In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the HIV epidemic is exploding. This is largely driven by the sharing of used drug injection equipment, among other factors. Russia\u2019s transcontinental location, and the fact that severe human rights abuses against marginalized populations are both normalized and sanctioned in the country, make it an important region to focus our efforts.<\/p>\n
Sweeping legal and policy reforms are needed. In Russia, poorly drafted laws are abusively enforced with little regard for human rights. Discriminatory policies and practices continue to fuel the spread of HIV by targeting those least able to defend themselves. And although Russia has signed on to many international human rights laws and declarations, these promises continue to be hollow at best \u2014 and completely perverted at worst. The invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022 has exacerbated human rights concerns, particularly around access to medications and health supports for people living with HIV.<\/p>\n
We work\u00a0<\/strong>in tandem with our Russian and regional partners to supply individuals \u2014 and the organizations that support them \u2014 with the knowledge and tools they need to defend human rights and prevent new HIV infections. But our reach is much broader than any one case. We are shifting the discourse around human rights one person at a time, wherever possible adapting individual successes to a variety of national, regional, and international interventions for far-reaching reform.<\/p>\n We focus<\/strong>\u00a0on the unjust punishment of people who use drugs in Russia and the surrounding region, on securing equitable access to life-saving health services for this same community, and on ending the persistent stigma and discrimination they endure. But we are profoundly aware that, in Russia, human rights abuses and vulnerability to HIV are a part of a systemic problem that affects many other groups \u2014 women, sex workers, LGBTQ+ communities, and many others \u2014 and our work is ever-expanding to respond to their concerns.<\/p>\n We use<\/strong>\u00a0a range of different strategies to effect regional change. We bring\u00a0landmark cases<\/a>\u00a0before the courts. We build strong coalitions among like-minded non-governmental organizations. We advocate wherever a platform exists and document our efforts using many different communications platforms: And we work directly with people who use drugs as part of an innovative \u201cstreet lawyers\u201d program that puts the power to defend human rights directly into the hands of those most affected.<\/p>\n To find out more about this work you can visit the website of our partner organization, the Andrey Rylkov Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u041e \u043c\u0438\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0438, \u0432\u0438\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0438 \u0438 \u0446\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/a> \u041a\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0434\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0441\u0435\u0442\u0438 \u043f\u043e \u0412\u0418\u0427\\\u0421\u041f\u0418\u0414.<\/p>\n Want to know more about the Legal Network\u2019s work in other issues and regions of the world?<\/p>\nLearn more:<\/h2>\n
Securing Rights – 2024\/25 Annual Report<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t