and other relevant organizations, including organizations of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) and others working with them, and to reflect their advice in the responses.
ILO encourages national stakeholders to check whether national replies are being prepared, and to remind the parties of the deadlines so that their replies are received in time to be taken into account.
The report “Recalibrating the Regime: The Need for a Human Rights-Based Approach to International Drug Policy" examines the tensions between the international drug control system and UN human rights standards, highlighting the multiple ways in which the enforcement of drug control prohibition – the dominant approach of the UN system – has led to widespread and serious human rights violations. Yet, despite numerous instances of human rights abuses perpetrated in the name of drug control, there has been little engagement with this issue by bodies such as the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) or by the human rights treaty bodies.
”The ideal of a ‘drug free world’ (to quote from the declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1998), and its required prohibitionist, punitive approach, may be based on an overarching concern for the ‘health and welfare of mankind.’ But in practice, the health and welfare of those in need of special care and assistance — people who use drugs, those most at risk from drug related harm, and the most marginalized communities — have not been a priority. They have instead been overshadowed, and often badly damaged, by the pursuit of that drug-free ideal.”
This UNGASS shadow report, submitted by FrontAIDS, highlights obstacles to antiretroviral treatment in Russia. The report is meant to provide information additional to that supplied by the Russian government in its report. The shadow report is particularly important since those most directly impacted by the HIV epidemic in Russia - particularly injection drug users who comprise the vast majority of cumulative HIV cases in the country - have had little or no voice in preparation of official government reports.
The findings are based on research on the accessibility of treatment that FrontAIDS has conducted or participated in over the past year. One research project was conducted jointly with Human Rights Watch in early 2007 that focused primarily on drug dependence treatment and access to ART for injecting drug users. The other data drawn upon in this shadown report comes from an ongoing study to monitor access to hepatitis C, HIV and tuberculosis treatment in 20 Russian regions.
Shadow reports prepared by civil society organizations have been accepted by UNAIDS for the 2007 round of reporting, as they were in 2003 and 2005. Shadow reports are an important advocacy tool at national level, and should foster open discussion and assessment of progress between the governments, civil society representatives, and other key stakeholders engaged in the national response.
Based on the experience of many countries in the WHO European Region and the advice of experts, this guide outlines some of the steps prison systems should take to reduce the public health risks from compulsory detention in often unhealthy situations, to care for prisoners in need and to promote the health of prisoners and prison staff. This requires that everyone working in prisons understand how imprisonment affects health, what prisoners' health needs are and how evidence-based health services can be provided for everyone in need of treatment, care and prevention in prison. Other essential elements are: being aware of and accepting internationally recommended standards for prison health; providing professional care with the same adherence to professional ethics as in other health services; and, while seeing individual needs as the central feature of the care provided, promoting a whole-prison approach to care and promoting the health and well-being of people in custody.
You can order this publication on WHO/Europe website:
Edited by Lars Møller, Heino Stöver, Ralf Jürgens, Alex Gatherer and Haik Nikogosian 2007, xvi + 179 pages ISBN 978 92 890 78209 CHF 40.00/US$ 36.00 In developing countries CHF 28.00/US$ 25.20. Order no. 13400069
“HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Review”, providing news and analysis of developments in policy and law in Canada and in the world, has been published since 1994. This issue (the first one also available in Russian) provides articles criticizing new not carefully considered laws on HIV/AIDS in Western Africa, review of drug treatment courts efficiency in Canada, as well as world news on HIV/AIDS policy and law. The issue also contains a special section with a series of articles describing African and Eastern European programs supported by the Law and Health Initiative of the Open Society Institute (OSI).
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Networkreleased a new publication on an opioid substitution therapy. A wealth of scientific evidence has shown that methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) is the most effective intervention available for the treatment of opiate dependence. MMT has been associated with reductions in risk behaviour, illicit drug use, criminal behaviour, participation in sex work, unemployment, mortality, and HIV transmission. Many of the concerns raised about MMT have been shown to be unfounded. In particular, MMT has not been shown to be an obstacle to the cessation of drug use, and in fact, MMT has been found to be more effective than detoxification programs in promoting retention in drug treatment programs and abstinence from illicit drug use.
A substantial amount of scientific evidence has shown that needle and syringe programs (NSPs) in the community are the most effective intervention available to prevent HIV transmission associated with injecting drug use. As well, NSPs have been associated with increases in access to care and treatment among people who use such programs, and with substantial cost-savings. The concerns raised about NSPs have been shown to be unfounded. NSPs have not led to increased levels of risk behaviour among people who use the programs or increased drug use by people who inject drugs.
