Event has been dedicated to reporting of Moldova’s project result and experience on implementation of Harm Reduction Principles in prisons and detention’s facilities as well as international recommendations and norms in this regard.

Conference has been organized by UNODC, Soros Foundation – Moldova; Open Society Institute Public Health Program; Department of Penitentiary Institutions, Moldova Ministry of Justice; United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime; Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and conducted in Leogrand Convention Center, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova.

Representatives of penitentiary system and nongovernmental organization from Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia took participation on this event. Azerbaijan delegation has been represented by penitentiary department and medical department, Ministry of Justice as well as NGO, dealing with prisoners and HIV/AIDS Prevention in prison.

This event was focused on the introduction of harm reduction program in Moldovan prisons and described successes achieved as well as remaining challenges. Prison’s authorities from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, NGO dealing with prison’s issues, researches, international experts took participation on this event and gain knowledge, adopt Moldova’s model for implementation this “best practices’ in their own countries. Project’s sites visits in prisons and observation of achievements has been conducted in accordance with planned schedule.

In countries around the world, rates of HIV and hepatitis C in prisons are much higher than in the general populations. At the same time, risk behaviors, including sexual activity and injecting drug use, occur in prisons, and prison authorities worldwide have had limited success in reducing their prevalence, despite major investments particularly in drug interdiction efforts. There is evidence that HIV and HCV can spread rapidly in prisons, with negative consequences not only for prisoners, but also for prison staff and for the families and larger communities to which prisoners will eventually return.

Demonstrating leadership, displaying pragmatism, and taking a strategic approach, the Department of Penitentiary Institutions of the Moldova Ministry of Justice decided to take HIV and HCV prevention in prisons seriously. Working in a unique partnership with the Department, an NGO has been providing HIV/AIDS education and a wide range of harm reduction services—including distribution of injecting equipment, condoms, and razors, psychological support, and counseling—inside penitentiary facilities. This project started as a pilot in one institution in 1999, but has since been expanded to cover most prisoners in Moldova. In 2005, the Department of Penitentiary Institutions expanded the range of prevention programs and started to introduce opioid substitution treatment (OST) in prisons.
Moldova experience has been positively evaluated by independent international expert. Moldova has shown that harm reduction services and OST can successfully be implemented in prisons, even in a resource-poor country. Best practice highly recommended by WHO and UNODC to be adopted by other country and their prisons system with same economical level.

Participants received in-depth information on the harm reduction services and OST program in prisons; hear about challenges that remain; had a chance to discuss ways in which they can contribute to removing barriers to further scale-up of services; and had extensive networking opportunities.
Annet Verster, HIV/AIDS Department, WHO representative gave presentation namely “From evidence to actions: HIV prevention in prison” and Arzu Guliyeva, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, gave presentation on Prison’s management and Harm Reduction approaches.
Presentations have been widely discussed by participants and agreed that Molodova’s experience can be accepted as very successful and best practice in the region. Panel discussion on “Further scaling up HIV and HCV programs in
prisons and pre-trial detention centers: Opportunities, barriers, ways to overcome barriers, and next steps” has been
followed.
It has been given opportunity to visit project sites; Penitentiary 15, Cricova, and Penitentiary 7, Rusca (institution for women). Observation of implementation of NSP and OST programmes in the immediate project sites and learning of prisoners and prison’ staff opinions have been offered for participants. Participants also had meeting with prison’s management staff and health staff; progress, success, challenging and apprehensions have been discussed.

Azerbaijan country representatives has opportunity to have separate meeting with international consultant Ralf Jürgens, Consultant, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Larisa Pintilei, Coordinator, Innovative Projects in Prisons.
Azerbaijan delegation briefed consultants on progress regarding Implementation of Harm Reduction principles in Azerbaijan prisons.
Group expressed country’s commitment, willingness and readiness to follow Moldova’s experience and provided information regarding GF proposals, round 9; scaling up NSP is considered for implementation in all prisons of Azerbaijan. Participants agreed to continue the close cooperation with Moldova’s colleagues for better adoption of Moldova’ model in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan delegation during meeting with international consultant Ralf Jürgens, Consultant, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Larisa Pintilei, Coordinator, Innovative Projects in Prisons

Conference, dedicated to World AIDS Day, was held at “PARK INN” hotel in Baku on December 3, 2008. Event has been conducted with support of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Aid Foundation of Open Society Institute. The Parliament, UN agencies, Apparatus of President, non-governmental organizations, Global Foundation, Ministries of Education, Youth and Sport, Health, embassies, international organizations, trade unions, members of Harm Reduction Network, Mass Media, Public Health and Reforms Center, PLWHA, international experts, educational institutions were broadly represented at this conference. Main objectives were avocation on prevention of HIV/AIDS with special focus on vulnerable group of population, acknowledgment and recognition of HIV/AIDS problem among IDUs by officials and creation a favorable social environment for improving of access to HIV/AIDS Prevention and care services, including vulnerable population as well as support the positive role of civil society role in this regard.

