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29th May 2008
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Safe Injecting Facility Receives Legal Boost in Canada
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In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of British Columbia has granted users and staff at Insite, the Vancouver Safe Injecting Facility (SIF), a constitutional exemption from prosecution under federal drug laws. This decision prevents attempts by the Canadian government to shut down North America's only SIF.
The court challenge was taken by a number of groups, including the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, following threats by the Conservative government of Canada, and Health Minister Tony Clement, to rescind the license exempting Insite from various sections of the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), which enables the site to operate without fear of prosecution of service users or staff.
In the decision, Mr. Justice Pitfield on behalf of the majority, posed the question 'Does the criminalization of the possession of controlled substances within the premises of the Vancouver Safe Injection Site violate s. 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?' Section 7 of the Charter guarantees that 'Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.'
In reviewing the extensive scientific and medical evaluations showing the effectiveness of Insite, Mr. Justice Pitfield affirmed the importance of the heath and harm reduction framework in which Insite operates. As s.4 of the CDSA applies to all forms of drug possession without distinction, it was held that the provision was “arbitrary” and “grossly disproportionate” and therefore “not in accord with the principles of fundamental justice”.
Congratulations to all those involved in this critical victory.
A summary of the judgment is available on the IHRA blog. http://www.ihrablog.net/2008/05/canadian-governments-attempts-to-shut.html
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12th May 2008
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IHRA Launch ‘Global State of Harm Reduction 2008’ Report
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 To coincide with Harm Reduction 2008: IHRA’s 19th International Conference in Barcelona, IHRA have launched a major new report entitled ‘Global State of Harm Reduction 2008: Mapping the response to drug-related HIV and hepatitis C epidemics’. This report consolidates existing data on drug use, HIV and hepatitis C, documents harm reduction policies and practices worldwide, and records the activities of relevant multi-lateral agencies (such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime).
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 Click here to view the entire report [PDF:6MB]
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The ‘Global State of Harm Reduction 2008’ is the result of several months of hard work and collaborative efforts by IHRA and regional harm reduction networks and organisations around the world. It is the third publication from, and a major component of, the HR2 Programme – IHRA’s programme of research and advocacy on harm reduction and human rights funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
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The Global State report is designed to be an advocacy and reference tool for a wide range of audiences, including international donor organisations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, civil society and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), organisations of people who use drugs, researchers and the media. The report will also enable IHRA to engage with and work alongside a wide range of partners around the world – regional harm reduction networks, international human rights organisations and HIV and drug policy organisations – to advocate and lobby for harm reduction.
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Section 1 of the ‘Global State of Harm Reduction 2008’ provides a global overview of harm reduction policy and programming in response to HIV and HCV epidemics.
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Click here to view Section 1 [PDF:3.96MB]
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Section 2 contains nine regional overviews which examine the situation and harm reduction response in further depth in Asia, Eurasia, Western Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, North America, Oceania, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Click here to view Section 2 [PDF:1.77MB]
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Section 3 explores issues that are key to assessing the global state of harm reduction, including human rights, non-injecting drug use and civil society engagement in multilateral processes.
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Click here to view Section 3 [PDF:1.47MB]
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As well as the report, IHRA will be launching a web-based Global State of Harm Reduction reference tool in the coming months. This will be updated periodically to reflect the latest developments in the global response.
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Click here for more information about the HR2 Programme
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5th May 2008
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Methadone Maintenance Therapy Launched in Vietnam
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In April 2008, after several years of preparation, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health officially began a new national Methadone Maintenance Therapy pilot programme by opening the first two clinics in Hai Phong. The Vietnamese programme will be located in both Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City – as selected by the Vietnamese Administration for AIDS Control (VAAC).
The pilot methadone programme is being implemented by the VAAC with support from PEPFAR (via USAID), Family Health International (FHI), WHO, the World Bank, and DfID (UK). It will provide opiate substitution treatment as part of a package of comprehensive services for drug users integrated into general health services – including voluntary counseling and testing, out patient clinic services, peer support groups, psycho-social support, anti-retroviral therapy, and other treatment and care for HIV, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections.
This pilot programme in Vietnam is the first community-based, integrated model in the country and represents another positive step for harm reduction around the world. This integrated treatment approach and pilot was approved by the Government of Vietnam and the Vice Minister of Health, Dr. Trinh Quan Huan. The clinics will operate seven days a week including holidays, with counseling and integrated services available five days a week. After six months, the VAAC will examine preliminary programme evaluation results. Then, in conjunction with other Government agencies, they will determine if the pilot should be expanded and scaled-up into other provinces.
Methadone is a long-term treatment for individuals experiencing problems related to their heroin use. It has consistently been shown in clinical studies to decrease illicit drug use, HIV and hepatitis C exposure risks, criminal activity, and overdose risks. It has also been shown to result in improvements in physical and psychological health, and social functioning.
For further information about this pilot, please contact Dr. Nguyen To Nhu
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1st May 2008
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International Sex Worker Community Release Collective Statement
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In recent months, sex worker organisations and advocates from around the world have united in order to participate in Harm Reduction 2008: IHRA’s 19th International Conference in Barcelona, Spain (11th – 15th May 2008). This has culminated in the formation of an International Sex Worker Harm Reduction Caucus and the development of a collective statement explaining their position and perspectives.
The Caucus aims to increase the participation of sex workers and their organisations and allies in discussions about harm reduction at the international level. It includes representatives from all over the world – including the Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP), the SWAN network (Europe), the Sex-workers and Allies Network (Sweden), the Scarlet Alliance (Australia), and the Sex Worker Outreach Project (SWOP), the Best Practices Policy Project (BPPP), Saint James Infirmary, the Desiree Alliance, Bayswan, and Different Avenues (all in the USA).
The Caucus has developed a statement that aims to represent the thoughts of sex workers around the world in terms of harm reduction and human rights. The statement is based, in part, on materials developed by ‘Stella’ – a Canadian sex worker rights organisation – and there has been input from sex worker groups in many countries and regions. The statement affirms that sex work is legitimate work rather than a ‘harm’ of drug use which needs to be reduced. In the spirit of “Nothing about us, without us”, the statement also calls for sex worker engagement, leadership and empowerment as essential elements for all programmes wishing to promote the health and safety of sex worker communities.
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Click here to view the statement in English [PDF:206KB]
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Click here to view the statement in Spanish [PDF:197KB]
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Click here to view the statement in Russian [PDF:236KB]
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At Harm Reduction 2008, the Caucus has helped to organise two sessions on Wednesday 14th May on the topic of sex work harm reduction – a Living Room Session on ‘Reducing Harms in Sex Work: Practical presentations from peer-led programmes’, followed by a Concurrent Session on ‘Sex Work: The impact and harms of criminalisation and how to reduce them’. These sessions have been supported by scholarships from the Open Society Institute's Sexual Health and Rights Project (SHARP) and Mama Cash (Netherlands), and include presentations from all over the world.
The International Sex Worker Harm Reduction Caucus would like to encourage the wide distribution of this document. For further information, or to sign up to the statement (before 14th May 2008), please contact Penelope Saunders or visit the group at their exhibition booth at the conference (Level 1; Booth 1).
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