UNODC in the Baltic countries
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2008 United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS
2008 United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS took place on 10 - 11 June at the UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting attracted high-level participation from UN member states, who alongside representatives from civil society and UN agencies came together to review progress made towards reaching the goal of providing universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. The United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon presented the report on progress in implementing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. During the meeting countries highlighted the significant progress made in the areas of resource mobilization, increased political commitment and participation of civil society in the response. The need for greater accountability, particularly in relation to funds spent, the lack of effective programming directed to populations which are especially vulnerable to the disease, and the continued criminalization of related behaviours were some of the challenges highlighted by countries and civil society. Many specifically pointed at the recent dramatic increases in number of people on treatment but recognized that if HIV prevention efforts were not stepped up, these successes would be difficult to maintain. UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot said: "For every two people put on treatment, five are newly infected with HIV. Unless we act now, treatment queues will get longer and longer, and it will become more and more difficult to get anywhere near universal access to antiretroviral therapy."
Representatives of civil society organizations addressed Member States and observers in an interactive hearing entitled Action for Universal Access 2010: Myths and Realities . Civil society speakers addressed issues related to achieving universal access from a number of different perspectives such as HIV and human rights, sex workers, sexual minorities, people who use drugs, women and girls, children, access to treatment, HIV-related travel restrictions, mobility and migration, workplace responses and civil society involvement and AIDS accountability.
Five panel discussions took place to examine critical linkages between the response to AIDS and long-term development, gender equity, financing of the response to AIDS and other issues. Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of UNODC gave a presentation in the panel "Challenges of providing leadership and political support in countries with concentrated epidemics". The panel focused on HIV and human rights and how to reach stigmatized, hard to reach and vulnerable populations.
Maret Maripuu, Minister of Social Affairs of Estonia gave a presentation in the panel "AIDS: A Multigenerational Challenge - Providing Robust and Long Term Response". In the statement to the high-level meeting the Minister reaffirmed Estonia's commitment to continue prevention activities, including harm reduction services, and to provide access to the best available ARV treatment.
AIDS Strategy and Action Plan (ASAP) service, hosted by the World Bank on behalf of UNAIDS organized a side-event Supporting Countries in Strengthening National AIDS Strategies. The objective of the meeting was to share experience in helping partners to prepare evidence-based, results-focused, costed AIDS strategies and action plans in order to enhance the effectiveness of their response to the epidemic. Signe Rotberga, UNODC Regional Coordinator for the Baltic States, presented UN experience in supporting the Government of Latvia in development of national HIV strategy.
More information about the 2008 UN High-Level Meeting on AIDS on the official website http://www.un.org/ga/aidsmeeting2008/
UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States supported participation of Igor Sobolev, a representative of the Estonian Network of People Living with HIV in the 2008 UN High-Level Meeting on AIDS.
Igor Sobolev:
Before and during UNGASS 2008 members of civil society collected signatures to a letter to the UN missions and Heads of State of countries that impose travel restrictions on people living with HIV. Members of civil society condemn such restrictions as discriminatory and in contradiction to the commitments made through the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration.
On the 9 th of June, Civil Society Task Force held a civil society pre-meeting and orientation. This meeting provided an opportunity for civil society participants to come together prior to the High-Level Meeting and strategize around key messages and issues to be raised at the High-Level Meeting on AIDS. Civil society caucuses were organized also on 10 - 11 June to share information and jointly strategize throughout the High-Level Meeting.
During Civil Society Hearing which took place on June 10 th civil society speakers made brief interventions. The remaining hour were spent for dialogue with governments and other civil society members.
An important side event took place on 9 th of June - the First HIV/TB Global Leaders' Forum at UN Headquarters, which attracted a packed conference room of country delegations, civil society and the private sector was a landmark event. This was the first time heads of government, public health and business leaders, heads of UN agencies and activists came together to seek a common way forward on confronting HIV/TB.
The Forum was convened by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop TB, Dr Jorge Sampaio, and endorsed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The Forum was opened by Dr Sampaio and Mr Srgjan Kerim, President of the UN General Assembly; the UN Secretary-General; and William J. Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and former President of the United States. Dr Sampaio urged participants to see The Call for Action on HIV/TB, circulated for comments in the weeks before the Forum, as a living document. In his closing remarks, he stressed the need for partnership and coordination. Partnership is needed at every level, he said, to save millions of lives. "The Forum's theme One Life - Two Diseases - One Response should serve as an inspiration to all of us. I firmly believe this Forum is a watershed event that will galvanize bold new leadership on HIV/TB."
