AO Uniunea pentru prevenirea HIV si Reducerea Riscurilor (UORN) / Union for HIV prevention and Harm Reduction

AO Uniunea pentru prevenirea HIV si Reducerea Riscurilor (UORN) / Union for HIV prevention and Harm Reduction

December 2004, 14 organizations, based on the implementing of Harm Reduction strategies in Moldova have decided to form the Union for HIV Prevention and Harm Reduction (UORN). On November 19, 2007, the Moldovan Ministry of Justice registered this Union.

UORN continuously assesses members' needs and concerns regarding the implementation of risk reduction programs. In this context, we can highlight: the concern related to ensuring the continuity, sustainability and financial stability of the projects implemented for the near future; the need to expand the range of services addressed to the beneficiaries in order to cover more widely and streamline activities; the need to adhere to unique operating standards of risk reduction projects; the need to create a viable reference system that would solve as wide a range of problems as the beneficiaries face.

The aim of the UORN is to evaluate continuously all the members’ necessities and to implement Harm Reduction Programs. At the moment UORN is mainly focused on:

• Changing the social perception towards drug users in Republic of Moldova.
• Financial sustainability of Harm reduction programs in Republic of Moldova: thus the UORN team is working to guarantee the financial continuity, stability and sustainability for the future projects.
• Increasing the quality of service provision and creating a viable system of references for all potential beneficiaries of harm reduction programs, by promoting a joint standard in the domain of HIV and TB prevention and Harm Reduction.
• Ensuring the implementation of legal empowerment policies and practices that meet the needs of vulnerable communities such as injecting drug users, commercial sex workers, people living with HIV / AIDS through the specialized paralegal activities.
• Advocating for a humanitarian policy towards drug users by promoting the implementation of alternatives to drug-related punishments.