Central Asian NGOs Representatives Exchange Their Experience in Harm Reduction Programs Realization
Initial Harm Reduction (HR) Programs in Central Asian countries started getting implemented in the late 90th of the last century and presently they form important elements of national strategies on HIV prevention among injection drug users (IDUs).
In Uzbekistan such programs are being mainly implemented by state-run trust points; in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan by non-government organizations; in Kazakhstan a successful combination of HR services by governmental and non-government organizations was found. Meanwhile, each country has achievements which could be the examples of best practices and a base for experience exchange.
However, availability of successful national practices does not solve many problems of regional nature which could be solved only through regional interaction, expansion of information on the best practices and creation of possibilities for continuous improvement of human resources (profession-based) capacity of HR Programs including through training and experience and information exchange.
In this regard, the Central Asian Harm Reduction Training & Information Center (or CAHRC) under the Central Asia AIDS Control Project’s support is planning to conduct the Regional training on harm reduction programs for NGO representatives from Central Asian countries in Bishkek (July 30 – August 1).
The aim of this training is capacity improvement of non-governmental organizations, especially “young” NGOs through the increasing of knowledge level and experience exchange in the field of harm reduction programs among the participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Services expanding and providing access to a wide circle of drug users can be available only through their communities established as non-commercial organizations. Thus, it is necessary to train active representatives of PLWH communities and injection drug-users and in the field of drugs-using harm reduction aspects and strategies.
Information about CAHRC
The Central Asian Harm Reduction Training & Information Center was established in May 2009 in Bishkek. Founders of the Center are “Partnership Network” Harm Reduction Association (Kyrgyzstan), the Republican Drug-Abuse Center (Kyrgyzstan), NGO “Legal clinic “Adilet” (Kyrgyzstan), Association of NGOs working on HIV/AIDS and drug-use prevention in the Republic of Kazakhstan, NGO “Intilish” (Uzbekistan), Tajik Harm Reduction Association (Tajikistan) and European Harm Reduction Network (Lithuania).
Mission of the Center is capacity and cooperation strengthening of the interested government, non-government, international organizations and individuals in the field of harm reduction through providing training and information support to the countries of Central Asia. For this the Center is planning to organize and conduct trainings, to deliver of expert, consultative and technical support; to collect, adapt and distribute methodical guidelines and manuals; to organize the management of information resources and network management; to make research and analytical activity.
**********
For additional information, please contact with Ainura Esenamanova, CAHRC Program Coordinator, tel. in Bishkek 996(312)934350, email: ainura-13@yandex.ru or Tatyana Surdina, CAAP Regional Health Specialist, email: tsurdina@caap.info |
