AIDS Action Europe = - Newsletter June 2006

=20 October 2006, E-news No.3, = 2006

=20

Table of contents:=20

News=20
Upcoming=20 Events=20
Reports=20
Members=20 Section=20
News=20 from the AIDS Action Europe Steering Committee=20
Contact=20 information

News

Memorandum of Understanding with European Office of = World=20 Health Organization
On the 16th International = AIDS=20 Conference in Toronto AIDS Action Europe and the World Health = Organization=20 Regional Office for Europe (WHO Europe) signed a Memorandum of=20 Understanding which will intensify the fight against AIDS in = Europe. The=20 increase of HIV in Eastern as well as Western Europe asks for a = new=20 approach where countries exchange more knowledge and lessons = learned. The=20 cooperation between the above-mentioned organisations will not = only=20 facilitate this exchange but also increase the influence on AIDS = policies=20 of European governments.
Through this alliance a connection is = made=20 between the content based knowledge from WHO Europe and the more = practice=20 based experience of NGOs. This will lead to better coordinated = action=20 against AIDS in Europe. Because of this cooperation human rights = and the=20 fight against HIV-related stigma and discrimination will be dealt = with=20 even better.
WHO Europe and AIDS Action Europe have agreed on a = number=20 of concrete activities on which to work together in the coming = years to=20 make sure that the Memorandum of Understanding is put into = practice.=20
For more information please contact Western Office at mailto:westernoffice@= aidsactioneurope.org.

Project European Partners in Action on AIDS: = Seminar on=20 Working with Media
Sensoa was the host organization for the first = Seminar of AIDS=20 Action Europe. From September 21st until September 23rd, over 30=20 participants from 26 countries gathered in Antwerp on the topic of = =93Working with the Media=94. Both the Development of Mass Media = Campaigns and=20 Best Practices for Working with the Press were covered in parallel = working=20 groups.
The agenda found the right balance between input from = external=20 professionals and discussion and sharing of experiences and ideas = between=20 participants. They were highly satisfied with the performance of=20 presenters and facilitators of the Seminar. The field trips to the = Antwerp=20 Television Station and the communication enterprise LDV United = were=20 strongly appreciated. Time and money were described as the main = obstacles=20 to the implementation of the new information and ideas into = practice. More=20 attention should be paid to the vast difference in context and = resources=20 between Western and Eastern Europe, were the press continues to = take on=20 stigmatising and discriminatory positions when covering HIV = related=20 topics.
The possibility of organizing a campaign on a European = level=20 proved to be the controversial. Participants of 8 countries said = Europe=20 should not bother, since cultural and epidemiological gaps were = simply too=20 big to cross. 16 participants said we should go for it, = taking into=20 account the different points of attention that were formulated = during the=20 session. Overall, the Sensoa proposal to look for an international = symbol=20 for safe sex was well received: if anything were to be launched at = the=20 European level, a symbol might well be the most sensible topic to = explore.=20 Organizing a competition was one of the suggestions.
A = legislative=20 initiative to enhance NGO access to the media by providing a = certain=20 amount of free air time on radio and television (as is the law in = the=20 French speaking part of Belgium) was welcomed and should be = advocated for.=20 AIDS Action Europe promised to invest in the sharing of materials = and=20 resources, for example by establishing a Clearing House on the = AIDS Action=20 Europe website.
Below is the reflection of one seminar = participant:=20 =93The basic idea why I decided to attend the seminar was the = lack of=20 any knowledge in work with the media. Well, surely, I possessed = some=20 general background on this topic, but it was rather my personal = vision of=20 how this or that might work while dealing with = media.
The=20 seminar really surprised me both with a friendly, home-style = atmosphere=20 and variety of suggested information and ways of its delivery. = Informative=20 presentations of speakers mixed with interactive sessions were = fantastic=20 and lively. For instance, after we had had theoretical background=20 delivered to us, we were introduced with real media campaigns that = we=20 could watch and listen to what steps and efforts were applied in = their=20 development. The credit should be given here to Filippo Zimbile! = The so=20 called =93tips and tricks=94 on reactive and pro-active = press strategies=20 was nicely backed up by a splendid, informative visit to the = advertisement=20 company (in my case) =93LDV United=94 =96 I would have loved to = have a separate=20 seminar delivered by those professionals. For me it was a unique = chance to=20 listen and see how an organization (Sensoa) was =93rebuilt=94 and = molded into=20 a well-known brand.
Finally, I also liked to watch = how media=20 campaigns differ from country to country and find out how = different=20 methods are applied in order to get this or that message across in = various=20 countries.
The seminar gave me a chance to find out = about=20 many instruments that are used for building mass media campaigns = and=20 effective media work. I am thankful to the organizers for giving = me this=20 chance to increase knowledge in the sphere that I will hopefully = be able=20 to apply in my work further on.=94 (Roman, Central and Eastern = European Harm=20 Reduction Network)

