Category: News from Member Organisations

A project for refugee key populations from Ukraine

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The Drug Policy Network South East Europe and its member organisations from Serbia (Prevent, Timočki omladinski centar, Duga, Re Generacija) and Montenegro (Juventas, Cazas) implement the “Emergency support for the provision of HIV and Harm Reduction services among key populations in Ukraine and refugees in selected neighbouring countries” project with the support from the UNODC Regional Programme Office for Eastern Europe.

Primary objectives of the project are:

  • Ensuring the continuity of the HIV prevention, treatment and care (including OAT and ARV) services for people who use drugs/living with HIV
  • Community-based care and support for people who use drugs, people living with HIV, people in prisons
  • Provision of essential requirements, including food and medicines and shelters, in coordination with the penitentiary service/local CSOs

Our organisations will implement the following activities:

  • Provide access to information about health services and drugs and ensure clear, reliable and trustworthy health information reaches refugees
  • Support in accessing health care in host country
  • Rapid provision/purchasing of basic products for existing key populations/refugee shelters/centers
  • Provision of HIV harm reduction services for key populations (including refugees)
  • HIV and harm reduction services for people who use drugs, including new psychoactive substances
  • Mobilising civil society, service providers, policymakers and other national stakeholders from the Western Balkan region to ensure wide and all-involving drug strategy development process
  • Increased awareness and understanding regarding comprehensive gender-sensitive HIV services for women who use drugs (WUD) among health care managers, service providers and decision-makers

This project will be conducted in UNODC partnership with the local CSOs and aims to strengthen the capacity of CSOs to address HIV prevention, treatment, care and support among people who use drugs (including those who use NPS/stimulants) internally displaced populations, refugees and prison populations.

Project findings will inform the development and implementation of evidence-based, gender-responsive and sustainable HIV and harm reduction services for people who used drugs/people in and released from prisons, and IDPs/refugees in Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro.

A visit to UNODC Office in Belgrade

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DPNSEE President Nebojša Đurasović, Executive Director Milutin Milošević and Director of the Timok Youth Centre Goran Radisavljević visited Ms Žana Glavendekić, the Regional Project Officer for Drug Demand Reduction.

It was a good opportunity to share about our activities in the region of South East Europe, and to present the “Emergency support for the provision of HIV and Harm Reduction services among key populations in Ukraine and refugees in selected neighbouring countries” project that is just about to start with the support of the UNODC Regional Programme Office for Eastern Europe.

We demand the criminalization of online sexual harassment

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The Network for Protection against Discrimination held a promotion of the policy document with a focus on rape and sexual harassment “How to effective protection in cases of sexual violence?”. The event was organized within the framework of marking the international campaign 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Its purpose was to promote proposed solutions for the effective protection of victims of sexual violence in accordance with the already accepted obligations from the Istanbul Convention and to request the immediate adoption of amendments to the.

In the period of waiting for the amendments to the Criminal Code, which passed the first reading in the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, after more than a year, one can witness inadequate implementation of the procedures for criminal prosecution of the perpetrators of sexual violence, prolonging of the procedures, inappropriate qualification of the acts and unjustified termination of prosecutions that punish victims instead of perpetrators.

Dragana Drndarevska from the Network for Protection against Discrimination and legal adviser in the Coalition Margini (DPNSEE member organisation) opened the event by pointing out that “the delay in adopting the amendments to the Criminal Code means that we still do not have a consensus between the political parties on the issue of protecting victims from gender-based and sexual violence “.

This event, as well as the prepared document for public policies, are activities within the project “Network for Protection against Discrimination: Promotion of Policies and Practices for Protection against Discrimination and Promotion of Equality”, which is financially supported by the Open Society Foundation – Macedonia.

The document is available following this link>>>.

 

World AIDS Day 2022 in Greece

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From the Positive Voice news

December 1st – World AIDS Day is the most important day of the year for the Hellenic HIV Association – Positive Voice with the culmination of efforts to inform, raise awareness and promote prevention and sexual health. This year, the actions of the Association embraced 14 cities, apart from Athens and Thessaloniki.

Early in the morning, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Positive Voice’s offices in Athens, met and spoke with people living with HIV. Among other things, they discussed the government’s latest legislative initiatives regarding the explicit prohibition of discrimination in the workplace for people living with HIV, the adoption of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) in Greece and the problems concerning the Units Infections.

The Prime Minister heard from members of Positive Voice and representatives of vulnerable social groups, such as drug users, sex workers and refugees, what it is like to live with HIV and how the virus affects their lives. A review of the five years of the “I’M POSITIVE” campaign organized by the Onassis Foundation and the Positive Voice to combat stigma was also presented.