26 November 2008.

Session of Parliament Commission on Social Policy related to drafting of new HIV/AIDS Law and monitoring of the law has been hold in Milli Meclis on 26 November, 2008. Session has been attended by parliamentarians, members of Committee for Social Policy, UNODC, relevant ministries, specialists from AIDS and Narcology service, non-governmental organizations and international organizations. One of the key point for discussion was necessity to draft new law on HIV/AIDS, which could be adjusted for today’s problems and solve current serious problems in health as well as create a favorable social environment for improving of access to HIV/AIDS Prevention and care services, including vulnerable population (IDUs and prisoners)
As a result of this session Working Group has been defined and established, deadline for drafting of new law was specified. It has been agreed that new draft will mostly based on recently developed on country-specific recommendations for amending legislation to ensure it human-rights based and provide for Universal access of IDUs and prison inmates to HIV prevention, treatment and care conducted by national consultants with UNODC support.

The seminar was organized by the Drug Control Headquarters of Islamic Republic of Iran and UNODC-Iran. The aim of the seminar was to advance regional capacities in reducing harms of drug use through sharing information on best practices, identifying gaps in different components of programmes of interventions, and identifying measures to address the shortcomings. Participants of the seminar represented ministries of health, drug control agencies, ministries of justice and interior, and academia of countries covered by UNODC Offices for Middle East and Central Asia, total more than 60 people. Besides high level Iranian officials and research fellows who presented results of the implementation of a comprehensive drug policy in their country, Mr. Ch.J.S. Volkman, Chair , UNTG on HIV/AIDS in Iran, Roberto Arbitrio, Head, UNODC-Iran, Dr. Gilberto Gerra, Head of Health and Human Development Section, UNODC HQ, and four prominent international consultants (Prof A. Uchtenhagen, Switzerland, Dr. A. Wodak, Australia, Dr. G. Fischer, Austria, Dr. J-P. Grund, the Netherlands, Dr. Beatrice Stambul, France) contributed to the seminar by making presentations and/or chairing plenary sessions. The plenary sessions and consecutive group work covered the abstinence oriented treatment of drug dependence, opioid substitution treatment, needles and syringe distribution programmes, and harm reduction programmes in prison settings. At plenary sessions, almost all present countries made presentations of various aspects of drug dependence treatment and other interventions for mitigating medical-social consequences of drug use employed in their countries. It should be noted that only Iran out of all present countries could present substantive and consistent data on drug /HIV policy and demonstrate an impressive scale of coverage by OST and other interventions, as per WHO/UNODC/UNAIDS HIV prevention essential package. A visit to the Iranian National Centre on Addiction Studies was utmost useful and memorable as it clearly showed the role of science in shaping drug policy in Iran. Practical implementation of the policy was demonstrated at the Drop-in Centre opened in one of the “drug using district” of Tehran.

Conference on legal regulations and organizational issues on OST (Opium Substitution Treatment) in Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries has been organized by UNODC in Bishkek, 1-5 September, 2008. Senior managers and official representatives from narcology, HIV/AIDS services, penitentiary system and State Drug Control agencies from Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries participated on this event. Azerbaijan delegation has been represented by Huseynaga Alikhanov- deputy of Head of Penitentiary system Azerbaijan Republic, Shahin Khasiyev- Chief of Epidemiology department AIDS Center, Matanat Garakhanova- Head of National Red Crescent Society, Safyar Isayev – Head of Narcology Department from Republican Narcology Center.

Conference has been devoted to the issues on availability and accessibility of services for IDUs, including existing of effective official policy on OST and its impact on socio-economical situation in the respective countries.

The main issues for discussion and consideration were the provision of technical support and international consultation to the countries for initiation and expansion of OST.

Each year, on 26 June, the world marks the International Day against Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking. Nearly 10 years ago, the General Assembly adopted a political declaration on the global drug problem that said the following in its initial statement:
“Drugs destroy lives and communities, undermine sustainable human development and generate crime. Drugs affect all sectors of society in all countries; in particular, drug abuse affects the freedom and development of young people, the world's most valuable asset.”

Second Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference on “Accelerating Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care for all”
Moscow, 03-5 May, 2008

Conference last 3 days. On opening session Federal Officials welcomed participants and informed that 2000 delegates from East Europe and Central Asia, USA, Great Britain, Germany, Serbia, Albania have been invited for participation on this conference. Participants were representing official structures, non governmental organizations and civil societies from respective countries.
Deputy of the Parliament from the fraction “United Russia” welcomed participants on behalf of Russian Government and highlighted the role of international collaboration toward HIV/AIDS epidemic and underlined the importance of preventatives measures in order to achieve effective result in this direction. Representatives from other civil and nongovernmental organizations mentioned on increasing role of nongovemental, including youth and women organizations in this regard. Speakers also widely discussed the topics on ARV Therapy and universal access. Speakers informed that Russia contributed in GF for implementing of AIDS, Malaria and TB projects in Russia. Russian’s practice can be considered and estimated as best practice for other countries. It has been also reported projects on preventatives measures among sex workers, IDUs, prisoners, youth and other vulnerable groups of populations.