Structure & contacts

EHRN is governed by its members through elected representatives at the Steering Committee (SC). The major goal of SC is facilitating EHRN’s mission by developing and implementing policy, strategy and operational principles of the organization.

The Steering Committee is formed of elected representatives of EHRN sub-regions and consists of the SC Coordinator and SC members. Members of the EHRN Steering Committee are elected for 3 years and work voluntarily.

The number of SC members and sub-region representation norms are as follows:

Documents:

EHRN SC Statute: [in English]

SC Election Report (2011): [In English]

SC Election Report (2010): [In English]

SC Election Report (2009): [In English]

SC Election Reports (2005-2008): [in English]

Minutes of the SC meeting in September 2008: [in English]

Minutes of the SC meeting in December 2010: [in English]

STEERING COMMITTEE (2011):

STEERING COMMITTEE CHAIR

GEORGIA, Caucasus
David Otiashvili

Chairperson of NGO “Alternative Georgia” and Georgian Harm Reduction Network    
Address: 100 Vazha Pshavela Av., Apt. 31, Tbilisi 0186, Georgia

Phone: (9953) 254 5038

Mobile: (99577) 47  2047 
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David Otiashvili is a chair of NGO "Alternative Georgia" and has been working with EHRN since 2006. On behalf of EHRN he coordinated the ‘Beyond 2008’ process in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to engage NGOs in the evaluation of UNGASS 1998 ten years progress. David was part of EHRN’s team in research and advocacy projects that resulted in several advocacy publications. He also has been acting as EHRN trainer with focus on harm reduction advocacy and drug policy reform.

David is also a chairperson of the Board of the Georgian Harm Reduction Network (GHRN), which unites 15 non-governmental organizations from all regions of the country.

David is a psychiatrist by education. For ten years (1993-2003) he was a clinician in Georgian Research Institute on Addiction and was responsible for treatment of drug dependent people and those with alcohol addictive disorders, carried a number of detoxification procedures and was involved in rehabilitation. In 2003-2004 after he received a Hubert H. Humphrey scholarship, David conduced a post-graduate studies program at Bloomberg School of Public Health of John Hopkins University. David participates in a number of scientific research projects as an expert and researcher. Currently he is also a student of PhD in Health Psychology at Centre for Addictology, Psychiatric Clinic of the First Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague.

David:
”Currently I am very much focused on drug policy reform in the country and on advocacy of pragmatic and humane approaches to drug use. I think that EHRN activities have enormous impact on ensuring communication flows, exchange of information and promotion of the most effective harm reduction practices in the region.”

ROMANIA, South-Eastern Europe
Valentin Simionov

Executive Director of Romanian Harm Reduction Network (RoHRN)
Address: Bd. I. C. Bratianu, no. 35, apt. 11, sector 3, Bucharest, Romania
Phone / Fax: +4021 310 71 20
Mobile: +40733 987 506
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Valentin Simionov is Executive Director and trainer at Romanian Harm Reduction Network. He previously worked at ARAS – Romanian Association Against AIDS as outreach worker, project assistant, consultant and project coordinator. Valentin has been collaborating with EHRN since 2007 and is co-author of the publication "Overdose – A Major Cause of Preventable Death In Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia".

Valentin:
"As Executive Director of the Romanian Harm Reduction Network I find participation in EHRN SC productive and useful in exchanging knowledge and broadening NGO impact on positive changes in drug policy at national and international level."

ALBANIA, South-Eastern Europe
Arian Boci

Research coordinator at STOP AIDS

Phone: +355682057773
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Arian Boci is the coordinator of “Prevention of HIV infection among intravenous drug users and other risky groups” program in Tirana, Albania. His areas of expertise cover substance abuse and harm reduction policies, HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, mass media and social behaviour change communication, developing/writing research protocols, training/curricula materials development, etc. In addition, he is the research coordinator at the STOP AIDS NGO in Albania and independent research consultant for many UN agencies (UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNODC) in country.

Arian:

"I firmly believe that I will be able to contribute to improving the coordination of the HIV/AIDS and drug abuse response at the European level and foster good practice in cross-national comparative research."