Soft copy of a new publication “Introduction to combine antiretroviral therapy" is released within “Scaling-up of access to ART and adherence to treatment” project of regional public organization “Community of PLWH” and based on materials of HIV i-Base – British organization focused on the advocacy of treatment and teaching PLWH treatment issues, with support from EATG and RHRN.
To prepare the text the original materials were adapted to the Russian reality for the purpose of making it a useful source of information for patients, medical personnel and those dealing with scaling-up of access to HIV treatment advocacy. Experts and reviewers from among people living with HIV took part in preparation of the publication.
In adopting the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, Member States committed themselves to report on their progress in responding to HIV to the General Assembly every two years. In 2008, countries are reporting on 25 core indicators which are described in detail in the 2007 Guidelines on Construction of Core Indicators. The 2008 reports mark an important time point in assessing progress towards the Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, and the targets set in the Declaration of Commitment. All submissions will form the basis of the Secretary-General’s report to the General Assembly in June as well as the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic which will be launched at the International AIDS Conference in August 2008. Sharing of the country reports also enables open discussion and assessment of progress between the governments, civil society representatives, and other key stakeholders engaged in the national response.
The reports are presented exactly as submitted by the country, without editing or other alteration in English or Russian languages. Currently the reports by Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus are available in Russian. All reports from our region are available here.
Under the governance of the Vienna NGO Committee (VNGOC) on Narcotic Drugs a series of regional consultations “Beyond 2008” took place, aimed at gathering information from the NGOs concerning their knowledge and experience of reaching the goals of Political Declaration and Action Plan, adopted at the 20th United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Illicit Drugs (UNGASS) in 1998.
On 13 and 14 December 2007, the Directorate General for Justice, Freedom and Security (DG JLS) hosted a meeting of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs in the EU, where 29 representatives of civil society met with the Commission to discuss the role of civil society in EU drugs policy.
Key points: - Many participants felt that there had been too little time to prepare for the meeting and usefully discuss the progress review of the EU Action Plan on Drugs and the Council Recommendation on drugs and prison. A new meeting was suggested to give participants time to prepare and consult with their members. - Regarding the purpose and agenda of this and the next meeting, some participants felt the focus should be on the Action Plan, while others wanted to discuss more fundamental issues regarding the role of the Forum. - Chairing the Forum on behalf of the Commission, Carel Edwards of DG JLS said that the agenda for a follow-up meeting was clear: to discuss the current Action Plan with a view to providing input for the next Action Plan, due for adoption by the end of 2008, the focus being on how the Action Plan was put into effect. - The Programme on Drug Prevention and Information was introduced in a presentation and question and answer session, rather than a workshop. It was noted that the Programme was still new and priorities were therefore intentionally being kept broad and wide-ranging. - The role of civil society needed to be clarified, especially at the national level, where many participants felt that more structured and permanent links between civil society and Member States were necessary. - Terminology was identified as an important issue, and the terms used in the Action Plan needed to be defined to make sure that the Commission, civil society and Member States were using a ‘common language’. - New patterns of drug use were emerging, with new types of drugs and new groups of drug users. Prevention and treatment efforts needed to reflect this.
In the context of expanding provision of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment which is bringing improved health and new hope to many people living with HIV, ‘Positive prevention’ aims to provide a starting point from which NGOs and HIV service providers can support HIV positive people to lead full and healthy lives.
This guide is intended as a resource to help NGOs and HIV service providers working across the spectrum of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services to take steps towards integrating HIV prevention for, by and with people living with HIV. 'Positive prevention' will also be of use to individuals living with HIV and their partners.
The European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) has produced an updated edition of its guide summarizing the restrictions (or otherwise) that countries place on entry for people with HIV. This is the eighth edition of the guide, titled, Travel and Residence Regulations for People with HIV and AIDS 2007 which has been compiled by Karl Lemmen and Peter Wiessner of the German AIDS Federation and (EATG) and David Haerry (EATG).
It is obvious from the guide that political actions are important, since 104 countries worldwide have special regulations concerning entry and residence for people with HIV and Aids. Speaking about our region, according to the guide, such restrictions can be found in 16 countries out of 26 (including Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan).
Among the latest developments in the field, the Board of the Global Fund to fights AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria strongly encouraged all countries to move rapidly towards elimination of travel/entry restrictions, including waivers, for people living with HIV. This decision was made at the Boards’ sixteenth meeting on November 12-13, 2007.
UNODC now has a new medium-term strategy (2008-2011) that is designed to chart the organization's response to the rising challenges of drugs, crime and terrorism.