For more information please contact = Sensoa at=20 media@sensoa.be.

Upcoming Events

21-22 November 2006, Brussels,=20 Belgium

EU=20 HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum

23-25 November 2006,

Amsterdam, The=20 Netherlands

European best practice seminar on =91Monitoring=20 and evaluation=92. The scholarships have already been = granted, but=20 it is still possible to attend the seminar for people = who can=20 pay for the travel costs and the accommodation=20 themselves.

24-26 November
2006,
Prague, Czech=20 Republic

Seminar=20 on ARV Treatments as part of AIDS Action & = Integration=20 Projects. More information and application form can be = found=20 at http://pragueseminar2006.blogspot.com/.=20 Application deadline 27 October 2007.=20

12-13 March 2007,

Bremen = Germany

Conference=20 on HIV/AIDS Prevention for the European Ministers of=20 Health.

19-21 April 2007,

London, = UK

European best practice seminar on =91Legislative = and judicial systems in relation to HIV and AIDS=92. The = applications for the seminar are not opened=20 yet.

EU=20 HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum
21-22 November = 2006,=20 Brussels, Belgium
The next Civil Society Forum will take = place=20 21-22 November in Brussels. The Civil Society Forum is an informal = advisory body for the European Commission and the EU Think Tank on = HIV/AIDS. The Civil Society Forum is co-chaired by AIDS Action = Europe and=20 EATG. The major topics of this Civil Society Forum are human = rights,=20 injecting drug use and monitoring and evaluation of the Dublin=20 Declaration. The report will be available at http://www.aidsactioneurope.org= /.=20

Project European Partners in = Action on AIDS:=20 Seminar on Monitoring and Evaluation
23-25 = November=20 2006, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
AIDS Action Europe is = proud to=20 present the second of a series of innovative seminars for HIV and = AIDS=20 NGOs that are main events of the project =91European Partners in = Action on=20 AIDS=92. From November 23-25 the Seminar =91Monitoring and = evaluation=92=20 will take place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This event will be = hosted=20 by STI AIDS Netherlands (http://www.soaaids.nl/).
With so = much=20 work to do and so little time, we are tempted to start off quickly = and=20 just head on. However, with limited time and money it is important = to be=20 effective and efficient. We have to know which activities have an = impact=20 and which activities have not. The main question is what = expectations do=20 we have with regards to our activities? Monitoring and evaluation = makes it=20 possible to see whether we are doing the right thing with regards = to the=20 problems we want to solve. The seminar will be interactive and = based on=20 the needs and interests of the participants. Discussions about = real life=20 experiences of the participants with collaboration of = professionals in the=20 field will be alternated with presentations by representatives of=20 well-known organisations about their experiences and methods.=20 Participating organisations are the World Health Organization = Regional=20 Office for Europe (WHO Europe), Medecins sans Frontiers (MSF) and = AIDS=20 Foundation East-West (AFEW).
Participants of the seminar will = improve=20 theirs skills and knowledge related to a way of thinking about = monitoring=20 and evaluation; international understandings and definitions of = monitoring=20 and evaluation; how to deal with monitoring and evaluation within = their=20 own organization. The seminar is organised for European NGOs that = work in=20 the field of HIV/AIDS prevention and care. This includes community = groups=20 as well as professional NGOs. The scholarships have already = been=20 granted, but it is still possible to attend the seminar = for people=20 who can pay for the travel costs and the accommodation = themselves.=20
More information about the seminar can be found here:
http://www.aidsactioneurope.org/index.php?id=3D44