Police officers from the Baltic States participate in training ,,Are we tackling drug use and criminality effectively? Improving skills and exchanging experiences on working with drug users under arrest in European countries"
Three police officers from the Baltic States took part in a training session of the TOPIC II project ,,Are we tackling drug use and criminality effectively? Improving skills and exchanging experiences on working with drug users under arrest in European countries" which took place from the 1st till 7th of June in Bankya, Bulgaria. The project, of a duration of 24 months, is part of a broader approach focussing on the reduction of urban crime linked to drug use through the early provision of social and health services to drug users under detention, in order to direct them towards a treatment program. The project promotes co-operation between law enforcement/judicial authorities and health and non governmental organisations and promotes the exchange of information and practices between different countries, in order to tackle the connections between drug use and crime.
The training session in Bankya was attended by more than 30 participants from the police and criminal justice organisations representing Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, UK, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine and the Czech Republic. The participants were acquainted with the Italian model, where an active cooperation has been established between law enforcement bodies, the judiciary and social and health services in the Tribunal of Milan and in Padova, Roma, Catania, Genova and Reggio Calabria. It aims to address the social and health needs of drug users in detention, facilitating contacts between the drug user and the justice system on the one hand and treatment and health services on the other. The UK experts presented the UK experience of arrest referral. The arrest referral is an intervention aimed at people who have been arrested and whose offences are linked with drug use. It operates within the police custody suits and the court system and offers face to face contact with a drug worker, assessment, advice and information as well as onward referral.
UNODC will continue collaboration with the TOPIC II project to identify ways of cooperation between law enforcement/the judiciary and the health and social authorities to develop pilot initiatives in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Tackling the issue of crime reduction by working on social and health interventions for drug users should be more efficient and result in crime prevention rather than detention.
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(from left to right): Ainvar Rahe - Superintendent, Estonian Police Board, Estonia; Rūta Janulevičienė - National Project Officer, UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States, Lithuania; Kristīne Zakarauskaite - Senior Inspector of Drug Enforcement Bureau, Latvian State Police, Latvia. |
International conference "Harm Reduction Programmes in Europe: practice, problems and perspectives"
UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States in co-operation with Drug Control Department under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania organized an international conference "Harm Reduction Programs in Europe: practice, problems and perspectives" on the 29 - 30 of May 2008 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The conference was opened by Mr. Valdemaras Sarapinas, Chancellor of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and Health Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Rimvydas Turčinskas. More then 250 policy makers, public health experts and members of civil society organizations from different European countries attended the meeting.
Use of illicit psychoactive drugs is dangerous for the health of individuals and society. Among the services provided for drug users is a set of interventions to reduce the risks associated with drug use. Harm reduction is a practical approach that employs a range of different strategies with the goal of minimising the risk of the client contracting infectious diseases, overdosing, or suffering other consequences related to the use of drugs.
During the conference prof. Gilberto Gerra, Chief of Health and Human Development Section, UNODC gave a presentation on drug demand reduction and harm reduction as complementary approaches within the national and international drug policies. Dagmar Hedrich, EMCDDA provided an overview on the EU policy framework related to harm reduction, as well as availability of needle and syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy in different EU countries. Dr. Audronė Astrauskienė, Director of the Drug Control Department under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania introduced development and current situation of harm reduction programmes in Lithuania. World Health Organization Study on substitution therapy of opioid dependence and HIV/AIDS as well as new WHO guidelines of the psychosocially assisted pharmacological treatment of opioid dependence were presented by Dr. Nicolas Clark from WHO. Mr. Bob Keizer from Trimbos Institute discussed monitoring and evaluation of drug policies, and Mr. Roumen Sedefov from EMCDDA introduced the early warning system of new drugs in Europe. Ms. Signe Rotberga presented the comprehensive approach to HIV prevention among drug injectors as well as the UNODC project "HIV prevention among injecting drug users and in prison settings in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania".
Spanish, Polish, Croatian, Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian experience in providing harm reduction services was presented by experts from the respective countries. Discussions during three workshops on substitution treatment, outreach work among drug users and evaluation of drug control policy lead to new and interesting insights and outcomes.
