Transcript AIVL in Asia

UN DPI/NGO CONFERENCE
“DRUG INJECTION & HIV/AIDS:
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
REACH GOAL 6?”
ANNIE MADDEN
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AUSTRALIAN INJECTING & ILLICIT DRUG USERS LEAGUE (AIVL)
Overview
 Involvement of civil society
 Who is AIVL?
 Drug User Networks globally
 Nothing about us without us – why is involving
people who inject drugs so important?
 Reaching MDG 6 in relation to injecting drug use
Involving Civil Society
 “Civil society” – within the context of the UN has
generally come to mean:
 Non-government, not-for-profit and community
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based organisations;
Structures outside of government that form the basis
of well-functioning societies;
Providing a ‘voice’ for communities;
Often represents the interests of individuals and
groups that would otherwise not be heard;
Frequently involves large coalitions of groups and
organisations with collective interests such as tackling
HIV.
Involving Civil Society
 Major international organisations and
institutions including UN agencies now recognise
the critical importance of civil society
engagement.
 Research evidence shows that empowering civil
society improves the effectiveness and
sustainability of programs and responses.
 Acknowledged that the effectiveness of HIV
prevention activities is critically dependent on
the existence of diverse and sufficiently well
resourced community based organisations.
Involving Civil Society
In every country with a successful response to
HIV/AIDS, civil society – in the form of community
based organisations – have:
 mobilised marginalized communities;
 designed and implemented HIV prevention programs;
 been instrumental in holding inactive governments to
account;
 influenced national prevention plans so that they meet
the needs of the most affected communities.
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2004.
Involving Civil Society
 Governments and societies now familiar with the
concept of ‘civil society’ through a highly diverse
range of community-based organisations in
many areas of life BUT...
 What about in relation to people who inject
drugs?
 What does ‘civil society’ mean in relation to
responding to injecting drug use and HIV?
 Can people who inject drugs represent
themselves?
Who is AIVL?
 Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users
League (AIVL)
 Who/what is AIVL?
 Peer-based organisation – run by and for
people with a history of illicit drug use primarily injecting drug use.
 National peak organisation representing local
drug user organisations in Australia and
issues for drug users at the national level.
Who is AIVL?
 AIVL has been in existence for 20 years - first
10 years without ongoing funding support.
 In 2010 AIVL is a well-regarded organisation
both in Australia and internationally.
 AIVL has consistently demonstrated that
drug users can run highly effective,
transparent and accountable organisations.
 AIVL represents a unique and critical
perspective to government, the community,
media, health services ,etc.
 Educate, advocate, represent and empower.
Drug User Networks globally
 International
 INPUD – International
Network of People who Use
Drugs
 Regional
 ANPUD – Asian Network of
People who Use Drugs
 National
 Indonesia, Nepal, France,
Germany, Thailand,
Denmark...
“Nothing about us without us”
 As an international network our main goal is
the “meaningful involvement of people who
use drugs” – MIPUD
 Why “MIPUD”?
 We have unique expertise and experiences and
have a VITAL ROLE to play in responding to the
health, social, legal and research policies that
affect us.
 We have the right to MEANINGFULLY
PARTICIPATE in decision making on issues
affecting us.
“Nothing about us without us”
 Why should we care about “MIPUD”?
 People who use drugs are not faceless, nameless people.
 We are not just “collateral damage” from the war on drugs
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– we are people.
We are part of communities all over the world.
We have contributions to make to those communities if
we are allowed to make them.
We are people who other people care about.
We are your sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers
and sisters.
 For all of these reasons we should care more about
how people who use drugs are treated.
Why is MIPUD important?
 People who use drugs are among the most
vilified and demonized groups in society.
 We have been hit hard by the epidemics of
HIV and hepatitis C.
 We are regularly excluded from the decisions
that affect our lives.
Why is MIPUD important?
 We suffer oppression and human rights
abuses in countries waging a “war against
drugs” which too often turns into a war
against people who use drugs.
 We are often sent to prison or to compulsory
detoxification and rehabilitation, instead of
having access to the evidence-based
treatment programmes we need.
Reaching Goal 6: HIV & IDU
 So how do we reach MDG Goal 6 of effective
HIV prevention and universal access to HIV
treatment for all who need it by this year!
 Resource and support the meaningful involvement of
people who use drugs in responses;
 Address the overwhelmingly negative impact of stigma,
discrimination and criminalisation on people who use
drugs;
 Greatly improve access to evidence-based programs such
as NSP and OST (methadone & buprenorphine); and
 Support peer education among and by people who use
drugs so we know how to protect ourselves.
Reaching Goal 6: HIV & IDU
 The ‘violence’ against people who use drugs
must stop before we can effectively address
HIV or increase access to HIV treatment.
 Need to remove the barriers to access.
 Need to ‘harmonise’ drug control policies
with public health outcomes.
 Need to ensure people who use drugs are
treated as human beings with basic dignity,
respect and compassion.
 And why should we do this. Why should we
care?
Because in some countries
compulsory prison-style camps are
passed off as “drug treatment”...
Because in many countries people
are being humiliated and brutalised
in the name of drug control...
And because in some countries
people are being tortured in the
name of “health” and HIV
prevention.
THANK YOU
Annie Madden
AIVL Executive Officer
[email protected]