AIDS Action & Integration = Projects:=20 Seminar on ARV=20 Treatments
24-26 November 2006, = Prague,=20 Czech Republic
The European seminar on HIV treatment will = by=20 organized in November 2006 as part of AIDS Action & = Integration=20 Projects. The seminar will be organized by European AIDS Treatment = Group=20 in cooperation with AIDES, Central and Eastern European Harm = Reduction=20 Network, AIDS Action Europe and other organizations. The lead = organization=20 of the AIDS Action & Integration Projects is AIDES based in = France.=20
For more information and application form please visit http://pragueseminar2006.blogspot.com/. The = deadline for=20 applications is 27 October 2007.

Conference on HIV/AIDS Prevention for the European=20 Ministers of Health
Starting 1 = January=20 2007 Germany takes the presidency of the European Union. A = conference on=20 HIV/AIDS Prevention for the European Ministers of Health will be = organized=20 on 12-13 March 2007 in Bremen Germany. The report of the meeting = will=20 become available at our website http://www.aidsactioneurope.org/.

Project European Partners in = Action on AIDS:=20 Expert seminar on =91Legislative and Judicial Systems in Relation = to HIV and=20 AIDS=92
19-21 April 2007, London, = UK
The third=20 seminar in a series of innovative seminars for HIV and AIDS NGOs = which are=20 the main activities of the =91European Partners in Action on = AIDS=92 project=20 will be on =91Legislative and judicial systems in relation to HIV = and AIDS=92=20 and will take place from 19 to 21 April 2007 in London. The event = will be=20 hosted by the National AIDS Trust (http://www.nat.org.uk/). =
The seminar=20 will be in two parts. In the first half there will be examination = of the=20 level and consistency of legal and constitutional protection = against=20 discrimination for people living with HIV across the EU and = accession=20 states, with particular focus on protection in employment, = mobility and in=20 access to healthcare and social care, as well as protection from=20 harassment and hate crime. Relevant case law will be discussed. = Any=20 deficiencies and inconsistencies in protection will be identified, = as well=20 as any legal provisions or executive actions which have a = discriminatory=20 impact. In the second half there will be examination of the = obstacles and=20 barriers people living with HIV face in accessing their rights, = with=20 discussion of such issues as the availability of legal aid, = implications=20 of uncertain residency status, training of the criminal justice = system in=20 HIV matters, and the role of HIV-related NGOs in acting as = =91friends of the=20 court=92 or advocates/litigators on behalf of people living with = HIV.
A=20 survey will take place in late 2006 to gather information on legal = systems=20 and legal access issues, and colleagues may wish even at this = early stage=20 to think and discuss who might be best placed to provide expert = responses=20 to the survey questions for their country. Details of the survey = will be=20 distributed in October. Survey results will inform a pre-seminar=20 report.
Please note: you cannot as yet apply for places at the = seminar.=20 This is simply advance notice of both survey and seminar to assist = friends=20 and colleagues in their forward planning. Should you have any = questions=20 please contact yusef.azad@nat.org.uk. =

Reports

AIDS Action Europe Members Meeting at=20 AIDS2006
During the International AIDS Conference = held in=20 August AIDS Action Europe organized a meeting of member = organizations that=20 were participating in the Conference. The meeting was held on 17 = Augustus=20 2006 and gathered 26 persons, including members and partners, = Steering=20 Committee members and representatives of WHO Europe and the = International=20 Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO).
The meeting was = an=20 excellent opportunity for the secretariat and Steering Committee = members=20 to learn more about members and partners expectations, = recommendations and=20 concerns.
The report in English is available here.

