The UN says more than one million people or about one in every 100 people are living with HIV – the virus that causes AIDS – in Russia.

The latest official figures show that about 200 new cases are being recorded every single day.

The main source for 60 percent of new infections is dirty needles used to inject drugs. Russia has one of the worst heroin problems in the world.

HIV is spreading five times faster in Russia than the global average, with Ukraine and Russia accounting for 90 percent of the region's cases.

This documentary by Al Jazeera documents how Russia plans to stem the rise in HIV.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.

Why do HIV cases keep rising in Russia? 

Partner organisations of Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) provide services to family members of people who use drugs – their partners, children and parents. Outreach workers visit the clients and propose the whole range of harm reduction services such as distribution of clean injecting equipment and condoms, counselling, psychosocial support, voluntary counselling and testing not only to people who use drugs, but for their family members as well.

Reaching family members of people who use drugs in Malaysia

The New York-based consultant will be responsible for representing IDPC in New York with United Nations agencies and offices, the Permanent Missions to the UN and civil society partners. He/she will also be the conduit for the timely flow of key information between IDPC secretariat and the UN structures in New York. Finally, the consultant will provide updates to wider IDPC members and partners on developments in New York.

Read the document below for more details about the 

To apply, please submit the following to IDPC by email to Ann Fordham (afordham@idpc.net) 

by no later than Wednesday 23rd January 2013:

A short sample of writing in English (no more than 2 pages), preferably a policy briefing

A list of two references with daytime telephone numbers and email addresses

Only candidates authorized to work in the U.S. without any restrictions need apply.

IDPC recruits consultant in New York

The injection room for drug users that opened in Vesterbro last October has been such a success that the City Council is considering opening three more in other parts of Copenhagen.

The success of the injection room has led to a city council member, Lars Aslan Rasmussen (Socialdemokraterne), declaring that the programme should be emulated in the Nordvest, Sydhavn and Amager districts of the city. To read the full article 

City Council planning more injection rooms

Last year the Albanian Parliament approved the NATIONAL DRUGS STRATEGY 2012-2016. The mission of the strategy is to protect public safety, the life and health of individuals and communities through minimizing the risks and other damages deriving from drugs via a national coordinated action. The Albanian state recognizes and accepts the serious nature of this issue, both at the national level and at the international one.

Fight against drugs remains one of the key priorities of the Albanian state, as drugs pose a high risk to our citizens and has a potential impairing impact on Albania’s integration process in the EU.

Also, this strategy accepts the fact that the fight against drugs can be successful only in case we coordinate efforts of the government, civil society and international partners.

The total number of the adults (15-64 years of age) in Albania having tried illicit drugs in their lives is estimated to be between 40 000 and 60 000 individuals. The number of problematic drug users (addicted users and the ones having serious problems from the drug use) in the country varies from 4800 in 8600 individuals.

For the first time it is accepted that the demand reduction component has remained fragmented and covered by insufficient funding, while reduction of drug supply and the law enforcement issues are an integral part of the priorities of the Albanian government. For this reason, it is indispensable to ensure the same importance to the drug demand reduction, so as it gets the same priority as the drug supply reduction.

Another important element which is strongly highlighted in the Strategy is related to the Social re-integration of drug users in the society by:

Encouragement of private entities and of businesses for raising social service funds for improving such services and supporting this category of people.

Coordination and cooperation through public and non-public bodies offering social services through periodical meetings, working meetings, etc.

Encouragement of local government structures and of municipalities, in particular, to provide financial support for this category of beneficiaries, depending on their sources.

Albanian Parliament approves National Drug Strategy 

DrugScope is seeking to appoint a Policy and Engagement Officer to influence policy and practice at a critical time for the drug and alcohol sector. DrugScope is the national membership organisation for the drugs field and an independent centre of expertise on drugs and drug use.

Working closely with the Director of Policy and Membership and Senior Policy Officer, the officer will take a lead role in developing engagement with DrugScope members and supporting DrugScope's policy and influencing work. The officer must be passionate about improving outcomes for all those affected by drug and alcohol problems. He/she will need good analytical and communication skills, as well as the ability to analyse and respond to policy and research documents and to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

Salary information: £28,000 plus 6% pension contribution.

Deadline for applications : 4th February 2013.

DrugScope recruits Policy and Engagement Officer 

Bolivia will again belong to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs after its bid to rejoin with a reservation that it does not accept the treaty's requirement that "coca leaf chewing must be banned" was successful Friday. Opponents needed one-third of the 184 signatory countries to object, but fell far, far short despite objections by the US and the International Narcotics Control Board.

Of the 61 countries needed to veto the initiative only 15 turned out led by the US and UK, plus other European countries, Canada, Japan and Mexico.

The official re-entry of Bolivia to the convention is scheduled for February 10 and is a milestone in the Bolivian government campaign to defend the 'acullicu' which has seen President Morales and his Foreign minister David Choquehuanca, both indigenous Aymaras, lobby around the world in support of the coca leaf chewing tradition.

Major victory for President Morales: UN accepts "coca leaf chewing" in Bolivia

Drugreporter proudly presents the second part of HCLU’s documentary on Portugal's reformist drug policy approach. In this documentary we give you an insight into the everyday work of an NGO working with vulnerable people, such as people who use drugs, and sex workers. 

Watch our movie to see how our Portuguese EDPI partner ADPES works. Also please share if you like it!

HCLU film: An insight into a progressive Portuguese NGO’s work

the Plurinational State of Bolivia celebrated a rightful victory, as the country becomes formally a party again to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, but without being bound by its unjust and unrealistic requirement that “coca leaf chewing must be abolished.”

This represents the successful conclusion of an arduous process in which Bolivia has sought to reconcile its international treaty obligations with its 2009 Constitution, which obliges upholding the coca leaf as part of Bolivia’s cultural patrimony.

Bolivia wins a rightful victory on the coca leaf

The World We Want web platform is a joint initiative between the United Nations and Civil Society. It is a growing movement of people all over the world contributing their vision towards an overall plan to build a just and sustainable world free from poverty. It will help ensure that global efforts to secure a post-2015 development agenda are based on the perspective of people living in poverty.

Leading up to the year 2015, the United Nations is planning a series of consultations to help shape the post-2015 agenda with support from Civil Society coalitions including the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, CIVICUS and the Beyond 2015 Campaign, which have been organising Civil Society engagement in post-2015 discussions.

This process includes the creation of a High Level Panel, over 50 national and thematic consultations, community based discussion and a Global Online Conversation - all of which will contribute to a vision for The World We Want beyond 2015.

For more information about the consultations, 

National and thematic consultations to help shape the development agenda post-2015

GNP+ in collaboration with ICSS, SAA, ICASO and UNAIDS would like to invite you to participate in a consultation process to ensure that knowledge and experiences of key populations and communities affected by HIV will help shape the post-2015 development goals.

The webinars will provide you with background information regarding the UN process and how we can influence this process. Advocacy has been a driving force in innovating the global response to HIV and health in general. Concrete internationally agreed targets have been key in mobilizing countries, communities and funding. There is a real risk that the new development health goal(s) will not be ambitious enough to win the fight against HIV.

The Survey will build on the main consultation questions, but seek your feedback on a more detailed level regarding sub-questions that relate to your specific knowledge and experiences at country level and/or from key affected populations and communities. 

Webinars and survey on health related MDGs after 2015

The Research officer is responsible for the overall coordination of the IAS Industry Liaison Forum (IAS-ILF), within the Research Promotion team. The Industry Liaison Forum (ILF) is an initiative of the International AIDS Society (IAS) with a mission to accelerate scientifically promising, ethical HIV research in resource-limited countries, with a particular focus on the role and responsibilities of industry as sponsors and supporters of research, and during its current strategic plan it is focusing on HIV research related to women and children.

The International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world's leading independent association of professionals working in HIV. It has more than 16,000 members from 196 countries and plays a key role as an independent voice in the global response to AIDS. It is a dynamic professionally run and well governed not-for-profit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. It has a highly dedicated international staff of fifty.

The IAS advocates for the implementation of effective evidence-based policies and programmes that promote and protect human rights. It also runs a number of projects to strengthen research capacity to address HIV and AIDS.

The ILF Research Officer will be employed full-time based in Geneva, Switzerland and report to the Senior Manager, Research Promotion. The position is fixed-term for 11 months from February 2013 until 31 December 2013.

Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and a cover letter, in English and by email only, to recruitment@iasociety.org by 25 January 2013.

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