Quarterly Report # 5: HIV PLEDGE PROJECT Penitentiary, Law Enforcement & Drug sectors Government Efficiency in HIV response

The project is funded by USAID/Ukraine and is part of the UNODC's regional programme XCEA01, "Effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care among vulnerable groups in Eastern Europe and Central Asia." The project works with national stakeholders and other donors to ensure cohesiveness with US-Ukraine Partnership Framework goals. The project's goal is to build support among Ukrainian law enforcement officials and other key Government stakeholders for HIV/AIDS and drug dependence treatment services targeted at MARPs, including service delivery within pre-, in-, and post-detention settings. The project's objectives include creating an environment supportive of evidence-informed and human-rights based HIV/AIDS and drug dependence treatment programs among MARPs. To achieve this objective, the project conducted a Regional Consultation on Enhancing the Role of Law Enforcement in Planning and Implementation of the National Response to the HIV/AIDS Epidemics in Central Asia and Eastern Europe in October 2012. The consultation brought together law enforcement and health care officials, as well as civil society representatives from selected countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, to discuss the role of law enforcement in HIV prevention among people who use drugs. The consultation resulted in the development of recommendations to strengthen the role of law enforcement sector in the countries of the region. The recommendations included high-level commitment, sectoral strategies, and relevant instructions to link law enforcement effectively to national HIV responses and programs. International and regional cooperation should be further strengthened, utilizing successful examples and topical data for advocacy and sharing best practices, innovations, and different methodologies among countries. The International statement on the role of law enforcement in HIV prevention should serve as a basis for development of national policy and training standards. The project also initiated regular partner meetings in December 2012 to discuss the role of Law Enforcement in national HIV responses. The first meeting gathered participants from the Public Security, Human Resources Management, Drug Control, and Medical departments of the Ministry of Interior, as well as representatives from Drug Control Service, State Service for Socially Dangerous Diseases, National Police Academy, Police Trade Union, and local and international organizations. The project's second objective is to strengthen capacities of the State Penitentiary Service, public health, and social services, and civil society organizations to provide evidence-informed and human-rights based comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, and care services, including drug dependence treatment in prison settings. The project aims to increase awareness and knowledge of decision makers and prison management officials on the importance of providing comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in prison settings. The project's outputs include increased awareness and knowledge of key Government stakeholders on the importance of comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, and care services for people who use drugs, and the role of these sectors in supporting effective national response to HIV epidemics. The project also aims to set up a technical working group comprising key experts from law enforcement, drug control, public health, and civil society representatives to develop sectoral HIV policy frameworks, strategic, and operational plans in line with international guidelines and best practices. The project's main activities and achievements include the Regional Consultation on Enhancing the Role of Law Enforcement in Planning and Implementation of the National Response to the HIV/AIDS Epidemics in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, and the initiation of regular partner meetings to discuss the role of Law Enforcement in national HIV responses. The project's achievements include the development of recommendations to strengthen the role of law enforcement sector in the countries of the region, and the active involvement of key MoI specialists in planning and further realization of the project activities related to law enforcement sector.