AIDS Action & Integration Projects: Hepatitis C = and=20 Drug Use in Enlarged European Union and = Neighborhood
The=20 consultation =93Hepatitis C and Drug Use: Towards Awareness = and=20 Action=94 was organized by Central and Eastern European Harm = Reduction=20 Network on March 10-11, 2006 in Vilnius, Lithuania, in the = framework of=20 AIDS Action & Integration project. The meeting aimed to = identify main=20 issues, challenges and possible enhancements in services, policies = and=20 advocacy for effective prevention, diagnostics, care and treatment = for=20 drug users with hepatitis C, focusing on new EU member states and=20 neighboring countries. The event served as a basis to share = experience and=20 practices among healthcare professionals, service providers, = researchers,=20 human rights activists, drug users and people living with HCV from = across=20 Europe and the US.

The report summarizes situation, recommended = and=20 current policies and services in hepatitis C prevention, care and=20 treatment with the focus on drug users. Recommendations (as well = as the=20 report) developed as a follow-up to the consolation focusing on = possible=20 roles of decision makers, services providers, donors, prison = services,=20 activists and researchers, can be found in separate file at www.ceehrn.org/hepatitis.=20

AIDS Action Europe 2005 Annual Report
If = you want=20 to learn in more detail about our activities and achievements in = 2005, you=20 can download our annual report.

Members Section=20

The following section is devoted to the members of AIDS Action = Europe.=20 This is a space where members are able to present information = about their=20 organisation and work they are doing. We hope that this will = facilitate=20 our learning about each other and our work, also closer = cooperation and=20 understanding!

We invite our members to send us=20 information (about half page) presenting your organization which = could be=20 included into following issues of the E-news. Please forward your = input to=20 Western Office at mailto:westernoffice@= aidsactioneurope.org.

Our=20 member: Coalition of HIV Service Organizations,=20 Ukraine

The Coalition of HIV-Service NGOs = officially founded=20 in 2004 is an Ukrainian National non-governmental organization = that unites=20 regional and national NGOs working in the area of primary = prevention, harm=20 reduction, care and support for PLWHA. The Coalition=92s = mission is to=20 strengthen and expand the participation of NGOs, their unions and=20 networks, providing services in reproductive health, HIV infection = prevention and HIV positive people support, as well as to overcome = the HIV=20 epidemic, tuberculosis and sexually-transmitted infections = (adopted at the=20 Coalition General meeting on March, 2004). The Coalition intends = to=20 coordinate activity and develop the HIV-service NGOs potential, to = advocate HIV-service NGOs interests and to introduce new programs = and=20 technologies using best practices. The Coalition cooperate = both with=20 government institutions and international organizations to = facilitate=20 transparency of Ukrainian government HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis = activity.=20 At the present time Coalition of HIV-service organizations perform = the=20 following activities:=20

Provide equal participation of NGOs in the process of = development=20 and realization of national policy in HIV/AIDS interdiction, = performed=20 through the means of the government budget and international = technical=20 aid. The Coalition represents Ukrainian NGOs in the National=20 Coordination Council to stop HIV/AIDS expansion. 29 HIV Service = NGOs are=20 members of 17 Coordination Council for combating HIVB/AIDS at = the oblast=20 level.=20
Organize the effective mechanism of providing social = services by=20 NGOs (licensing according to the Legislative act of Ukraine = =93About the=20 social services=94). In cooperation with the Ministry of Family, = Youth and=20 Sports, the Ministry of Labor and Social Services, the = All-Ukrainian=20 Network People Living with HIV/AIDS, the Harm Reduction = Association, and=20 other National and International organizations the = recommendations on=20 the structure of the Social standards and the Licensing = procedure were=20 developed.=20
Improve the quality of services of the local NGOs providing=20 assistance to people with TB or people who are vulnerable to TB = or=20 TB/HIV co-infection and develop the relevant policy to expand = the range=20 of services in the area of TB.=20
Form a broad-scale anti-discrimination movement and develop = an=20 appropriate law.

For the moment Coalition consists of 62 non-government = HIV-service=20 organizations from 20 regions of Ukraine.
More information = about the=20 Coalition and its activities can be found at http://www.ngo.aids.ua/.

News from the AIDS Action Europe Steering = Committee=20
New Members
AIDS Action = Europe=20 welcomes new Steering Committee members Ms. Elena Nechesina and = Mr. Karlo=20 Boras who were elected during the last Steering Committee meeting = held=20 29-30 September 2006 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Ms. Elena Nechesina = is=20 representing the Coalition of HIV Service Organizations working in = Ukraine=20 and Mr. Karlo Boras is from the organization Youth of JAZAS in=20 Serbia.

The list of current AIDS Action Europe Steering = Committee=20 members is as follows:=20

Surname, Name	Affiliation	Country
Chris Lambrechts=20	SENSOA	Belgium
Elena=20 Nechesina	Coalition of HIV Service Organizations	Ukraine
Emmanuel Trenado	Aides	France
Hannah=20 Bate	National AIDS Trust =96 NAT	United=20 Kingdom
Ilona=20 van de Braak	AIDS=20 Foundation East-West =96 AFEW	The=20 Netherlands
Karlo=20 Boras	Youth=20 of JAZAS	Serbia
Kirsten Jensen	Aids=20 Fondet	Denmark
Maria=20 Georgescu	Romanian Association Against AIDS =96 = ARAS	Romania
Ophelia Haanyama	Noak=92s=20 Ark Red Cross	Sweden
Ton=20 Coenen	Soa=20 Aids Nederland	The=20 Netherlands
Ulrich=20 Heide	Deutsche AIDS Stiftung	Germany
Wim=20 Vandevelde	European AIDS Treatment Group - EATG	Portugal

Next Steering Committee = Meeting
The next=20 meeting of the AIDS Action Europe Steering Committee is planed = 22-24=20 February 2007 in Bon, Germany. We look forward to participation of = our new=20 members and taking further activities of AIDS Action Europe = together with=20 them. It is planned that the meeting will serve to review the = activities=20 undertaken in 2006 to discuss longer term sustainability and = strategic=20 planning issues, define priorities for advocacy and start = preparations for=20 a members meeting in 2008.
If members of AIDS Action Europe = would like=20 any questions or issues to be discussed at the meeting please = forward them=20 to the Western Office (in English) at mailto:westernoffice@a= idsactioneurope.orgor=20 to the Eastern Office (in Russian) at aae-easternoffice@ceehrn.org= .

Contact information =
Secretariat=20

Western Office
Coordinator: Martine de=20 Schutter
Communications Officer: Martine van der Meulen=20
Address: Soa Aids Nederland (STI AIDS Netherlands),=20 Keizersgracht 390-392, 1016 GB Amsterdam, The = Netherlands
Tel.:=20 +31 (0)20 62 62 669
Fax: +31 (0)20 6275221
E-mail: mailto:westernoffice@a= idsactioneurope.org

Eastern office
Coordinator: Marija=20 Subataite
Address: CEEHRN, Pamenkalnio st. 19-6, Vilnius = 01114,=20 Lithuania
Tel.: +370 5 2609007, 2691600
Fax: +370 5=20 2691601
E-mail: aae-easternoffice@ceehrn.org=

AIDS Action Europe is the European partner of = International=20 Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO)