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DAILY UPDATE
DAY THREE
Tuesday 13 May 2008
This morning’s plenary looks at what can be
done to ensure gender equality in the field of
harm reduction.
The Daily Update
spoke to
the session’s chair, Sue Currie.
Historically, harm reduction programmes have
tended to operate on a ‘one size fits all’ basis.
Whether this has been through oversight or just
practical necessity, it has meant that very often
women have not had the same kind of access to
services as men. This morning’s session focuses
on what can be done to ensure gender equality in
harm reduction.
‘A lot of harm reduction programmes globally
have focused on the individual regardless of
gender, and they don’t integrate – or take into
account the circumstances of – women and famil-
ies and children,’ says chair of the session, and
co-chair of IHRA’s 2006 conference in Vancouver,
Sue Currie. ‘This means that services have had
more of an impact for men than for women.’
The marginalisation of women is clearly an
extremely complex issue, that varies from
country to country and community to
community. ‘It’s a cultural issue and a religious
issue,’ she says. ‘There could be environmental
circumstances, and for indigenous cultures there
are other issues at stake as well – it’s important
to try and identify all the potential barriers to
accessing services. It’s not as simple as
providing a service for a community.
‘Access means different things. It means
something very different if you’re a Muslim woman
in Afghanistan than if you’re an aboriginal woman
in northern Canada, so you have to look at it in the
context of other elements. Even if you’re in north
America, accessing a programme might mean
coming up against barriers for you and your family,
like potential child protection issues.’
She is optimistic that things are starting to
change, however. One key area today’s session
will focus on is evaluating examples of best
practice from around the world, and showing
what works.
‘We’ll be highlighting positive inclusive pro-
grammes and strategies,’ she says. ‘One of the
things we want to make clear in the session is
that being inclusive of women and ack-
nowledging gender doesn’t mean you’re
exclusive of men, because quite often it can be
perceived as an either/or situation. We have to be
inclusive of everyone and create services that
work for everyone.’
Access all areas
PROGRAMME
HIGHLIGHTS
TUESDAY 13 MAY
Children of Leningradsky
(Film Festival)
There are several highlights today,
including this extraordinary film from
Russia which was nominated for
‘Academy Award Best Documentary
Short Subject’.
Room 3: 12:30
Drug User Media (DRUM)
This newly formed network of drug
user publications are hosting a
lunchtime meeting for all harm
reduction media and editors to discuss
possible future collaborations and
international publications.
Room 5: 13:00 – 14:00
HIV and TB in Drug Users
This lunchtime meeting, sponsored by
WHO, UNODC and UNAIDS, will look
at how to prevent, diagnose and treat
HIV-related tuberculosis in drug users
and will introduce new guidelines
which are currently under development
Room 6: 13.00 – 14:00
Drug Consumption Rooms
This evening session will feature
presentations and experiences from
drug consumption facilities in Europe,
Australia and Canada.
Room 5: 18:00 – 19:30
WEDNESDAY 14 MAY
Global Issues: Civil Society
In this early morning session, three key
organisations – NTA (UK), EHRN and
IHRD – present their latest reports and
developments.
Room 7: 08:30 – 09:00