Youth – European Harm Reduction Network

Position Paper | People Who Use Drugs and Mental Health

This World Mental Health Day, in a significant stride towards prioritising the mental health of individuals who use drugs, the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) has sent its position paper to the EU Spanish Presidency, the Horizontal Working Party on Drugs, and the European Commission. The paper, titled “People Who Use Drugs and Mental Health“, emphasises the urgent need to address the often neglected intersection of mental health and substance use within the European context.

The paper addresses the complexity of the relationship between mental health conditions and substance use. Mental health conditions are influenced by social determinants such as inequality, discrimination, violence, and homelessness, factors which disproportionately affect people who use drugs. Furthermore, specific subpopulations, including women, young people, ethnic minorities, and indigenous groups, face unique challenges in accessing appropriate services for their mental health and substance use needs. These disparities highlight the pressing need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to addressing these issues from a person-centred, holistic perspective. The paper also calls for specific terminology reform, promoting the use of the term ‘comorbidity’ to describe the existence of both mental health conditions and substance use.

The paper concludes with a number of recommendations related to this issue, urging for a comprehensive review of current shortcomings in accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability of care. The CSFD welcomes the introduction of this topic within the political agenda, as these issues have historically been disregarded and warrant urgent consideration. The CSFD’s position paper serves as a call to action, urging policymakers, healthcare providers, and society at large to recognize and address the critical issues surrounding mental health and substance use. By adopting these recommendations and working together, we can strive for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to mental health care for all, particularly those who use drugs and face complex challenges.

One Year of War in Ukraine

One year ago, Russia launched Europe’s biggest war since WWII. The toll of human suffering has been staggering – thousands have been killed, and more than 8 million Ukrainians fled abroad. Its social, econonomic and health effects have been felt in nearly everyone’s life.

However, conflicts don’t impact all people equally. War and violence exacerbate structural inequalities and discrimination. This last year, people who use drugs and other marginalised communities in Europe have disproportionately experienced its negative consequences. Equally, harm reduction organisations have been put to the test.

On this day, we remember and mourn all the victims of Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine and pay tribute to Ukrainian’s resilience and courage. Equally, we join governments, institutions, organisations and individuals across the world in demanding the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russia from the territory of Ukraine.

Until this moment comes, we will continue to #StandWithUkraine and work with our members, partners and friends to ensure that the health, safety and livelihood needs of people who use drugs and other underserved communities are met.

Reflections from the Youth4Health Forum

On the 25th to 27th October, the Youth Forum took place in Tirana. Stefan Pejic, our youth officer from ReGeneration, attended the forum and wrote a report about his experience.

Youth4Health – Health and Well-being Forum for Youth

More and more we hear the words like “youth”, “inclusion”, “participation” being thrown left and right, but when it comes to meaningful participation and youth inclusion, where do we really stand? How can we put an end to youth tokenism? Are we on our way to actually making and holding space for meaningful youth engagement and leadership?

This year from 25th until 27th of October in sunny Tirana, Albania, the first health and well-being forum for youth was organized by World Health Organization, in partnership with the Albanian Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Office of the Albanian Minister of State for Youth and Children, the Municipality of Tirana and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The aim of the forum was to ensure that young people partner with governments and WHO to co-design policies and frameworks impacting youth health and well-being. According to WHO, around 500 young people from 30 countries participated in the forum along with almost 200 other delegates representing government, UN and civil society partners – what a time to be alive.

Covering topics from mental and public health, youth engagement, communication, (mis)information; to disability, sexual and reproductive health and rights, making heathcare inclusive, just to name a few. All forum panel sessions will be available from 18th November here.

For me, it was really nice to exit my harm reduction bubble for a bit, and to hear other (young) people’ opinions, views and challenges, but to also rethink our own approach to the topics mentioned during the forum.

To be honest, going to the forum – I wasn’t expecting much. I was sure this was going to be just another “you wanted youth, here’s youth” type of event, and the first day felt a lot like that with all these officials taking a stand, and talking about how youth engagement is important. Almost none of them were young. What a shocker. Talking with my peers, we were all confused and had a lot of questions, mostly about why we’re there and how our presence would contribute to the aims of the forum.

Morning brought new opportunities, and we started our day by exploring the standards for youth engagement in the Region and how these translate into practice when providing opportunities for young people to engage in discourse on health and well-being issues and decision making. Nice save!

Interactive sessions on youth engagement, improvement of health of youth in the Region, gender and health, risk communication, although very short, were really fun, and I liked the hands-on approach, I just hope it will be translated into practice.

Were our questions from the first day answered? Yes and no.

Our inputs from all the workshop sessions were summed in this statement

What are the next steps?

