Harm reduction in the new environment

On 4-6 April 2017 Vilnius (Lithuania) will host a Regional Conference "HARM REDUCTION IN THE NEW ENVIRONMENT". The event is organized by the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) in the framework of the Regional Program "Harm Reduction Works – Fund It!" funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The Conference will gather representatives of governments and government agencies, NGOs and PWUD communities from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CEECA), as well as experts, donors and representatives of international organizations.

Participants will be able to assess the results, progress and prospects of the advocacy effort undertaken by civil society in order to achieve sustainable and quality harm reduction programs in CEECA. Another objective is to outline development strategies for harm reduction programs from the standpoint of civil society and the state. That is necessary for the establishment of a joint effort aimed at ensuring sustainability of these programs in CEECA in response to the new environment, primarily associated with the transition from donor to domestic funding. In this new environment, harm reduction provides a link between people who use drugs and the entire continuum of drug-related services, from HIV/TB prevention to testing, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis, as well as helping develop adherence to ART.
Over the course of three days, the Conference will tackle the main issues related to harm reduction in the new environment:
Day 1 - funding of harm reduction;
Day 2 – the role of harm reduction in social and medical care for people who use drugs;
Day 3 - harm reduction as health and human rights-based drug policy.

Civil society representatives, EHRN members and members of PWUD communities will get a unique opportunity to win 80 grants to take part in the Conference. An application form will be available on the EHRN website from the 12th of December.

Abstract submission deadline : January 22nd 2017