The Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region has some of the most restrictive drug laws in the world. These laws increase stigma, encourage harsh treatment by law enforcement, and drive the transmission of HIV by erecting barriers to harm reduction measures.
In this episode of Not a Crime, HIV Legal Network Senior Policy Analyst Mikhail Golichenko speaks with Ganna Dovbakh of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association about the urgent need to reform drug laws and polices in this part of the world.
In partnership with the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association and many regional and national activists, the HIV Legal Network recently developed a model law that sets out exactly what changes need to be made and gives lawmakers in the region a template from which to work.
While implementing these changes will not be easy, the model law offers a concise legal framework, empowering regional lawyers, state actors, and civil society with a tool to advocate for meaningful reforms.
You can read the Model Law report (available in English, Ukrainian and Russian) here:
https://www.hivlegalnetwork.ca/site/model-law-for-eastern-europe-and-central-asia/?lang=en
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