From 11.00 to 15.00 in Monastiraki Square, the Ath Checkpoint Prevention & Sexual Health Center team provided free, rapid and confidential tests for HIV participating in the initiative of Positive Voice, the biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and the Hellenic Society for the Study & Treatment of AIDS (EEMAA) with the slogan “If you want to learn, you put your finger“. A bold and provocative approach was taken to capture the attention of as many people as possible, and the goal was achieved.

The Leader of the Official Opposition, A. Tsipras, visited the booth and talked to volunteers and workers from Positive Voice, was tested for HIV and sent his own message against stigma and discrimination, promoting regular testing, the prevention and promotion of sexual health.

In Thessaloniki, the Thess Checkpoint (as well as the Ath Checkpoint) remained open from 12.00 to 20.00 welcoming the public without the condition of a scheduled appointment. Throughout the day Ath Checkpoint and Thess Checkpoint provided a total of 227 HIV tests.

At the same time, groups of volunteers carried out HIV information and awareness campaigns in Athens, Alexandroupoli, Heraklion, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Kavala, Karditsa, Kefalonia, Komotini, Kos, Lamia, Larissa, Orestiada, Patras, Rhodes and Serres. In this way, the messages of the Positive Voice reached all over Greece and we sincerely thank all the people who contributed.

At 18.00 a gathering was held in Monastiraki Square in Athens to remember and pay tribute to all the people who have died in the 41 years of the history of HIV/AIDS. During the action we lit candles in the shape of the red ribbon, which has been established as a symbol of remembrance for this world day.

     

     

At the same time, throughout the day, but also afterwards, members and employees of the Association appeared in the mass media to put the issue of HIV and the latest developments in the field back into the public debate. Among others, there were appearances, interviews or entries on ANT1, ALPHA, SKAI, OPEN, ERT, Crete TV, TV100, Pride 98.6, Athens 9.84, SKAI 100.3, Alpha Radio 989, Shape, Popaganda, OW.gr, LIVEIT.gr, Istorima, NEWS247.gr, Ygeiamou.gr and ItsEstella.com.

An end to labor arbitrariness at the expense of people living with HIV

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From Positive Voice news

On 24 November 2022, the Parliament of Greece voted unanimously to ban discrimination at work against people living with HIV. It is a special day for the fight against HIV stigma, but also a day that honors the Government and all the parties of the Greek Parliament. The universal support of the provision, a rare fact in parliamentary practice, on the one hand demonstrates its correctness and importance and on the other hand emphasizes that issues such as the protection of human rights cannot be a field of partisan confrontation, but of agreement, sending a resounding message for the removal of discrimination and reducing stigma.

The specific article 48 was passed in the framework of the law “Rationalization of insurance and pension legislation, strengthening of vulnerable social groups and other provisions“, of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. People living with HIV are one of the most multi-vulnerable and marginalized social groups. This article derives from the International Labor Organization’s Recommendation 200/2010 on HIV/AIDS, according to which “actual or perceived HIV-positive status should not be a reason for discrimination that would prevent the recruitment or continuation of employment or equal opportunities in accordance with the provisions of the International Labor Convention 111“.

With this provision, which was introduced by the Ministry of Labor in response to a request from the HIV-positive Association of Greece, discrimination in work and professional life, to the detriment of people living with HIV, is now expressly prohibited and the investigation (examination) of HIV infection by the – potential – employer, an issue that was not ensured by the legislative framework until now, resulting in abusive, stigmatizing and unacceptable practices in the workplace.

The Association of HIV-positive people Positive Voice thanks the Government for the initiative, which follows other initiatives, as announced by the Prime Minister in his message last year for the 40th anniversary of the emergence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

 

Accredited training for on working with people who use drugs

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Our member organisation Juventas successfully implemented accredited training on 17 and 18 November 2022 in Bečići. The training was attended and successfully completed by 20 professional workers and professional associates from the field of social and child protection.

The goal was to acquire new knowledge about the area of harm reduction programs, the legislative and legal framework important for respecting the rights of people who use drugs, as well as understanding the importance of adopting and using adequate, respectful terminology when talking about people who use drugs.

Current challenges, trends in this area and the need for additional improvements and innovations were also presented. Knowledge of the specifics of working with people who use drugs, based on full respect for autonomy and understanding of the life circumstances surrounding people in the active phase of drug use, has been strengthened.

The training provided significant support in working directly with people who use drugs, through strengthening knowledge and skills on practical examples, and gave suggestions on how the harm reduction program can be linked with the services provided by social and child protection institutions.

The training is part of the project “Competent, transparent, efficient and responsible civil society that provides services to people who use drugs in Montenegro“, which Juventas implements in partnership with the Montenegrin harm reduction network Link (also DPNSEE member organisation). This project is financially supported by the European Union through the Delegation of the European Union in Montenegro.