To cite Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe:

“WHO/Europe is determined that we will help create the space that young persons need to be included in helping shape the decisions, the policies, the laws, that shape their lives and impact their health and well-being.

In creating Youth4Health, we are working with young persons to build a genuine network.

We will be asking all our 53 Member States across Europe and central Asia to endorse it at our next Regional Committee in 2023 – WHO/Europe’s highest decision-making body, including of all ministers of health.

By governments endorsing Youth4Health, it paves the way for stronger, sustainable youth representation at the policy- and decision-making table.

Over the next year, leading up to the Regional Committee, we will work with the Youth4Health network to identify regional opportunities for youth representation – including on mental health, digital health and health emergencies.”

Even though I hoped for greater involvement of youth at a youth forum, more time for Q&A, and some tools we can actually use, it seems that this forum was a big step towards a more meaningful role of youth in decision making processes, so going forward, I will keep a close eye on WHO and Youth4Health Network in hopes that it will actually contribute to our better position, and not be just another tokenistic event.

Thank you to Stefan for representing C-EHRN at the event, and for offering his unique insight into youth involvement.

Call for Youth Voices

Are you between 16 and 29 years old? Do you live in Europe or central Asia? For the #Youth4Health Tirana 2022 Health and Well-being Forum for Youth, we are calling young people to submit short clips.

We want to hear from you on the following questions:

Youth engagement

Why is it important to engage youth in health and well-being decision-making?
How would you ensure that youth is involved in decision-making to build a better, healthier future?
What do you want doctors and policymakers to know about young people’s health and well-being that they forget or often do not understand?
What else would you like to share?

Youth health

What health issues matter most to you?
What inspires and enables you to look after your health and well-being?

COVID-19

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on your life?
What helped you to cope during the pandemic?

How to record:

Choose one question and record about 20-30 seconds
Record with your phone or laptop in landscape format
You can submit videos for multiple questions
Please share in the highest resolution possible

Submit to this link: https://dreambroker.com/channel/5aqdgx02/#/nomenu

Deadline: 18 September 2022

The clips will be shown at the #Youth4Health Tirana 2022 Youth and Well-being Forum, in Tirana (Albania) on 25-27 October 2022 and on WHO and its partners’ web and social media channels.

Harm Reduction International Abstract Submission Open

Abstract submission for HR23 is now open.

The theme for HR23 is Strength in Solidarity, with a particular interest in how harm reduction intersects with other social justice movements.

A list of starting point ideas includes;

Indigenous, rural and underserved communities and harm reduction (particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ priorities for harm reduction)
Prisons/services/compulsory drug treatment/decarceration/abolition
Harm reduction and covid-19 (community-led responses, access to vaccines, enforcement & human rights violations)
Sex work and harm reduction
Racism/white supremacy/decolonising drug policy
Financing/funding harm reduction (sustainability and resilience in challenging environments/budget advocacy for harm reduction)
Death penalty for drug offences
Harm reduction as an ethic
Children, young people and adolescents
LGBTQI+ communities and harm reduction
Traditional and medicinal use of drugs
Current peer- and drug user-led services, programmes and organisations – advantages, challenges and history
Progress in harm reduction (DCRs/overdose prevention/harm reduction for stimulant users/integrated services/intersections with mental health)
Safer nightlife/party drug harm reduction/drug checking
Feminism and harm reduction
Harm reduction activism (successes/new strategies/social media tools)
Drugs and pleasure: beyond harm reduction
Harm reduction in crises (war/migration/humanitarian disasters/climate crisis/pandemics)
Civil disobedience and harm reduction (illicit provision of naloxone/unsanctioned DCRs/safe supply)
Tainted drug supplies/markets – their threat, and what they illustrate (E.g., fentanyl, benzo dope)

The call for abstracts will close at 23.59 BST on 30 September 2022.

More information, and how to apply here.

Equality & Human Rights | The Core of Harm Reduction

Today is Human Rights Day. Every year on 10 December, Human Rights is observed worldwide, “to proclaim the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being.” As announced by the UN, the 2021 theme of the Day is EQUALITY – Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights.

COVID-19 has started to be referred to as the inequality virus in recent times. Since the beginning of the pandemic, pre-existing inequalities have been exposed and exacerbated. As a response, international awareness days this year have emphasised the political, social, cultural and economic importance of upholding equity and human rights with renewed strength. An example of this has been the focus of the recently endorsed international World AIDS Day. In alignment with the 2030 Agenda, which is rich in slowly-but-surely approaching elimination goals, including AIDS, HIV, and deep-rooted forms of discrimination.

