The role of All-Ukrainian Network of PLWH in empowering the civil society. Think Tank meeting, Brussels, 2007

Transcription

1 The role of All-Ukrainian Network of PLWH in empowering the civil society Think Tank meeting, Brussels, 2007

2 Our Mission Based on the humanistic ideas to enhance the quality of life of the people living with HIV/AIDS by means of joint efforts of all who is concerned, in order to offer psychological, social, counseling and legal support and to advocate accessibility to the treatment and diagnostic for PLWH in Ukraine Strategic Directions 1. To promote access to non-medical care, treatment and support 2. To lobby and advocate rights of people living with HIV/AIDS 3. To promote tolerant society's attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS 4. To enhance All-Ukrainian Network's organizational capacity 5. To lobby for effective primary and secondary HIV prevention

3 Civil society in HIV/AIDS sphere in Ukraine Community organizations (organizations established by HIV+ people today represented mainly by the Network) NGOs (HIV-service organizations, right s protection organizations) Religious institutions (mainly, Orthodox church) Business structures

4 Community-based organizations Today the Network is the leading, the most capable and developed community-based organization in Ukraine; The Network in uniting about 300 members, covering all 25 regions of Ukraine and serving HIV+ clients all over the country; The Network is the organization ensuring that the voices of HIV-positive people are heard; Organization is the leader in forming the national HIV/AIDS policy

5 Red Ribbon Award Network was acknowledged as the best organization in the world in the area of overcoming HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination by the Red Ribbon Award. Award included USD prize, which was decided to spend on establishing the reproductive health clinic in Kyiv that will provide sperm washing services for discordant pairs.

6 Ensuring GIPPA principles - Being an organization of HIV-positive people the Network considers the GIPPA principles as basis of its activity; - 90% of the Network s regional representatives are HIV-positive; - The Network ensures employment of HIV+ people, provides education and trainings for them in order to raise their professional level about 200 HIV+ staff all over Ukraine; - Services are provided according to nondiscrimination principle regardless of sex, orientations, ways of contracting HIV-infection, drug use.

7 Making the state responsible for guaranteeing the rights of PLWH Due to participation of the Head of Coordination Council of the Network as the Deputy Head at National Coordination Council on issues of preventing spread of HIV/AIDS the Network received an opportunity to lobby interests and protect rights of HIVpositive people in Ukraine at highest governmental level. By participation in work groups of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine representatives of the Network took part in decision-making process in regards of ARV-treatment and treatment of opportunistic infections 42 members of the regional representations have joint Local Coordination Councils on HIV/AIDS in order to represent the interests of HIV-positive people of their regions

8 On October 18 th 2007 the All-Ukrainian Network of PLWH initiated and conducted a public protest action Corruption=Death in order to: To stop the state tender for procurement of non-prequalified ARV-drugs To implement prequalification as a guarantee of quality for all the tender participants for procurement of ARV-therapy products.

9 Outcomes of the action - Wide publicity of the action led to awareness increase among general public regarding the issue of low quality drugs for PLWH which evoked a proper response; - Involvement of decision makers to the discussion, in particular, MOH officials, representatives of the Presidential Administration; - Involvement of NGOs protecting patients rights, medical experts and the patients themselves to the above process.

10 Cooperation with religious institutions Referral of IDU to Christian rehabilitation centers; Humanitarian aid for PLWH and their families; Attracting PLWH to active participation in church life and church social programs; Decreasing the level of PLWH stigmatization in the society; Prevention activities among church members.

11 Leading the civil society in the region The Network is the leader community-based organization not only in Ukraine but in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia; In 2005 on the basis of the Network Eastern European and Central Asian Union of PLWH organizations was established; Today the ECUO of PLWH in uniting 14 countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia; Members of ECUO use the experience of the Network in establishment and development of their national networks of PLWH, lobbying access to quality treatment, protecting rights and interest of PLWH at national level.

12 Burdens There are two rounds of the Global Fund in the country round 1 and round 6; the Network is the sub-recipient of round 1 and the Principle Recipient of round 6 under three objectives treatment, care and support and advocacy; One of the preconditions under the 6 th round implementation of substitution therapy (methadone); Network lobbied the order of MoH on starting methadone ST, but the medication is still not imported in the country to start treatment; Network initiated an advocacy campaign and conducted a round table with representatives of MoH, drug control committee, Ministry of Internal Affairs.

13 Burdens (2) CCMis not functioning because of rapid change of government, parliament and officials that make decisions at governmental level Today the role of CCM is carried out by the stakeholders meeting consisting of national and international organizations National M&E system on clients coverage, clinical patients monitoring, resistance monitoring is still not established.

14 Solutions and perspectives Solve the methadone problem and implement wide ST program in Ukraine for clients; Actively work and lobby creation of sustainable and capable CCM with active participation, responsibilities and decision-making rights of HIV-positive people; Support in building an unified country M&E system; Ongoing lobbying and advocacy work with government on taking responsibility over treatment, care and support and ST after 6 th round is over.

15 This paper was produced for a meeting organized by Health & Consumer Protection DG and represents the views of its author on the subject. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the Commission and should not be relied upon as a statement of the Commission's or Health & Consumer Protection DG's views. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof.