Cambodia
1. Cambodia Human Rights
Cambodians who use drugs confound the notion that drug dependence is a self-inflicted
condition that results from a character disorder or moral failing. When Human Rights Watch
talked with these people, they were invariably softly spoken and polite. They talked openly
and honestly about difficult childhoods (in many cases still underway) living on the streets,
or growing up in refugee camps in Thailand. Often young and poorly educated, they spoke of
using drugs for extended periods of time. Despite many hardships in their lives, their voices
rarely became bitter except when describing their arrest and detention in government drug
detention centers. They did not mince words when describing these places. One former
detainee, Kakada, was particularly succinct: “I think this is not a rehab center but a torturing
center.”
2. Group impugns proposed drug-control law
P ROPOSED legislation aimed at strengthening the Kingdom's drug control law could also allow staffers in rehabilitation centres to commit human rights abuses with “total impunity” and give authorities sweeping powers of detention, critics warned Thursday.
3. Treatment or Punishment?
The glossy brochure from Cambodia's national drugs authority is reassuring. Drug use causes social instability and blocks national development, it explains, but the ultimate solution is to encourage people who use drugs to seek support. Friends and family must "avoid discrimination, intolerance and violence" toward people who use drugs and help them ''find the necessary services for people to stop using drugs''.
India
4. Timing of Initiation of Antiretroviral Drugs during Tuberculosis Therapy
Background The rates of death are high among patients with coinfection with tuberculosis and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The optimal timing for the initiation of antiretroviral therapy in relation to tuberculosis therapy remains controversial.
Malaysia
5. Harm reduction project injects new life
THE implementation of the Harm Reduction Programme through Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) and Needle Syringe Exchange Programme (NSEP) has shown positive results, with many kicking drug addiction and leading a quality life. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai says the success of the two programmes reflect the spirit of smart partnership and commitment between the government and private and non-governmental organisations in reducing the number of Malaysians hooked on dadah.
Thailand
6. Building Resource Mobilization Capacity in Thailand
In these challenging times, NGO managers and fundraisers are under more pressure than ever to diversify their funding sources. This training hopes to address this challenge in the area of resource mobilization by building the capacity in Thailand of a network of participating NGOs and fundraisers through training - with a specific focus on institutional funders. The aim of the training course is to provide practical knowledge, adapted to reflect the reality in Thailand, to the attendees on key issues affecting resource mobilization. The curriculum, exercises, and case studies will be specific to the Thai context and based on a capacity gap analysis and feedback from potential participants. The course is ideally suited to fundraising professionals who want to build their capacity; executive directors/NGO managers responsible for donor relations; and consultants who want to develop their professional skills.
7. Hepatitis C (HCV) interventions and the Global Fund
In Bali, you recognized the scope and problem of HCV infection among people who inject drugs and the need to make accessible and affordable diagnostics and treatment available. We ask you now to urgently follow up on our discussions during the meeting by issuing a statement from the Global Fund Secretariat, and officially provide inspiration by writing to all CCMs, clarifying that HCV testing and treatment may and should be included in proposals to the GFATM.
Outside Asia
8. [UK] Can't Treat Our Way Out of the Epidemic
It's been a bad few months for HIV prevention. We've learned that our
best candidates for vaccines and virus-killing microbicides don't
work. Now we're clutching at another straw: maybe we can treat our way
out of the HIV epidemic.
9. [UK] Guide for NGOs attending the CND
This guide has been prepared by the IDPC to provide logistical and practical information to
NGO and civil society participants attending the meetings of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
(CND) in Vienna.
10. [US] TNI/WOLA (Embargoed): INCB Oversteps Mandate in Criticizing Decriminalization
The UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) annual report released today pointedly criticizes Argentina, Brazil and Mexico for moving to decriminalize the possession of drugs for personal consumption, cautioning that such moves may "send the wrong message." The INCB report expresses concern over "the growing movement to decriminalize the possession of controlled drugs" and calls for this movement to be "resolutely countered" by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States.
11. [US] TNI/WOLA (Embargoed): INCB Oversteps Mandate in Criticizing Decriminalization
This study examined the impact of prison-initiated methadone maintenance at
12 months postrelease. Males with preincarceration heroin dependence (N =
204) were randomly assigned to (a) Counseling Only: counseling in prison,
with passive referral to treatment upon release; (b) Counseling + Transfer:
counseling in prison with transfer to methadone maintenance treatment upon
release; and (c) Counseling + Methadone: counseling and methadone
maintenance in prison, continued in the community upon release. The mean
number of days in community-based drug abuse treatment were, respectively,
Counseling Only, 23.1; Counseling + Transfer, 91.3; and Counseling +
Methadone, 166.0 (p < .01); all pairwise comparisons were statistically
significant (all ps < .01). Counseling + Methadone participants were also
significantly less likely than participants in each of the other two groups
to be opioid-positive or cocaine-positive according to urine drug testing.
These results support the effectiveness of prison-initiated methadone for
males in the United States. Further study is required to confirm the
findings for women.

1. Cambodia Human Rights

Cambodians who use drugs confound the notion that drug dependence is a self-inflicted
condition that results from a character disorder or moral failing. When Human Rights Watch
talked with these people, they were invariably softly spoken and polite. They talked openly
and honestly about difficult childhoods (in many cases still underway) living on the streets,
or growing up in refugee camps in Thailand. Often young and poorly educated, they spoke of
using drugs for extended periods of time. Despite many hardships in their lives, their voices
rarely became bitter except when describing their arrest and detention in government drug
detention centers. They did not mince words when describing these places. One former
detainee, Kakada, was particularly succinct: “I think this is not a rehab center but a torturing
center.”2
Kakada’s appraisal was borne out by Human Rights Watch’s own research. Many detainees
are subjected to sadistic violence, including being shocked with electric batons and
whipped with twisted electrical wire. Arduous physical exercises and labor are the mainstays
of supposed drug “treatment”. Some detainees are forced to donate their blood. Many suffer
symptoms of diseases consistent with nutritional deficiencies. Those detained in such
centers include a large number of children under 15, as well as people with mental illnesses.
People in such centers are detained in violation of international and Cambodian legal
standards.
In Cambodia, “undesirable” people such as the homeless, beggars, people who use drugs,
street children and sex workers are often arrested and detained in government centers. This
report is an investigation into the treatment of one such “undesirable” group—people who
use drugs—by law enforcement officials and staff working at government drug detention
centers. While people who use drugs are also sent to general “catch-all” centers, Human
Rights Watch believes there are currently 11 centers specifically designated for people who
use drugs in Cambodia. The centers are operated by a haphazard collection of government
authorities: the military police, civilian police, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and
Youth Rehabilitation (Social Affairs) and Phnom Penh municipal authorities. In 2008, over
2,000 individuals were detained in such centers throughout the country.
A very small number—perhaps 1 or 2 percent of the total—enter these centers voluntarily.
Roughly half enter drug detention centers after being arrested by police or unlawfully
rounded up by other authorities for drug use or vagrancy. The other half is arrested at the
request of their parents or relatives. In such cases the families invariably have to pay for
detention despite the fact that Cambodian law requires drug dependency treatment in
government facilities to be free.
The process of arrest and subsequent detention appears to follow two broad patterns. In
some locations (such as Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh) poor people who use drugs (as
well as other groups of “undesirables”) are regularly rounded up by police, Social Affairs
staff and others. If they have enough money, or parents or others are willing to pay, they
might bribe their way out of police or Social Affairs detention. If not, they will be sent to a
drug detention center. In other locations in Cambodia (such as some provincial capitals),
poor people who use drugs will be ignored, or else will be arrested, charged, and sent to
prison. In these locations, drug detention centers primarily or exclusively detain people
whose family is wealthy enough to pay police and/or center staff for arrest and subsequent
detention. Such a distinction is not rigorously observed, as police still regularly clear the
streets of provincial capitals, while people are sent to centers in Phnom Penh on the request
and payment of their parents or relatives.
Whatever the scenario, Cambodians who use drugs are arrested and detained illegally.
Police rarely tell people the reasons for arrest, or misrepresent why they are arresting
someone. There is no access to legal counsel in police detention or in subsequent detention
in the centers. There is no judicial authorization of detention, nor any oversight or review.
Research has shown that drug dependence is not a failure of will or of strength of character
but a chronic, relapsing medical condition with a physiological and genetic basis that could
affect any human being. People dependent on drugs have the right to access medically
appropriate, effective drug dependence treatment, tailored to their individual needs and the
nature of their dependence. However, the “treatment” and “rehabilitation” in the centers is
ethically unacceptable, scientifically and medically inappropriate, and of miserable quality.
Sweating while exercising or laboring appears to be the most common means to “cure” drug
dependence. Center staff often tell detainees that they must work up a sweat to eliminate
drugs from the body. In some centers, this regime of physical exercise and laboring is
augmented by military drills, group classes on drug issues and supposed vocational training.
In many instances, forced labor and vocational training activities appear motivated only by
benefits to the center staff, as opposed to the detainees themselves.
If Cambodian authorities think they are reducing drug dependency through the policy of
compulsory detention at these centers, they are wrong. There is no evidence that forced
physical exercises, forced labor and forced military drills have any therapeutic benefit
whatsoever. After a number of months in the centers, individuals are declared “cured”
because drugs are no longer physically present in the body. One former detainee, Puth,
identified the obvious flaw in the current approach:
I think that success [cessation of drug use] only happens inside the center
but they will use drugs after they are out. The majority [of detainees] return to
drugs... some are sent three times, four times, five times to the centers.3
The existing system of compulsory drug detention centers is not reducing the number of
Cambodians who use drugs. NGO workers and health professionals in Cambodia criticized
the centers as “not working” and “[merely] being seen to do something.”4 Indeed, former
detainees said that, rather than “rehabilitate” them, their detention undermined the skills,
resources and human relationships many had beforehand, and which help integrate people
into their community. According to Chrolong, “After I left [the center] everything had finished.
I lost my job, my girlfriend left me, [and] then I started using drugs again. I wasn’t using
drugs when they arrested me.”5
The real motivations for Cambodia’s drug detention centers appear to be a combination of
social control, punishment for the perceived moral failure of drug use, and profit. Indeed,
people who do not meet the government’s own criteria for drug dependence are often
detained. For example, the National Authority for Combating Drugs [NACD] reports that
almost 700 individuals were detained for crystal methamphetamine use in government run
centers in 2008, although 25 percent were “not dependent” according to the NACD’s own
assessment.
Compounding the therapeutic ineffectiveness of detention is the extreme cruelty
experienced at the hands—and boots, truncheons and electric batons—of center staff.
Sadistic violence, experienced as spontaneous and capricious, is integral to the way in
which these centers operate. Human Rights Watch found the practice of torture and inhuman
treatment to be widely practiced throughout Cambodia’s drug detention centers.
The overwhelming majority of those interviewed for this report had either experienced the
cruel and inhuman treatment described below or seen it first hand. Former detainees report
they were shocked with electric batons, whipped with twisted electrical wire, beaten, forced
to perform painful physical exercises such as rolling along the ground, and were chained
while standing in the sun. Many of these abuses were for minor infringements of center rules,
although sometimes not even that pretext was necessary. In addition, Human Rights Watch
received reports of detainees being raped by center staff. Others reported they were coerced
into donating their blood to avoid being beaten or to secure their release from the centers.
Center staff routinely appoint certain detainees to carry out the majority of the day-to-day
control of other detainees and enforce the rules of the center. Extreme physical cruelty by
detainees, sometimes on the direct orders of staff, is commonplace inside the centers.
Former detainees complained to Human Rights Watch about the quality and quantity of the
food provided to them. They also reported that they were often hungry. The food provided
was often rotten or insect-ridden, and appears to have been grossly deficient both in
nutritional and caloric content. Detainees reported symptoms of diseases consistent with
nutritional deficiencies.
In 2008 just under one quarter of detainees in government drug detention centers were aged
18 or below. Contrary to international law, they are detained alongside adults. Child
detainees told us of being beaten, shocked with electric batons and forced to work. Children
also said they were coerced into donating their blood.
In practice, the government drug detention centers also function as a convenient means of
removing people with apparent mental illnesses from the general community and public
view. Human Rights Watch interviewed former detainees who reported appalling physical
violence against people with apparent mental illnesses in the centers. There are no services
or resources in the centers for managing mental illnesses.
In view of the widespread abuses against detainees, the Royal Cambodian Government
should permanently close Cambodia’s drug detention centers. The Government should
commence a prompt, thorough investigation and legal action (including criminal prosecution)
of perpetrators of torture, cruel and inhuman treatment, arbitrary detention and other human
rights abuses, and criminal acts in Cambodia’s drug detention centers. Human Rights Watch
considers that current detainees are being detained in violation of international and
Cambodian law and should be immediately released. Their continued detention cannot be
justified. At the same time, Human Rights Watch calls on the Royal Cambodian Government
to develop alternative measures of drug dependence treatment. Without delay, the
Government should expand access to voluntary, community-based drug dependency
treatment and ensure that such treatment is medically appropriate and comports with
international standards.

Back to top

2. Group impugns proposed drug-control law

Critics say current document would only increase violence and abuse in Cambodia's criticised drug rehabilitation centres

P ROPOSED legislation aimed at strengthening the Kingdom's drug control law could also allow staffers in rehabilitation centres to commit human rights abuses with “total impunity” and give authorities sweeping powers of detention, critics warned Thursday.

Shortly after a scathing Human Rights Watch report released this week that detainees held in 11 government-run treatment centres face “sadistic violence”, critics are warning that the draft Law on Drug Control, written with support from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), would allow any abuses to continue.

Rights watchdogs have zeroed in on two articles they describe as potentially “dangerous”, including one that guarantees public access to drug treatment.

“Officers who implement drug treatment and rehabilitation measures in accordance with the right to drug treatment shall not be prosecuted for their activities,” states Article 67(5) of a February 2009 draft of the law, which was obtained by the Post.

The wording is particularly troublesome, given ongoing allegations of abuse, said Joe Amon, HRW's director for health and human rights.

“This provision will allow drug detention staff to commit the kinds of abuses we document – beatings, rape, torture – with total impunity,” Amon said.

A separate article outlines the circumstances in which a person can be forced into treatment: “If a person is drug-dependent ... a guardian, relative or authority can ... arrest and refer the person to drug treatment.”

David Harding, international coordinator for drugs programmes at Friends International, called it “the most dangerous article in the entire law”.
“Anybody could say that somebody is a drug addict and have them interned indefinitely.”

Almost half of those detained in rehabilitation centres were arrested at the request of a relative, the HRW report said.

In response to criticism, authorities said it was necessary to outline compulsory treatment in the drug control law, which was first adopted in 1996.
“Our idea here is to help serious drug addicts get out of drugs. It is not wrong,” said Moek Dara, secretary general for the NACD.

“People who are dependent on drugs are different from normal people. If we do not push them, they do not find drug treatment themselves,” he said.

Moek Dara rejected criticism that the law would give treatment centre staff impunity.

“They will still face prosecution if they commit crimes under criminal law, like beating and using violence,” he said.

UNODC role
HRW's Amon blamed the UNODC, which assisted in drafting the law, for shortcomings in the proposed legislation.

“The UNODC ... needs to do more to ensure that [drug treatment centres] do not operate wholly outside of Cambodian and international law,” Amon said. “The new law that has been drafted is a disgrace.”

But Harding said there were so many issues with the legislation when it was brought for public consultation last February that civil society had little time to make the case on how to plug the holes.

“I think the UN agencies have worked really hard on this,” Harding said. “There are just so many areas of concern that you can only do so much.”

As it stands now, however, Harding said the proposed law could usher in a surge in the number of people detained in detention centres.

“I think we could see a situation where there are significantly more incarcerations of people,” Harding said.

The draft Law on Drug Control is currently being discussed by the Council of Ministers, Moek Dara said. He said he expected the law would be approved “later this year”, before it makes its way to the National Assembly.

The UNODC's East Asia representative, Gary Lewis, did not answer requests for comment Thursday.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2010012931244/National-news/group-impugns-proposed-drug-control-law.html

Back to top

3. Treatment or Punishment?

So-called rehabilitation centres in Cambodia and elsewhere in Asia are in reality prisons where harsh and ineffective measures are used to break the hold of drugs

The glossy brochure from Cambodia's national drugs authority is reassuring. Drug use causes social instability and blocks national development, it explains, but the ultimate solution is to encourage people who use drugs to seek support. Friends and family must "avoid discrimination, intolerance and violence" toward people who use drugs and help them ''find the necessary services for people to stop using drugs''.

If only they could. The brochure does not mention that the Cambodian government's principal strategy to address drug dependence is not treatment, but detention. Each year, more than 2,000 people pass through the 11 drug detention centres around the country, usually detained for three to six months. The ''treatment'' and ''rehabilitation'' these centres provide? Military drills, hard labour and forced exercise. Beatings are common. These centres offer no medically appropriate treatment, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, psycho-social support (counselling, for example) or opiate substitution therapy. As one former detainee explained, his centre was ''not a rehab centre but a torture centre''. His appraisal was borne out by Human Rights Watch's own research, published in a new report, ''Skin on the Cable''.

Former detainees reported that they were shocked with electric batons, whipped with twisted electrical wire, regularly beaten, and chained standing in the sun. Some told us of being raped by centre staff or coerced into donating their blood. Many reported swelling and numbness in their limbs _ symptoms of nutritional deficiencies.

Given its stated commitment to helping people stop using drugs, why hasn't Cambodia invested in effective drug treatment rather than detention?

One reason may be that the centres are a convenient means to hold people when police and municipal authorities ''clean'' the streets before national festivities or visits by high-ranking foreign officials. Drug detention centres are frequently used not just to hold those dependent upon drugs, but also street children, people with apparent mental illnesses, or casual drug users.

Another explanation lies in the money these centres can generate. Although Cambodian law requires the government to offer free treatment to drug users, drug detention centres often accept fees from families to take in their relatives. It is unlikely that the family members are aware that the approach in these centres is ''spare the electric baton and spoil the child''.

Ultimately, the driving factor behind Cambodia's drug detention centres is a dangerously simplistic understanding of drug dependence: it's considered a matter of having drugs in the body as a consequence of an individual's moral weakness. Hence ''treatment'' requires locking people up, forcing them to sweat to remove drugs from their systems and beating them to strengthen their resolve to stay off drugs. As one former detainee explained, ''The big boss of the centre] said, 'Doing exercise will make you sweat and the addictive substance will come out through sweat.' [Each morning] we had to do 50 to 100 push ups. If you couldn't do this, you were beaten ...''

Cambodia is not the only country in the region to consider detention an appropriate form of drug treatment. In Thailand, since 2003, people who use drugs have been considered ''patients, not criminals''. But in practice each year thousands of people needing drug treatment are held in prison for ''assessment'' for extended periods. Then they are put into ''drug treatment'' centres, often run by the Thai armed forces, where military drills are a key component of so-called ''treatment''.

In China, an estimated 350,000 drug users are detained for up to 7 years for treatment or rehabilitation in centres where they can be held without due process and subjected to forced labour and psychological re-education.

In Vietnam, between 50,000 and 60,000 people are being detained in 109 detention centres for drug treatment, with sentences are as long as five years.

It is easy to see drug dependence as a moral issue. But it is not. As a chronic, relapsing medical condition dependence on drugs cannot be addressed by locks and chains, push ups or police batons. Treatment should be provided only for those who are dependent, drug dependency services should be run by health care professionals and not public security forces, and therapy should be tailored to the individual clinical needs of the patient.

Compulsory drug detention centres that deny effective treatment to drug users and rely upon beatings, forced labour and exercise should be closed down, and voluntary, in-community treatment options should be supported. This is the only way we can guarantee that the ''treatment'' for drug dependence is not worse than the disease.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/01/24/treatment-or-punishment

Back to top

4. [CA] Timing of Initiation of Antiretroviral Drugs during Tuberculosis Therapy

Background The rates of death are high among patients with coinfection with tuberculosis and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The optimal timing for the initiation of antiretroviral therapy in relation to tuberculosis therapy remains controversial.

Methods In an open-label, randomized, controlled trial in Durban, South Africa, we assigned 642 patients with both tuberculosis and HIV infection to start antiretroviral therapy either during tuberculosis therapy (in two integrated-therapy groups) or after the completion of such treatment (in one sequential-therapy group). The diagnosis of tuberculosis was based on a positive sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli. Only patients with HIV infection and a CD4+ cell count of less than 500 per cubic millimeter were included. All patients received standard tuberculosis therapy, prophylaxis with trimethoprim– sulfamethoxazole , and a once-daily antiretroviral regimen of didanosine, lamivudine, and efavirenz. The primary end point was death from any cause.

Results This analysis compares data from the sequential-therapy group and the combined integrated-therapy groups up to September 1, 2008, when the data and safety monitoring committee recommended that all patients receive integrated antiretroviral therapy. There was a reduction in the rate of death among the 429 patients in the combined integrated-therapy groups (5.4 deaths per 100 person-years, or 25 deaths), as compared with the 213 patients in the sequential-therapy group (12.1 per 100 person-years, or 27 deaths); a relative reduction of 56% (hazard ratio in the combined integrated-therapy groups, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.25 to 0.79; P=0.003). Mortality was lower in the combined integrated-therapy groups in all CD4+ count strata. Rates of adverse events during follow-up were similar in the two study groups.

Back to top

5. Harm reduction project injects new life

THE implementation of the Harm Reduction Programme through Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) and Needle Syringe Exchange Programme (NSEP) has shown positive results, with many kicking drug addiction and leading a quality life. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai says the success of the two programmes reflect the spirit of smart partnership and commitment between the government and private and non-governmental organisations in reducing the number of Malaysians hooked on dadah.

As for the NSEP which started in 2006 with cooperation from NGOs, he says it has been extended to 11 sites and 22 government health centres last year.

"The initial 42 outreach ports were expanded to 206 ports."

As of December last year, Liow says, 18,377 drug addicts were placed under NSEP, with 66 per cent return rate of needles and syringes.

This year, he adds, the ministry is committed to delivering NSEP services through NGOs and public facilities.

He says there were 45 places in 2006 where drug addicts could get new needles and syringes after returning the used ones, and the number rose to 69 places in 2007, 116 in 2008 and 230 last year.

There were 4,357 registered addicts in 2006, followed by 6,658 in 2007, 12,230 in 2008 and 5,575 last year.

Of these numbers, he adds, 1,707 were regular addicts in 2006, 2,663 in 2007, 3,604 in 2008 and 4,184 last year.

"We also saw an increase in the number of addicts coming forward to do the HIV test."

Of the 130 who volunteered to be tested for HIV in 2006, Liow says 37 were found positive while none of 119 tested in 2007 were victims of the disease.

Of the 356 tested for HIV in 2008, 35 were found positive while of 422 tested last year, 38 were found positive.

As for the MMT programme which began in October 2005, Liow said the number of patients increased from 1,241 in 2006 to 10,730 last year.

"We hope to increase the number of addicts under the MMT programme this year to 25,000," he says, adding that there are 157 MMT centres, the majority running at government hospitals and health clinics.

"We have 14 general practitioners, 19 district National Anti-Drug Agencies and 12 prisons that have also started the MMT programme," he says, adding the average retention rate on the MMT programme was 70 per cent last year.

"This is among the best retention rates from similar programmes reported elsewhere in the world."

Liow says they hope to increase the retention rate further, with a targeted 25,000 people this year.

Back to top

6. Building Resource Mobilization Capacity in Thailand

When: 2010

Where: Bangkok, Thailand (* Training organizers are actively seeking a training host and approaching donors so that the costs for Thai NGOs can be partially subsidized).

In these challenging times, NGO managers and fundraisers are under more pressure than ever to diversify their funding sources. This training hopes to address this challenge in the area of resource mobilization by building the capacity in Thailand of a network of participating NGOs and fundraisers through training - with a specific focus on institutional funders. The aim of the training course is to provide practical knowledge, adapted to reflect the reality in Thailand, to the attendees on key issues affecting resource mobilization. The curriculum, exercises, and case studies will be specific to the Thai context and based on a capacity gap analysis and feedback from potential participants. The course is ideally suited to fundraising professionals who want to build their capacity; executive directors/NGO managers responsible for donor relations; and consultants who want to develop their professional skills.

The proposed topics covered by this seminar include:

Basic concepts of cross-border resource mobilization Identifying international funding opportunities and prospect research Electronic resources and databases (including the US Foundation Center's database) The impact of the economic crisis and global economy on fundraising efforts Management and business systems required to effectively mobilize resources Strategy development and setting goals Donor relations Concept notes and program proposals Building inclusive budgets Monitoring & evaluation and project reporting Resource mobilization communications strategies

After completion of the course participants will know how to answer the following questions:

Where can I get information on international funding opportunities? How do I approach mobilizing resources for my organization? What tools do I need to develop a successful fundraising strategy? How do I draft successful funding concept notes and proposals? How do I create inclusive project budgets? What are some of the key problem areas when dealing with cross border funding?

Following the training - donor funding permitting - this project aims to support a Fundraising Resource Library open to all Thai NGOs that will be hosted by an NGO or University Library. It will include printed materials and open access to international grants databases containing millions of grants.

Course Trainer: Mr. Erik Detiger

Erik Detiger is the founder of Philantropia and trainer, who has nearly two decades of experience working in the field of international philanthropy and fundraising. A highly successful international project manager and fundraising professional, Erik has raised over US $100 million for numerous international projects from a wide variety of government agencies, foundations, and institutions. Over the years he lent his expertise to many international human rights organizations including UNICEF, the ILO, The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), and Social Accountability International. He is a frequent speaker and regularly teaches International Fundraising for the Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) at Columbia University in New York. This professional experience gives him a wealth of fist-hand knowledge and expertise on what it takes to successfully raise funds from international donors.

For more information please visit www.philantropia.org

Contact Philantropia by phone +1-212-336-1556 or email marakelian@philantropia.org

If you know anyone who may be interested and would like to provide feedback please forward this message.

Back to top

7. Hepatitis C (HCV) interventions and the Global Fund

In Bali, you recognized the scope and problem of HCV infection among people who inject drugs and the need to make accessible and affordable diagnostics and treatment available. We ask you now to urgently follow up on our discussions during the meeting by issuing a statement from the Global Fund Secretariat, and officially provide inspiration by writing to all CCMs, clarifying that HCV testing and treatment may and should be included in proposals to the GFATM.

We are aware that Global Fund grants are already being used for HCV testing and treatment in some countries in Eastern Europe. In South and Southeast Asia you can be assured that, as community leaders, we will be doing our utmost to inform and educate our communities and CCMs about the importance of HCV interventions. However, our task is further challenged by poor data, negative attitudes towards the right to health of criminalized populations, and of course the high cost of treatment itself. We will soon be launching an education and advocacy campaign to counter this.

Back to top

8. [UK] Can't Treat Our Way Out of the Epidemic

One HIV test, but two results
The realities of HIV depend on geography. We can't treat our way out
of this epidemic

Elizabeth Pisani
guardian.co.uk , Monday 22 February 2010 21.30 GMT

It's been a bad few months for HIV prevention. We've learned that our
best candidates for vaccines and virus-killing microbicides don't
work. Now we're clutching at another straw: maybe we can treat our way
out of the HIV epidemic.

At an HIV research meeting this week, boffins from the World Health
Organisation revived a mathematical model that shows that if we test
everyone in Africa for HIV once a year and give everyone who tests
positive expensive drugs right away and for the rest of their lives,
we'll wipe out new HIV infections within seven years. That's because
HIV is passed on most easily when there's lots of virus in the
infected person's blood and body fluids. Antiretroviral medicines cut
the "viral load" (the amount of virus in the body), so they make it
more difficult to pass on HIV. Ergo, more treatment means fewer new
infections.

Sadly, it's not that simple. For one thing, HIV is most infectious in
the few months after a person is first infected. Even if everyone got
tested annually, we'd miss most of these new infections. Second,
people's viral load spikes upwards if they get another sexually
transmitted infection (STI), or if they stop taking their medicine
because the clinic runs out of stock, the meds make them feel sick, or
they went on a three-day bender and forgot their pills. Interrupting
treatment also allows the virus to develop resistance to drugs, and
that leads to more spikes in viral load. Most importantly,
antiretrovirals keep you alive and well enough to be out there meeting
new sex partners. That's a good thing, obviously, but it also means
that people who have HIV are going to have more chances to pass it on
during those times when their viral load is spiky.

