[e-drug] 14th Int Conf on Reduction of Drug Related Harm

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E-drug: 14th Int Conf on Reduction of Drug Related Harm
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14th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm
Join Us for the 14TH IHRC in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand
6 to 10 April 2003

www.ihrc2003.net

The conference theme, "Strengthening Partnerships For A Safer Future", aims
to bring to the fore the many challenges of reducing drug-related harms in
a context of rapid social change and competition for scarce resources. The
Asian Harm Reduction Network and International Harm Reduction Association
invite you to attend this world conference to be held from 6 -10 April 2003.

Programme Summary
Presentations cover science and research in harm reduction, policy and
practice of harm reduction, and critical view points or commentaries in
harm reduction issues.

The conference in 2003, the 14th in this series, will have a special
emphasis on harm reduction advocacy, implementation and scaling up. It
follows the success of the 13th conference in Slovenia which focused on
social change, inclusion and exclusion, and the 12th conference in India
where community development for harm reduction was the theme.

We have a wide range of conference formats including plenary sessions,
symposia, round table discussions, skills sharing and problem solving, and
training workshops. We hope that everyone will have something to
conference, and leave with new ideas. We invite you to submit an abstract.
Further information on abstract submissions will be available during August
2002.

Sponsors: Asian Harm Reduction Network. International Harm Reduction
Association. Hosted by: Ministry of Public Health Thailand, Office of
Narcotics Control Board.  Co-sponsored by: Family Health International,
United States Agency for International Development, Centre for Harm
Reduction, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, World Health
Organization

Contact: IHRC 2003, AsiaCongress Co, Ltd, Level 23, CP Tower, 313 Silom
Rd, Bangkok 10500, Thailand;
TEL: +66 2 231 8323; FAX: +66 2 253 6404;
E-mail: conference@ihrc2003.net;
WEB: www.ihrc2003.net

Abstract submission is invited. The registration deadline is October 2002.

Conference Theme Background

"Strengthening Partnerships For A Safer Future"

The 14th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm
will take place in Asia and will bring to the fore the many challenges of
reducing drug-related harms in a context of rapid social change and
competition for scarce resources.

In the last decade this region has seen major changes in the use of drugs,
alcohol and tobacco. There has been a rise in the use of amphetamine type
drugs, the spread of drug injecting, new and high levels of alcohol use,
and rising health problems caused by tobacco. There are no simple answers
to the looming development crisis as a consequence of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B
and C, tuberculosis and deaths related to alcohol and tobacco in Asia as in
other parts of the world.

Young people are growing up in a very different context from that of
previous generations. Many countries including those in Asia, the world's
most populous region, are going through major social and economic changes
and development has been hampered by the downturn in the world economy.
Further, Asia has a large number of people who are mobile or displaced.
There are huge demands on existing resources in order to tackle a wide
range of health and social issues. There are new challenges to meet,
because in some countries the response to rapid social change has been to
launch campaigns against so-called 'social evils'. These campaigns will
further stigmatise and criminalize those groups most at risk and make
effective prevention of HIV and other blood borne diseases even more
difficult to achieve.

Harm reduction has to fight hard to get a hearing in the midst of all this
and to challenge the new social order campaigns. In Asia and elsewhere,
there are many excellent examples of good harm reduction practice. But
these efforts need to be scaled up and new initiatives developed. Advocacy
with national and local leaders is crucial, as too is the need to improve
the evidence base - in order to identify best practice and promote evidence
based policy making.

It is clear that reducing the negative consequences of drug use cannot be
achieved by repressive measures, nor by the health sector alone. A multi-
sectoral approach to policy and implementation is urgently required. There
is a pressing need to establish and expand partnerships. National, local
and community leaders, law enforcement agencies, drug treatment providers,
drug users, agencies working with young people, people living with AIDS and
the private sector, must share a common goal: reducing drug related harms.

The 14th ICRDRH aims to promote these partnerships and enhance such
intersectoral collaboration.

The Conference program reflects this.




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