BELARUS, Belarus-Ukraine-Moldova
Liudmila Trukhan

Belarus civil society association “Positive Movement”, coordinator of outreach work with injecting drug users     
Address: Koltsova street 12-2-10, Minsk, Belarus     
Phone: +375172047425

Mobile: +375293774294

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

As an epidemiologist Liudmila was taking part in the development and implementation of the first Harm reduction program in the Republic of Belarus in 1997. Since 2000, she was working as a manager of the Harm reduction program in Soligorsk city which was recognized by UNAIDS as one of the best prevention practices outreaching injecting dug users. Currently Liudmila is theme coordinator of the outreach program for the injecting drug users within the grant by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Liudmila:

"As a member of the EHRN Steering Committee, I will advocate for the implementation of complex approach related to the quality HIV prevention services among the injecting drug users and securing the institutionalization of Harm reduction activities in the region taking part in the decriminalization of the drug related policies."

HUNGARY, Central Europe

Peter Sarosi

Hungarian Civil Liberties Union     
1084 Budapest, Vig u. 28., Hungary     
Phone: (361) 279 22 35
Mobile: +36204622494
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Peter has been working as director of the Drug Policy Program at Hungarian Civil Liberties Union since 2004. He is experienced in working with international drug policy forums such as Commission on Narcotic Drugs or the EU civil society forum on drugs. Peter also contributed to building a network of advocacy NGOs in Europe – the European Drug Policy Initiative – he provided technical assistance to several NGOs and produced videos about drug policy issues from several countries of the region.

Peter:

„I believe that my experiences in working with the traditional and new forms of media and communication and my knowledge on international drug policy issues could contribute significantly to the success of future EHRN activities. ”

UKRAINE, Belarus-Ukraine-Moldova

Natalya Kitsenko

Director at the HIV/AIDS and Drug Issues Department, Odessa Charity Fund "The Way Home”
Adress: Bolshaya Arnautskaya St. 42, Odessa 65011, Ukraine
Phone: +38048 7173138;
Cell: +380503335780; +380674875780
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Natalya Kitsenko is the director at the HIV/AIDS and Drug Issues Department in Odessa Charity Fund "The Way Home". Natalya has been involved in harm reduction activities since 1996. She was a part of the action team, which participated in the establishment of the first pilot harm reduction project in Odessa (Ukraine). Since 2003 Natalya conducts various trainings and coordinates projects associated with harm reduction ( "HIV/AIDS response in Odessa region", "Harm Reduction in Prison" and others), and also is engaged in research work in Ukraine and other countries of CIS.

Natalya:
"I intend to bring the voice of Ukranian organizations engaged in harm reduction to the Steering Committee. Also, it is important to provide management of harm reduction projects at various levels and assist with IDU community mobilization."

SLOVAKIA, Central Europe
Katarina Jiresova

C.A. Odyseus     
Ukrajinska 10, 83102 Bratislava, 3 Slovak Republic      
Mobile: (421) 903 786 706     
Fax: (421) 252 494 344

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Katarina has been working in drugs field for 14 years. In 1995 she started work in the primary prevention programs. In 1997 Katarina was the pioneer in the establishing harm reduction program and since then she is a president of NGO Odyseus (with a year break in 2008 - sabatical), which carries out outreach work with needle exchange for injecting drug users and street sex workers, sustains low-threshold club for sex workers and provides information about drugs and sex at open-air festivals.

Katarina works as an expert in HIV/AIDS, drug use, sex work and other fields in a number of projects. She is a member of National Committee on HIV/AIDS Prevention in Slovakia. She is a member of the Network's Steering Committee (since 2000), a member of EU HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum.


Katarina:
“I want to continue my work in EHRN, which I started during the last term: the work on hepatitis C among drug users and around sex work issues. Apart from that, being a person living in the EU member state, but still facing problems associated with the communist past, I want to have an opportunity to represent Central Europe at the decision-making level at the Network.”

KYRGYZSTAN, Central Asia
Aleksandr Zelitchenko

Aleksandr has more than 30 years experience of police service, including reform of police system including liberalization of the national anti-drug legislation and decriminalization of drug use and possession of small amount of drugs for personal use. Currently Aleksandr is Director of the Central Asian Drug Policy Centre and the Russian coordinator of the Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction Network (LEAHRN).

