HIV/AIDS Asia Regional Program (HAARP) - Community consultation

The HAARP program aims to promote evidence-based interventions for people who inject drugs (PWID) and their partners in the greater Mekong sub-region. In collaboration with government and non-government partners, HAARP supports HIV prevention, care and treatment programs. While much has been achieved in terms of the volume of harm reduction programming in the region, and support for it, there is a desire to enhance community led advocacy and the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs (MIPUD) in HAARP programming and governance.

HAARP has as a key underlying principle “Nothing about us without us” and has made attempts at including community voice in both the design of, and implementation of the program. In the remaining three years of HAARP, as it transitions to country ownership of interventions, a focus on community engagement will be strengthened. A more proactive and systematic engagement with relevant community networks would contribute towards improved reach of service delivery, treatment access and greater chance of harm reduction sustainability in the GMS sub region.

In line with the focus of greater community involvement HAARP hosted a consultation with key representatives from community based organisations and networks in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam and regional networks of people who use drugs and people living with HIV, from 29th – 30th November in Bangkok, Thailand.

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