Stories of success in addressing gender inequality

Svitlana MorozEurasian Women’s Network on AIDS

24 July 2014, AIDS 2014

End the Violence: Break the Silence

With the overall goal to empower women who use drugs to combat police violence, Eurasian Harm Reduction Network in partnership with women who use drugs and harm reduction organizations from the 16 cities of EECA implement the three-year regional Campaign WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE. The first year of the Campaign calls to break the silence and report about cases of police violence.

Documenting Cases of Police ViolenceDuring June 2014 121 reports about police violence against women who use drugs were registered through the online platform by campaign partners from Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine continues to take the lead in the number of cases being reported. As in the previous month, the majority of cases received under the category “Threats and intimidation”.

Campaign “We have opened our faces for you to open your hearts to us!”

• Our aim is to reduce HIV-related stigma towards HIV+ women and increase tolerance.

• Implemented by Focus Media, Russia with financial support from UNDEF

• Main activities: trainings, webinars, printed and video materials, Media campaign, women’s conference in Minsk

CEDAW report in Ukraine (1)• In 2014 first time Women living with HIV in Ukraine (Positive

Women NGO) are participating in preparation of governmental CEDAW report as a part of the joint working group established by the Ministry of Social Policy, Department of Family, Gender Policy and combating trafficking.

• Forms of work: oral presentations; materials’ submission; written proposals.

• Thematic groups we participate in: - Women and Healthcare - VAW - Women’s human rights - Girls

CEDAW report in Ukraine (2)What was included in the report:- Surveys results on interlinks between HIV and Violence, on

SRHR, PLHIV Stigma Index, and Women’s rights in prison- Statement that lesbian and trans women are out of care

from the state and society- Statement that communities and NGOs play significant role

in services provision for vulnerable womenNot included:- Statement that HIV+ women have limited access to assisted

reproductive technologies, particularly IVF- Statement that trans women face systematic discrimination

in the healthcare settings

CEDOW Report in Ukraine (3)

Next steps:• CEDAW Shadow report of NGOs • Create a mechanism for monitoring and

documenting violations of the rights of HIV-positive women and women vulnerable to HIV

• Networking and cooperation with the UN Monitoring mission on Human Rights in Ukraine

E.V.A. Russia- EVA, the all-Russian network of women living with HIV, has been working through federal-level advocacy for several years to protect the rights of women who inject drugs by trying to overcome structural forms of violence and push for the development of appropriate drug and HIV treatment programmes in Russia. - EVA also has conducted research in several Russian cities (such as Tomsk) that now have specific protocols to support women who inject drugs, including protection against violence. - EVA is involved in lobbying for a law against violence in Russia.

Local model of Services delivery and integration

• Light of Hope, NGO (Poltava, Ukraine) mainstreamed HIV prevention and care into services provision for disadvantaged and vulnerable women, including homeless, women who use drugs, ex-prisoners

• They combine financial support from different sources – local government, UN agencies, international donors, etc

• They provide community-led cost-effective comprehensive and low threshold care for women, including access to OST, ARV, TB and HCV diagnostics and treatment