The present strategy translates UNODC vision into a platform for action, though not very specific. This can be associated with the UNODC’s need for more stable, predictable and sufficient funding, since the majority of it comes from voluntary contributions of Member States and is earmarked. That creates an unstable and unpredictable funding situation, making it difficult for the UNODC to plan even one year ahead.
As it is stated in the Strategy, UNODC will concentrate on three themes in 2008-2011: rule of law; policy and trend analysis; prevention, treatment, reintegration and alternative development.
In the first area, emphasis goes to universal ratification of the international drug control conventions, improved national capacity for the enactment of domestic legislation in line with these conventions and protocols, and improved capacity of national criminal justice systems to implement the provisions of the above-mentioned conventions and protocols.
In sphere of Policy and Trend Analysis it is stated, that effective policy must be based on accurate information. Thought the Strategy doesn’t mention anything about the capacity building of the Member States to gather such information. The emphasis is given to availability of enhanced knowledge of trends, including emerging trends in drug, to Member States and the international Community and on enhanced capacity of Member States and the international community to formulate strategic responses to address emerging trends in drugs and crime.
Lastly, in sphere of Prevention, Treatment, Reintegration and Alternative Development the reduction of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS as related to injecting drug abuse, prison settings and trafficking in human beings are stressed. Though specific emphasis on the IDUs and prisons is a great step forward, it should be mentioned that the current Strategy doesn’t mention prevention of overdose deaths and Hepatitis C, although the virus reaches up to 90% among injecting drug users and inmates and is even more severe in people co-infected with HIV.
Other areas for actions are improving Member States’ capacity to provide treatment, support, rehabilitation and reintegration services to drug-dependent persons, enhancing knowledge of treatment and rehabilitation for abusers of new and emerging types of drugs and expanded Member States’ capacity to respond to the abuse of such drugs.
The latest booklet “Out of the Margin: Harm Reduction and HIV Prevention” presented by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs aims to share their experience of working with the UN system, with governments and with NGOs in implementing harm reduction programmes. This booklet sets out the components of effective harm reduction programmes as evidenced by the experience gained in many countries around the world and demonstrated by scientific research. They can be summarised as a comprehensive and coherent package of interventions and services, promoted through outreach and peer education and delivered in the framework of a rights-based approach. One of the lessons learned is that HIV prevention is only successful if people and their organizations and communities are involved as real partners.
Inspired by the international drug control treaties and supported by a growing body of scientific and medical evidence, this paper, prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in consultation with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), outlines a comprehensive set of measures designed to prevent drug abuse, facilitate entry into drug treatment, and reduce the adverse health and social consequences of drug abuse.
“Harm reduction” is often made an unnecessarily controversial issue as if there was a contradiction between prevention and treatment on one hand and reducing the adverse health and social consequences of drug use on the other. This is a false dichotomy. They are complementary.
Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) presents new publication – A guide to developing and implementing overdose prevention programs prepared by Janna Ataiants and Dasha Ocheret (EHRN). This guide was developed in response to the growing need among service providers working with drug users in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia to introduce overdose prevention work into their services. It summarized best regional practices and provides recommendations on overdose programming based on lessons learned from colleagues in the region.
EHRN's report „HIV and the Law in Eastern Europe and Central Asia“ (2011) reveals brutal drug users human rights violations and calls on governments to implement humane drug policies which support rights of millions of people who use drugs and promote effective measures in response to HIV epidemic.
World Health Organization (WHO)
This year’s
Treated with Cruelty: Abuses in the Name of Rehabilitation
The Aidspan Guide to Round 11 Applications to the Global Fund. Volume 1: Getting a Head Start
Treatment or Torture? Applying International Human Rights Standards to Drug Detention Centers
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
The Canadian Nurses Association 
Building integrated care services for injection drug users in Ukraine
Human Rights and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Harm Reduction at Work 
In many countries around the world, drug control efforts result in serious human rights abuses: torture and ill treatment by police, mass incarceration, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, denial of essential medicines and basic health services.
To mark World AIDS Day 2010, the 
A new 
The report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe 2010 presents the 
Transform Drug Policy Foundation
International HIV/AIDS Alliance issued new 
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
As many as one third of HIV-infected infants die before their first birthday, 
Since the publication in 2006 of 
Deemed “essential medicines” by the World Health Organization, methadone and buprenorphine treatment help reduce drug injection and drug-related crime and improve public order, family satisfaction, return to employment, and adherence to HIV treatment. Unfortunately, even when methadone or buprenorphine are available, treatment fails to reach many of those who could benefit. 
"Detention as Treatment: Detention of Methamphetamine Users in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand"
