Community Action on Harm Reduction

Community Action on Harm Reduction (CAHR) is an ambitious project that aims to expand harm reduction services to more than 180,000 injecting drug users, their partners and children in China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, and Malaysia, over a four year period.

The programme involves people who use drugs in the design and delivery of services, and is developing advocacy plans to advance the human rights of people who use drugs. It has strong focus on building the local capacity of community based organisations and sharing knowledge about what works.

The programme, led by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, is implemented by a consortium of Alliance linking organisations: the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in China, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in India, Rumah Cemera (Indonesia), KANCO (Kenya) and the Malaysian AIDS Council. CAHR has been made possible through a grant by the Dutch government.

IDPC is a technical partner in this project, along with a number of other national and international organisations: Alliance Ukraine, AIDS Foundation East West, Health Connections International, Harm Reduction International, INPUD and Prevention Information et Lutte contre le Sida.

IDPC is responsible for engaging with national governments and international agencies to advocate for the establishment of an enabling environment for the provision of harm reduction services. IDPC focuses its activities particularly on Kenya, Malaysia and Indonesia.

News updates:

Between February and May 2011, IDPC participated in a series of country assessment visits to Malaysia, Indonesia and Kenya. The aim of these visits was to gain a contextual understanding of the drug policy and harm reduction situation in these countries. The visits were also an important opportunity to meet local partners and government officials.

National-level advocacy

In Malaysia, IDPC organised a seminar on diversion and engaged with the Malaysian AIDS Council and the AADK, the Malaysian drug control agency on issues of diversion and drug dependence treatment. IDPC also organised a workshop and networking meeting to discuss advocacy opportunities in the country.
In Indonesia, IDPC engaged with local and national civil society organisations to discuss opportunities for advocacy in the coming year. IDPC also engaged with the BNN, the Indonesian drug control agency, and the UNODC country office in Indonesia on issues of diversion.
As for Kenya, IDPC participated in the International Conference on HIV/AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) and organised a workshop and networking meeting for NGOs to come together to discuss drug policy and harm reduction opportunities in the region. ICASA was also an opportunity to approach Kenyan policy makers. In the coming year, IDPC will work in close collaboration with KANCO to advocate for evidence-based drug policy.

International-level advocacy

The Support. Don't punish campaign: IDPC, in collaboration with international partners, issued a statement on the CAHR project which will guide our advocacy activities at the international level. The statement will also be adapted to national realities and will constitute the basis for CAHR advocacy interventions in countries of focus.
Youth RISE launches new campaign along the lines of the CAHR statement: "Support, don't punish: Protect our youth".