Author: Yuliia Holub
Today and tomorrow, EHRA representatives work actively as the members of core group of EU HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and Tuberculosis Civil Society Forum (CSF) in Luxembourg and during the plenary meeting.
CSF (on European level) is a providing platform for mutual learning and strategic thinking to improve policies and their implementation by stimulating the exchange of knowledge and knowhow between CSF members and the European Commission. What’s more, it helps in strengthening the advocacy for the rights of the key communities living or affected by these infections by addressing short-comings in the response to the epidemics, sharing knowledge and consensus building on standards to address critical and sensitive issues and contributing to European level policy and program development.
At the meeting, and in the work of the CSF for the next 6 months, for EHRA it is important to ensure effective joint advocacy for sustainable funding of harm reduction services in European countries, members of EU as well as candidates and neighbouring countries. In the situation when on EU level the general approach is “health is member state competence”, there are not enough opportunities for the regional advocacy exist. But we want to be sure, that we did everything to influence governments of European countries to make HIV, TB and hep C services available for people, who use drugs and other vulnerable groups.