Connections Project

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‘Drugs, Alcohol and Criminal Justice:

ethics, effectiveness and economics of interventions'
Friends House, London, UK -24-25 June 2010

Report & presentations >>>

11-12-09 Press debate over methadone in prison in the UK

http://www.ihrablog.net/2009/12/european-human-rights-monitors.html

24-11-09 Policy brief and technical paper recommends that scaling up of HIV prevention must include prisons and other closed settings

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have published a policy brief and technical paper on ‘HIV Testing and Counselling in Prisons and Other Closed Settings’. This paper emphasises the need for all stakeholders, including prison systems and other closed settings, to participate in the scaling up of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support as part of a comprehensive HIV programme, if universal access to HIV testing and counselling is to be achieved by 2010.

Prison Heath Protection: gathering of experts at the WHO conference in Madrid (28-31 October)

The annual conference of the WHO Health in Prison Project (HIPP), which gathers experts and practitioners on prison health from the wider European area took place in this year on the 28-31 October at the Ministry of Health and Social Policy in Madrid, Spain.

The conference was organized by HIPP in collaboration with a number of partner organisations from Spain and other EU countries.

The event was well attended by European policy makers, prison staff, criminal justice staff, health care staff, researchers, and NGO representatives who shared their national experiences and best practices. Main outcome of the conference is the Madrid Recommendation, recognising the urgent need in prisons for a set of measures, programmes and guidelines aiming to prevent and control major communicable diseases in prison.

More at http://www.euro.who.int/prisons

26-10-09 A strategy for combating HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries 2009-2013

Today the European Commission has renewed its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries by adopting a strategy for the period 2009-2013.

The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries has increased from 1.5 million in 2001 to 2.2 million in 2007.

The strategy reiterates the fact that the biggest impact on the epidemic can be achieved when the situation of the most at risk populations is efficiently addressed. The major at risk populations in Europe are, amongst others, injecting drug users, with a share of up to 70% of all new infections in EU neighbouring countries. Tailor-made approaches to reach these groups are essential towards containing the epidemic in Europe.

When addressing the needs of the most at risk groups, the European Commission states that “Injecting drug use (IDU) is the main driver of HIV transmission in Eastern Europe, where it accounts for 2/3 of all new infections. Drug addiction calls for an integrated medical and social response. Access to sterile needles, evidence-based addiction treatment, including substitution and other harm reduction measures, have proven to be very effective, including in high prevalence areas and in particular settings such as prisons.” Of particular concern is the high number of persons who are not aware of their infection. About 30% of people in the EU and up to 70% of people in several neighbouring countries do not know their HIV status.

The full text of the Communication can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/aids/com_aids_en.htm