] ]

 
] ] ]
]
Welcome Guest
Name:
Pass:
Auto Login
Show my online status
Yes  No

Forgot password? | Register
]
]]

   
] ] ]
]
AIVL in Asia

AIVL’s work in Asia
The Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users’ League (AIVL) is a non-Government, peer-based organisation that has been representing the health and human rights of people who use drugs in Australia since the late 1980s. AIVL has been at the forefront of the Australian response to health and human rights issues related to illicit and injecting drug use advising on local, state and national policy, as well as advocating for the rights of people who use drugs with government, non-government, Australian and international agencies.  

In 2008 AIVL joined an AusAID funded consortium of HIV-related organisations. The HIV Consortium for Partnerships in Asia and the Pacific consists of nine Australian research, health and peer-based organisations, and each is funded for three years to work in partnership in HIV prevention, care and treatment in Asia and the Pacific. http://www.hivconsortium.org.au/  

AIVL has begun a project working in partnership with the Asia Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD). The Regional Partnership Project is supporting ANPUD to initiate a formal network of people who use drugs and peer-based organisations from around Asia, so that the network members can share information, resources and ideas and support each other in advocating for people who use illicit drugs in Asia.

Injecting and Illicit Drug Use in Asia

The situation for people who use illicit drugs in Asia is extremely challenging. As a result of the high stigma associated with injecting drug use and the lack of services and resources for people who inject drugs, there is extremely high prevalence of HIV among injecting drug users. Asia has the highest number of people living with HIV outside of Africa, and the majority of HIV transmissions in many countries occur through the sharing of contaminated injecting equipment.  

People living with both HIV and hepatitis C face additional complications and barriers to treatment and care for their health conditions, some of them life threatening. In many parts of Asia, hepatitis C testing and treatment is either non-existent or extremely difficult to access. An increase in interest in issues relating to HIV and hepatitis C co-infection has resulted in many organisations adding hepatitis C to their agenda. The adoption of principles advocating for the greater involvement of people living with HIV (GIPA) has been taken up by people who identify as drug users resulting in a spread of drug user activism and demand for a voice in responding to issues related to drug use.  

Many Asian countries were reluctant to adopt harm reduction services such as needle and syringe programs and opioid substitution therapy until recently and some still actively oppose providing health and HIV prevention services for people who use drugs.  In countries where there are harm reduction services, only a minority of people who inject drugs are able to access them and the scale up of appropriate services, resources and adequately trained staff including peers is desperately needed.  

The number of people in Asia who identify as drug users and are advocating for evidence-based approaches and human rights for their communities has increased incredibly in the last fifteen years. AIVL has many years experience in drug user activism and peer-based approaches and can be an invaluable resource and support for countries with new and fledgling harm reduction services and drug user organisations. The experience of younger drug user movements, in turn, provides new ideas, insights and motivation for Australian and other peer-based organisations in Asia. The ANPUD network is working towards meaningful involvement of people who use drugs to guide responses to HIV and other health and human rights issues related to illicit and injecting drug use in individual countries and the Asia region.  

AIVL’s Work in Asia

AIVL’s Regional Partnership Project is a three year project. The Project is seeking to support ANPUD in identifying the needs of the regional network of Asian drug user organisations, and increasing opportunities to respond to changing circumstances quickly and effectively.  

AIVL supported the foundation of ANPUD, including support for the formation of documents and protocols relating to the registration of the organisation and ongoing ANPUD activities. AIVL has also supported members of ANPUD to attend regional meetings and conferences, and will continue to support representation of Asian drug users at events relevant to people who use drugs.

Specific activities include supporting AIVL staff and ANPUD member organisations to participate and present in the following events:
  • Regional ANPUD meetings including the formation of ANPUD at Goa, India in January 2008, the second ANPUD meeting in Phnom Penh in October 2008, and the third ANPUD meeting in Bangkok in April 2009;
  • The International Harm Reduction Conference 2008 in Barcelona and in Bangkok in 2009;
  • The UN Consultation with Asian People Who Inject Drugs in Bangkok, 2009;
  • An AIVL funded networking event for ANPUD and the International Network
  • The International Conference on AIDS in the Asia Pacific in Bali, 2009; and
  • The Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference in 2008 and 2009.

AIVL is also supporting drug user organisations to access information and resources to advocate for comprehensive health approaches for their communities of people who use drugs and supporting the building of knowledge about hepatitis C and health and human rights approaches among peer-based organisations in Asia. To achieve this, information and resources are being shared and AIVL is providing training and other opportunities for drug user organisations around Asia.
]
]]
Page Created By: justinnt 27 Jul 2009 23:05
Page Last Modified: 27 Jul 2009 23:15

] ] ]
]
This page was generated in 0.3438 seconds. Powered by SOOP Portal version Raven RC2
]
]]