There's more. In countries like the UK where treatment has been
available for over a decade, Aids has virtually disappeared. HIV,
unfortunately, has not. A few years after antiretrovirals became
widely available, new infections among gay men in the UK began to
rise. We've seen the same thing in Australia, the United States and
practically everywhere else we have data. One reason for that is that
gay men use condoms less now than they did when HIV = Aids = a
horrible death. Now, though, HIV = a pill every day. Boring, but not
the end of the world, unless you're the taxpayer picking up the tab
for it or the epidemiologist worrying that drug-resistant strains of
HIV will reignite Aids.

On top of that, many people assume that if the person they're having
sex with is infected, they'll be on meds and so not very infectious.
Which may be true if they're not in that early peak of infectiousness,
have taken all their pills diligently, and don't have another STI.
Though since condom use is dropping across the board, other STI rates
are soaring. In short, more people living with HIV, combined with more
unprotected sex is outweighing the effects of lower viral load in
places where the population is well informed, HIV testing is actively
promoted, and treatment has been free and universally available. But
in Africa it will be different.

Our computer model assumes every African will get tested for HIV every
year, everyone who tests positive will start taking antiretrovirals
immediately and 98 out of 100 will never miss a dose. On top of that,
though gay men in rich countries use condoms far less now than they
did before we had antiretrovirals, we assume that heterosexuals in
Africa are going to use them more once the most visible and
frightening face of Aids disappears.

On the strength of this model, which bears as much relation to reality
as an MP's expense claim, we are going to hail expanded HIV treatment
in Africa as the new answer to prevention. A triumph of optimism over
common sense.

Back to top

9. [UK] Guide for NGOs attending the CND

This guide has been prepared by the IDPC to provide logistical and practical information to
NGO and civil society participants attending the meetings of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
(CND) in Vienna.

1. Access to the Vienna International Centre (VIC)
The meetings of the CND take place in the Vienna International Centre (VIC). To gain entry to
VIC for the CND meeting it is necessary to arrange a conference pass in advance.

2. Satellite/side events
NGOs who are interested in organising a side event at the Commission have to submit a
request to the Advocacy Section of UNODC. The key contacts there is Mirella Frahi Dumar
(mirella.frahi@unodc.org , +43 1 26060 5583).

3. Documentation
Before the event
General information about the meeting (venue, programme, official papers, etc) can be
downloaded in advance from the UNODC website (www.unodc.org) .

4. Statements at the CND
NGOs with ECOSOC consultative status have the right to speak in the Plenary if the time
permits, but this is dependent on the decision of the chairperson. They have not traditionally
been careful to allow time for NGOs. All speakers must be registered in advance with the
Secretariat and for translation purposes it is useful to provide your statement in advance to the
Secretariat. Written statements should be no longer than 1,500 words and, even if you are lucky
enough to be called, you should be prepared to put across your key points as briefly as
possible.

http://www.idpc.net/sites/default/files/library/NGO%20guide%20to%20CND.pdf

Back to top

10. [US] INCB Oversteps Mandate in Criticizing Decriminalization

TNI WOLA.JPGEmbargoed Press Release
------------------------------------------------------------------------

//TNI/WOLA Drug Law Reform Project///
//Embargoed until Wednesday, February 24 at 11:00 AM Central European Time (CET)/5:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST) /

**UN's International Narcotics Control Board's Annual Report**
**Oversteps Mandate and Interferes with Countries' Sovereignty**


The UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) annual report released today pointedly criticizes Argentina, Brazil and Mexico for moving to decriminalize the possession of drugs for personal consumption, cautioning that such moves may "send the wrong message." The INCB report expresses concern over "the growing movement to decriminalize the possession of controlled drugs" and calls for this movement to be "resolutely countered" by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States.

According to the Transnational Institute (TNI) and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), **the criticisms leveled today clearly overstep the INCB's mandate and constitute unwarranted intrusions into these countries' sovereign decision-making. **TNI and WOLA are** **non-governmental organizations with expertise in both the UN drug control system and Latin American drug policy developments.

In August 2009, Argentina's Supreme Court of Justice declared unconstitutional the punishment of possession of cannabis for personal use. Last year, Mexico, through legislation, decriminalized the possession of drugs for personal consumption. In 2006, Brazil moved to partial decriminalization, replacing prison sentences with treatment and educational measures.

