HOPS celebrates its 15 years of existence

Today, the Healthy Options Project Skopje (HOPS) celebrates 15 years of existence. It is an immense pleasure for us to be able to celebrate this jubilee. In the past years, HOPS has been building its credibility among the communities for which it exists and works, but also among all the concerned parties connected to the policies on respect, care and support for the marginalized communities in the Republic of Macedonia.

In 15 years, HOPS became an organization with a clear mission for promotion, respect and protection of the human rights and freedoms towards improvement of health and socioeconomic status of all people, especially drug users, sex workers and other marginalized groups, based on the principles of harm reduction, by equal access to services, community strengthening, capacity building, research, analyses and advocacy.

It is on days like this that we look back on our beginnings, we remember the previous years and the respective accomplishments, we remember the challenges we faced and the solutions we came up with. On days like this, we have a great opportunity to thank all those who were involved in this continuous, successful story, and also to give ourselves the proper recognition for all that we’ve accomplished.

In its working, HOPS was primarily focused on improving the status of the drug users and the sex workers, as well as the status of all the other marginalized groups in the society.

On the other hand, HOPS gave its full support in the formation of other civil organizations with mission similar to its own, both in Skopje and throughout Macedonia, who have the potential to work with similar communities. HOPS works as a mentor and assistant in the work that these organizations do and their access to the users.

In its efforts for advocacy, creation, modification and implementation of policies in favor of drug users and sex workers as well as other marginalized groups, HOPS collaborates with the public institutions, the decision makers, the policy makers, the donors and the international organizations both in and outside of Macedonia who operate in the same field of work.

In 2010, HOPS received the International Award for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, awarded by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Human Rights Watch, as a recognition for the successful work in the respective fields of work.

The first 15 years of HOPS have been more than successful. The success poses a challenge for future accomplishments, for achieving the vision of the organization and the vision of a society in which everyone enjoys their human rights and freedoms, as well as social, health and economic welfare.

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