Memorial to a homeless

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On Homelessness Day, 10 October 2022, the Kralji ulice association and the City Municipality of Ljubljana unveiled a commemorative plaque to the homeless Anton Puglje – Tonček, who died in 2020.

In Slovenia, there is still no definition of homelessness, and the number of homeless people is rising steeply. The president of Kralji Street Association, Hana Košan, thinks that the definition of homelessness should be based on the ethos that makes homeless people those without a roof over their heads, those without housing or home and those who live in unfinished but unsuitable conditions.

She stressed that the levels of poverty, social exclusion and oppression are deepening, the number of homeless people is increasing steeply, so it is high time for the state to adopt a strategy in the field of homelessness, to focus on building shelters and accessible public housing. “Homelessness cannot be a question of social or health policy only, but also of housing policy,” she said. Košan warned that everyone first needs a roof over their head, so that they can arrange their lives easily.

Ljubljana Deputy Mayor Dejan Crnek, on behalf of Mayor Zoran Janković, thanked the Kralji ulice for the initiative to put up the memorial plaque. He added that the municipality is aware of the problems pointed out by the president of the society, and that they perceive the homeless as their citizens, “for whom we must take care of as much as we can.”

He announced that the construction of a new center for the homeless on Poljanska cesta will begin at the end of next summer. It will have space for those who deal with homelessness on a daily basis, and for those who would need space for long-term progress. According to Crneko’s speeches, the municipality is aware that the capital is a place for the homeless, where they can easily earn a little more for their living, and it will remain so. At the same time, he wishes that the municipality’s cooperation with the homeless would continue to be fruitful, and the municipality will expand the resources it allocates to this issue.

 

Kralji ulice have the best world street magazine cover

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Kralji ulice magazine received the award for the best street magazine cover, awarded by the International Network of Street Papers in Milan.

This year’s title was awarded to Samira Kentrić‘s cover by the public’s choice.

The magazine is published monthly in approximately 15.000 copies. It is sold in Ljubljana, Maribor, Primorje and occasionally elsewhere in Slovenia.

Homeless Help and Self-Help Association Kralji ulice is an independent non-governmental humanitarian organization founded in September 2005. It brings together experts and others who deal with homelessness and related phenomena and individuals who experience homelessness and related social exclusion.

The magazine is published as a road or street magazine. It discuss the topics of homelessness, living on the street and social exclusion.

Jubilee Support. Don’t Punish campaign

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Following a good result in coordination of the campaigns since 2017, the International Drug Policy Consortium and The Drug Policy Network South East Europe agreed on continuing cooperation on organising the campaign in 2022.

The 10th Global Day of Action was a resounding success and brought into sharp relief our movement’s commitment to bring about positive change with people at the centre! For a decade, campaigners in all corners of the world have mobilised decisively to counter the harmful ‘war on drugs’ and the many systems of violence and neglect at its heart, and to build sustainable alternatives based on harm reduction and decriminalisation.

Through hundreds of creative, collaborative and impactful activities, campaigners have put harm reduction, decriminalisation and community engagement firmly on local, regional and national agendas. All while growing people power to ensure no one is left behind.

The Support. Don’t Punish 2022 campaign was held in all countries of South East Europe. It had

The Support. Don’t Punish activities were organised by, or in collaboration with, people who use drugs, people living with HIV, women, LGBTQ+ people, sex workers, young people, families of incarcerated people, and a long etcetera.

The DPNSEE staff collected and published articles alongside with photos of the involved organisations in the Network during the campaign on Internet page www.dpnsee.org and social media Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The report from the campaign is available following this link>>>.

Support. Don’t Punish activities in 2022

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Support. Don’t Punish is a global grassroots-centred initiative in support of harm reduction and drug policies that prioritise public health and human rights. The campaign seeks to put harm reduction on the political agenda by strengthening the mobilisation capacity of affected communities and their allies, opening dialogue with policy makers, and raising awareness among the media and the public.

The Drug Policy Network South East Europe coordinates activities of the campaign in South East Europe around the Global Day of Action 26 June – which is also the United Nations’ International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

In 2022, we shall participate in activities of the #DrugDecrim month to contribute to fighting stigmatisation and criminalisation of people that use drugs.

The campaign 2022 shall have in South East Europe:

  • 9 countries
  • 21+ cities
  • 12 organisations
  • 40+ Parners (OCDs, universities, festivals…)
  • 100+ Volunteers
  • 9 Focus groups
  • 10Public street events
  • 8 Educational events
  • 4 Cultural events
  • 1 Sport activities
  • 3 Advocacy campaigns
  • 30 accounts on social networks

To find out what is planned in your city or country, follow this link>>>.

Information about the global campaign is available from the website http://supportdontpunish.org.