**"There are too many consumers and small-time drug offenders overcrowding Latin American jails. This is not only inhumane, it also means justice systems are diverting their scarce resources and attention away from big traffickers,"** said Pien Metaal, TNI Drugs and Democracy Program Researcher.** "Part of the overcrowding problem stems from disproportionate prison sentences for non-violent offenders." **

Experiences so far with decriminalization of possession of drugs for personal use have not led to significant increases in drug use. In 2001, Portugal decriminalized the possession of all drugs for personal use, and has since seen a decrease in heroin use and in related adverse consequences, such as the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Created in 1968, the INCB monitors implementation of the UN's 1961 and 1971 international drug control conventions, and of the precursor control system established under the 1988 convention. According to TNI and WOLA, the INCB is clearly acting beyond its mandate by criticizing < http://www.wola.org/images/stories/Drug%20Policy/2009%20international%20narcotics%20control%20board%20annual%20report%20extracts.pdf > countries' jurisprudence and policies regarding decriminalization.

**"In the case of the Argentine Supreme Court ruling, it is arrogant interference by the INCB to question the judgment of the highest judicial authority of a sovereign State. The INCB has neither the mandate nor the expertise to challenge such a decision," **said** **Martin Jelsma, TNI Drugs and Democracy Program Coordinator.

The INCB justifies its call to 'resolutely counter' the decriminalization trend by 'reminding' governments of provisions in the 1988 Convention. **"But apparently it's the INCB that needs reminding, both about the limits of its own role and about what the treaties actually require," **said John Walsh, WOLA Senior Associate.** "Not only does the INCB lack the mandate to raise such issues, the INCB misreads the 1988 Convention itself, asserting an absolute obligation to criminalize drug possession when the Convention explicitly affords some flexibility on this matter."**

Specifically, the INCB report states that the 1988 Convention requires each party to "//establish as a criminal offence [...] the possession, purchase or cultivation of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances for personal consumption//..." However, the INCB report neglects to mention a phrase that is crucial to interpreting the Convention. Article 3, paragraph 2 explicitly states that measures to criminalize possession for personal consumption are subject to each country's "//constitutional principles and the basic concepts of its legal system//." Therefore, subscribing to the 1988 Convention only obligates a country to criminalize possession for personal consumption when that does not present a conflict with a nation's constitutional and legal principles, leaving governments with a certain latitude within the Conventions to reform their laws accordingly. For more information on the Conventions and the INCB's mandate, click here < http://www.wola.org/images/stories/Drug%20Policy/notes%20for%20editors_pr240210.pdf >.

Like last year, the INCB uses its annual report to reprimand Bolivia for the continuation of coca chewing and other traditional uses of coca. In 2008, Bolivia enshrined in its Constitution the coca leaf as a cultural heritage. **"The INCB again shows itself to be out of touch with reality by demanding that Bolivia stamp out coca use, also wrongfully prohibited in the Conventions," **said TNI's Pien Metaal.** "The controversies around Article 3 of the 1988 Convention and the erroneous treatment of the coca leaf in the 1961 Convention are two examples of why the drug control treaty system, including the role played by the INCB, needs to be revised."**

For more information on Latin America's trend toward decriminalization, click here < http://www.wola.org/images/stories/Drug%20Policy/country%20overview%20drug%20laws%20_2_.pdf >.

Contact Kristel Mucino for further information: kmucino@wola.org < mailto:kmucino@wola.org >; Cell: +617-584-1713

Back to top

11. ]US] A randomized clinical trial of methadone maintenance for prisoners: Results at 12 months postrelease

This study examined the impact of prison-initiated methadone maintenance at
12 months postrelease. Males with preincarceration heroin dependence (N =
204) were randomly assigned to (a) Counseling Only: counseling in prison,
with passive referral to treatment upon release; (b) Counseling + Transfer:
counseling in prison with transfer to methadone maintenance treatment upon
release; and (c) Counseling + Methadone: counseling and methadone
maintenance in prison, continued in the community upon release. The mean
number of days in community-based drug abuse treatment were, respectively,
Counseling Only, 23.1; Counseling + Transfer, 91.3; and Counseling +
Methadone, 166.0 (p < .01); all pairwise comparisons were statistically
significant (all ps < .01). Counseling + Methadone participants were also
significantly less likely than participants in each of the other two groups
to be opioid-positive or cocaine-positive according to urine drug testing.
These results support the effectiveness of prison-initiated methadone for
males in the United States. Further study is required to confirm the
findings for women.


Keywords: Methadone maintenance, Prison, Substance abuse treatment
a Social Research Center, Friends Research Institute, Baltimore, MD 21201,
USA
b Division of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Forensic Studies,
University of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
c Open Society Institute, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
d Glenwood Life Counseling Center, Baltimore, MD 21212, USA
e Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742,
USA
(Embedded image moved to file: pic06235.jpg)Corresponding author. Social
Research Center, Friends Research Institute, Inc., Baltimore, MD 21201,
USA. Tel.: +1 410 837 3977; fax: +1 410 752 4218.

Back to top