Today’s Human Rights Day is a crucial and opportune moment for human rights and drug policy reform movements for at least two reasons. On the one hand, it affirms that the war on drugs continues to sustain abusive policing, over-incarceration, coercion and punishment globally. On the other, it highlights the profoundly unequal outcomes of such repressive drug policies.

To mark Human Rights Day, the IDPC has shared its open letter to Ms Ghada Waly, Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with a call to reform drug policies that entrench inequality. The letter “issues a strong statement on International Human Rights Day, calling on states to change the drug laws, policies and practices that violate health and human rights, and entrench inequality.” Please read the letter and ask your organisation to sign.

However, before you decide to sign such a letter, perhaps you would like to inform yourself more in-depth about current discussions on decriminalisation policies? During the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference 2021, EHRC21, we had a lively session titled “Drug policy: decriminalisation – the next logical step for Europe?” in which we discussed what you might be asking yourself now. What are the arguments for decriminalisation? If criminalisation can improve public health and human rights drastically, what are some of the complex and challenging questions that remain? You can watch it here.

Also, remember to check the session titled “Mainstreaming Human Rights & Evidence-based Law Enforcement”. This EHRC21 session could also be a valuable look-back since in here essential discussions took place regarding the role that law enforcement agencies ought to have in addressing the needs of people who use drugs. Please watch it here.

Today also marks the end of the #16DayActivism Challenge, which started on the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women. The joint action by the International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD) and the Women and Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN), addressing violence, stigma, and discrimination against women who use drugs, shares its concluding remarks today, on Human Rights Day. Please read them here.

Finally, today we are also launching the C-EHRN Podcast Series. To kick off our long-awaited podcast series’ idea, we held roundtable sessions during the EHRC21, talking to harm reductionists on several topics. We happily and excitedly present you with the first episode of the series about Human Rights.

For this session, we had four guests; Irena Molnar of ReGeneration, Machteld Busz of MainLINE, Sabrina Sanchez of ESWA and Aura Roig of Metzineres; four strong women representing the core of their work with boldness, kindness, sincerity and fire.
“We are the ones that avoid talking about human rights. Instead, we legitimise our services from a social control point of view. We need to break this cycle and indicate that we do our work for the health and well-being of the people.” said Aura Roig.

Would you agree? Do we tend to forget that everything we do is in the name of equal human rights?
Listen to the podcast here and share your opinion with us.

The alarming decline in testing on the 40th year of the fight against AIDS

Every year on 1st December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. A day we unite to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses and reflect upon our worldwide responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Today marks the 40th year of the fight against AIDS. A benchmark. The theme of World AIDS Day 2021 is “End inequalities. End AIDS”, aiming to highlight the growing inequalities in access to essential HIV services. As we experience a new pandemic, this becomes more relevant than ever. COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities, and impacted people living with HIV/AIDS, particular in terms of access to testing, treatment and health services.

There are alarming statistics mentioned in the newly-shared press release “HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs: Let’s make up for lost time against the epidemics!” by the Coalition Plus and EuroTEST initiative, launched on 28th November 2021, the last day of European Testing Week.

A study conducted in 44 countries proves a 35% drop in HIV screenings between 2019 and 2020 among key populations. The number is even higher among sex workers, who were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 59%.

Inequality defines infection patterns
The newly launched Global Aids Strategy 2021 – 2026, aims to respond to the inequalities that exist between key populations in different countries and regions. Although key populations have been able to maintain access to life-saving HIV services in some settings, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and harm reduction – even during COVID-19 lockdowns -, there is a critical and sharp decline in testing caused by the very pandemic that is affecting those most marginalized and underserved.

Building upon this framework, and Political Declaration from last June, on this day we call on the following priority actions to ensure that testing, treatment and care remains accessible for the already marginalized and underserved communities we work for and with.

Intensify and redouble efforts to scale up comprehensive harm reduction for people who use drugs in all settings, including needle-syringe programmes, opioid substitution therapy, as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis community-led outreach and psychosocial support.

Ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights services are non-judgmental and non-discriminating, developing programmes to eliminate HIV-related stigma and discrimination, while fostering initiatives that address the cross-cutting dimensions of stigma and discriminations faces by key populations.

Urgently expand access to combination HIV prevention, including PrEP and harm reduction. To ensure that services articulate person-centred and integrated care models that focus on quality of live outcomes beyond viral suppression goals.

Gender-responsive harm reduction programmes for people (including adolescents and young people) who use stimulant drugs or other new psychoactive substances must be introduced and scaled up.

Take urgent actions against the criminalizing laws, policies, and law enforcement practices against people who use drugs, sex workers, migrants, people of diverse SOGIESC, racialiced people, as well as for the redress of criminalization’s negative effects on HIV, viral hepatitis and other health issues.