International conference "Harm reduction programs in Europe: practice, problems and perspectives" informed about the recent policy developments and trends in the area of harm reduction, and provided an opportunity to share experiences and discuss the possible ways to improve the quality of and access to harm reduction services. UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States would like to express sincere gratitude for all presenters and partners without whom this event would have been impossible.
Conference programme and presentations
Uzaicinājums piedalīties UNODC grantu konkursā
Apvienoto Nāciju Narkotiku un Noziedzības birojs (UNODC) projekta XEE/J20 "HIV/AIDS profilakse un aprūpe injicējamu narkotiku lietotāju vidū un ieslodzījuma vietās Igaunijā, Latvijā un Lietuvā" ietvaros izsludina grantu shēmas konkursu valsts institūcijām, nevalstiskajām organizācijām (biedrībām un nodibinājumiem) un pašvaldībām.
UNODC grantu shēmas mērķis ir uzlabot pieejamību HIV/AIDS profilaksei un aprūpei paaugstināta riska grupu pārstāvjiem. Aizpildīto un parakstīto pieteikumu (oriģināls un kopija papīra formātā un elektroniski) iesniegšanas termiņš ir 2008. gada 7. jūlijs.
Papildus informācijai lūdzu skatīt grantu shēmas vadlīnijas un pieteikuma veidlapu.
Informatīvs seminārs par grantu shēmas konkursu notiks 2008. gada 17. jūnijā plkst.10:00 - 14:00, ANO namā Pils ielā 21, Rīgā. Papildus informācija pie koordinatores Latvijā Sintijas Šmites, tel.: +37167503602, Sintija.Smite@unodc.org.
"Thank you" award for UNODC Regional Project Coordinator S. Rotberga
"Thank you" awards were presented during the Second Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference, which brought together more than 2000 participants from 53 countries in Moscow on the 3 rd-5 th of May 2008. This award is a sign of gratitude for the ones who are helping and supporting people living with HIV and trying to ensure a better living for them.
"This award is given not for people who just do their work, but for the ones who are humans in their work" - said the head of association of PLWHA "Pozityvus gyvenimas" Jurgis Andriuška, who brought the awards from the conference in Moscow to Lithuania and handed them over to the winners. UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States Regional Project Coordinator Signe Rotberga was nominated and awarded for her long-lasting input towards HIV/AIDS prevention and care issues in the Baltic States and other regions.
Representatives from the all 14 "Eastern European and Central Asian Union of people living with HIV Organizations" countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) and four people from other countries awarded for their work on national, international, regional and global levels.
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(from left to right): Julija Rakickienė - Head of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Cabinet, Hospital of Imprisonment Institutions, Lithuania; Jurgis Andriuška - Head of association of PLWHA "Pozityvus gyvenimas"; Signe Rotberga - Regional Project Coordinator, UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States |
First call for grants in Lithuania
Lietuviškai
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) project XEE/J20 ,,HIV/AIDS prevention and care among injecting drug users and in prison settings in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania" announces the first call for grants from non-governmental and governmental organizations. The second call for grants will be announced in October, 2008. The purpose of the UNODC grant scheme is to increase access to HIV/AIDS prevention and care services for vulnerable groups. Grant Application should be filled out in Lithuanian language.
Deadline for receiving of dully completed and signed applications (hard copies and electronic version of application) is 30 June 2008. For further information please see Application for the Grant form and Guidelines for Grant Application.
On 19 June UNODC will organize a workshop to inform the applicants about completion and submission of the application forms. The seminar will take place in the UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States (Goštauto str. 40A, 2nd floor).
To register for the workshop please e-mail: Ruta.Januleviciene@unodc.org till 2008-05-30.
International conference "Harm Reduction Programmes in Europe: practice, problems and perspectives"
UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States in co-operation with Drug Control Department under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania is organizing an international conference "Harm Reduction Programs in Europe: practice, problems and perspectives". The conference will take place on the 29 - 30 of May, 2008 in Vilnius in Hotel "Panorama" (at Sodu str. 14).
Partners of the conference are Lithuanian Republic Ministry of Health, Police Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Vilnius City Municipality. During the conference, national and international policies on harm reduction and experience from different countries will be presented. The presentations will be held by experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, World Health Organization and different European countries. The meeting will be attended by policy makers, public health experts and civil society organizations.
For further information, please, contact UNODC Project Office for the Baltic States.