Aleksandr:

„I hope that my experience and professional skills will be useful for EHRN and will help to create an enabling environment for the success of harm reduction activities”.

UZBEKISTAN, Central Asia

Azizbek Boltaev

Regional Advisor, ICAP/Columbia University, HIV Technical Support Project in Central Asia

Address: 60 kv, 5/1 K.Murtazaev street, Bukhara, Uzbekistan 200100
Phone: +998933832010
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Azizbek Boltaev is licensed medical doctor specializing in addictions and has over 10 years professional experience in public health, including HIV/AIDS policy. He is experienced in the development of health care services for drug users, particularly those who inject drugs.

In addition to medical experience, Azizbek has experience in providing technical assistance to harm reduction projects in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan through the work with DFID, USAID and UN. He has also been involved in the design and implementation of several researches focusing on epidemiology of drug use and HIV; effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of public health interventions targeting injecting drug users; access to health services in the region of Central Asia.

Azizbek:
"As a member of the SC I plan to focus on assisting member organizations of the network to scale up the quality of their services in the field and build the capacity of Central Asian national technical working groups on IDUs in terms their ability to provide their governments with evidence-based guidance and advocate comprehensive HIV preventions services among IDUs including harm reduction strategies."

LITHUANIA, Baltics
Aleksandras Slatvickis

Klaipeda Mental Health Center
Address: Galinio Pylimo 3B, LT-91231, Klaipeda, Lithuania
Phone: +370 46 311 385,
Cell: +370 687 233 04
Fax: +370 46 4100 31

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During more than 12 years Aleksandras has been actively participating in establishing and implementing various harm reduction programs both in Klaipeda and Lithuania, as well as abroad. He has substantial experience and knowledge in the field of harm reduction.

Aleksandras:

„I sincerely believe that harm reduction is a progressive, humane and the most useful form of help for users of all kinds of phsychoactive substances for the moment”.

RUSSIA
Irina Teplinskaya

Irina Teplinskaya is a community relations coordinator in the Andrey Rylkov’s Foundation for health and social justice. Besides, Irina is a member of a work group for opioid substitution therapy advocacy in Russia and a North-West Federal District coordinator of the All-Russian Public Community-based Committee “Non-medical service”. In 2010 Irina made a complaint to Anand Grover, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, about the lack of opioid substitution therapy in Russia, a method of drug user dependence management recommended by WHO and UN and successfully applied in the whole world. As an injecting drug user community representative, Irina has an intimate knowledge of needs and risks of the community.

Irina:

“For 30 years I have buried many of my friends-users, so my most cherished dream is to make lives of those who are alive better and easier, to facilitate their social adaptation, health and human rights protection, help access HIV/TB/HCV treatment and achieve dignified human living standards."

DRUG USER COMMUNITY
Konstantine Labartkava

Chairman of NGO “New Vector”
Address: Gogebashvili st. 2, Tbilisi, Georgia
Phone: (+995 32) 93 44 48;

Cell: (+995) 55 101 994
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Konstantine Labartkava – chairman of the NGO “New Vector”, one of the first self-suporting organizations working in the sphere of harm reduction in the Caucasus. “New Vector” was founded in 2006 and represents interests of drug user communities.

Konstantine:
“My personal and organizational experience makes me able to present the interests, demands of IDUS in existing legislation and drug policy.”

DRUG USER COMMUNITY
Olga Belyaeva

President of the public organization “Association of Substitution Treatment Advocates of Ukraine”
Address: Furmanova Str, 3, office 44, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine

Phone: +380676369308
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Olga Belyaeva – president of the public organization “Association of Substitution Treatment Advocates of Ukraine” and has been engaged in advocacy and aid to drug users for over 10 years. She is a founder of the charity fund ”Virtus” and a member of the Regional Coordinating Committee on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine. Olga also has experience of participating in international conferences in the sphere of harm reduction.

Olga:
“Position in the Steering Committee will allow me to be an active partner in the process of stabilization of harm reduction programs, to initiate humane additions to the legislation of Eurasian countries, and to establish feedback to the drug users’ communities”.