Advocating for Harm Reduction: A Public Health Response to Drug Use and HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia Sue Simon International Harm Reduction Development Open Society Institute

People Living With HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia Source: UNAIDS Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic 2002

Officially Registered Cases of HIV Infection in the Russian Federation (As of Sept. 2, 2002) Data: Russian Federal AIDS Center

Responding to the Challenge  Service Delivery More than 200 harm reduction programs in 23 countries  Capacity Building Training, study tours,  Policy Development Analysis, advocacy, community mobilization, and information

OSI-Supported Harm Reduction Programs  Albania  Azerbaijan  Belarus  Bulgaria  Croatia  Czech Republic  Estonia  Georgia  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Latvia  Lithuania  Macedonia  Moldova  Poland  Romania  Russia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Tajikistan  Turkmenistan  Ukraine  Uzbekistan

IHRD Policy Goals  Mainstream harm reduction  Gain government support and funding  Incorporation of harm reduction in national AIDS plans  Equal access to HIV treatment and testing for drug users  Access to effective drug substitution therapies  Supportive legislative environment  Decriminalization of drug users

Advocating for people affected by drug use and drug policy  Policy Analysis  Lobbying and Advocacy  Community Mobilization  Media and Information

Policy Analysis  Documenting and publicizing policy challenges related to harm reduction and HIV/AIDS  Building skills among service providers and local advocates  Working with governments, donors and multilateral institutions to shape policy agendas

Advocacy  Bridging local advocates with government and international officials  Policy maker study tours and participation in harm reduction events  Training police and prison officials  Legal advocacy and legislative reform

Community Mobilization  Supporting organizations of HIV+ people and drug user activists  Organizing networks of service providers and those they serve  Building connections with legal services and human rights groups  Advocacy skills building training; organizational development training for new community action groups

Media and Information  Supporting print and online information exchange across the region  Training service providers and advocates in media relations  Media outreach  Commissioning and distributing original research

 Repressive drug policies fuel the HIV epidemic.  Needle exchange and substitution therapy save lives.  Drug users care about their health and must be offered HIV treatment. Key Issues