Strengthen community-led and community-based harm reduction programmes and to advance community leadership and advocacy, ensuring adequate resources, funding, and enabling eviroments. Within interventions among key populations, a significant increase in resources is needed for combination harm reduction services for people who inject drugs.

Ending AIDS by 2030
Do you also agree that ending inequalities would end AIDS? What does your organisation or you personally do to reach the elimination goals by 2030? What are your recommendations to end AIDS by 2030? Share them online with the hashtag #HRAtWork. We are here to support and strengthen your work.

UNODC Webinar
The UNODC is organising a webinar called “Reflecting on the persistent inequalities that prevent progress in ending the AIDS pandemic” on 2nd December, 10:00-11:30 CET.
Please click here and join the meeting directly tomorrow.

To stop or to stop? That is not the question. | International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

It is 2021. Like many other vital social issues that must have already been extinct, the shameful existence of violence against women, trans and non-binary people gives one shiver. Still, here we are, marking it with the hope of its elimination internationally.

25th of November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This year’s campaign, generated by United Nations – UN, focuses on amplifying the call for global action to bridge funding gaps. It ensures essential services for survivors of violence during the COVID-19 crisis, focusing on prevention and collecting data to improve life-saving services for women and girls.

Its theme is Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!. It marks the launch of the UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign (Nov 25- Dec 10) — an initiative of 16 full days of activism concluding on the day that commemorates International Human Rights Day (10 December).

What is happening already?
Today, the “Sexism Free Night” Project has launched its European campaign BCRTEST – Bystander Chain Reaction Test, aiming to inspire action, encourage people without shaming or judging, and focus on fighting sexism with creativity and activism massive testing.

Have you taken a test yet? You may do so and share the cleverly developed campaign materials with your words alongside the hashtags #FunZone4All #BCRtest and #sexismfreenight.

The Euroasian Harm Reduction Association: EHRA has accepted the challenge and started their 16 days of activism campaign “Expected and unexpected risks of the #narcofeminism movement in the EECA region”.

What movement..?
The narcofeminism movement was born from the question of how painful and frightening it is to be a woman who uses psychoactive substances in combination with the experience of lack of focus on women for humane drug policies.

It is the response to discrimination, rights violations and injustice by activists from all over Europe.
Check out the details here.

Furthermore, the article “A World Beyond the War on Drugs” written by the Association for Women’sWomen’s Rights in Development (AWID) gives an excellent close look at the movement and its clear vision.

Also, the session: Girls power in HR2: womxn leadership to ensure access to Harm Reduction and Human Rights protection for womxn who use drugs with ReGeneration, EHRA, ENPUD and Metzineres, is highly insightful for you to exceed your knowledge on the topic and the current discussion on and around it.

Wonder how else you can show support in the name of solidarity, equality and humanity?
Why not download the campaign material and join the movement now

Moreover, read the statement pencilled down by the European Commission, mentioning gender-based cyber violence, the Istanbul convention, the use of sexual violence as a weapon and domestic violence. All violent in their own unique, secretive ways and all worrisome.

Last but not least, start acting now.
Act every day, everywhere.

Developing a new Strategy for 2021-2025

Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network is excited to invite you to join us in our upcoming Harm Reduction Labs. Currently, the Network is developing a new Strategy for 2021-2025 through a process that includes all stakeholders in the Harm Reduction movement.

Running alongside the preparations for the upcoming European Harm Reduction Conference 2021, the Harm Reduction Labs will offer the possibility of exploring collective solutions and imagining what harm reduction can be. In addition to analysing current themes and approaches within the harm reduction movement, each Lab will offer space to come together and identify common and urgent future questions that address broader topics of social justice, bodily autonomy, and care, among others.

Programme:
HR Lab #1 | Sex Work, Migration and Homelessness [30 September, 15h – 16:30h]
HR Lab #2 | Gender Identities, Gender Expressions and Sex Characteristics [7 October, 15h – 16:30h]
HR Lab #3 | Funding & Sustainability [14 October, 15h – 16:30h]
HR Lab #4 | Digital Transformation & Online Spaces [21 October, 15h – 16:30h]
HR Lab #5 | Youth & Recreational Settings [28 October, 15h – 16:30h]
HR Lab #6 | Stimulants [4 November, 15h – 16:30h]
HR Lab #7 | Community-Led Research [2 December, 15h – 16:30h]
HR Lab #8 | Care & Pleasure [9 December, 15h – 16:30h]

From your point of view, what is urgent for the harm reduction movement to consider in the coming period?

Please, register now to any of the Labs to share your thoughts with us.
If you have any questions, you may also contact Roberto Perez Gayo at rpgayo@correlation-net.org