C-EHRN Podcast Series on Harm Reduction and beyond

Informal and lively roundtable discussions with harm reductionists. The session is recorded during the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference 2021 in Prague. Session guests are Jakub Gren of Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, Ben Collins and Nia Dunbar of ReShape/International HIV Partnerships, and Eliza Kurcevic of Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA). Following the session NPS and Mental Health: humbug or an alarming situation? at #EHRC21, we discussed the main barriers that the vulnerable communities have in accessing mental health care and support. Our guests told us what works and what does not. #HRAtWork #CEHRN #HarmReduction

Informal and lively roundtable discussions with harm reductionists. The session is recorded during the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference 2021 in Prague. Session guests are Jochen Schroot of VAD - the Flemish centre of expertise on alcohol and other drugs, Iga Jeziorska of Youth Organisations for Drug Action (YODA), Mat Southwell of European Network of People who Use Drugs (EuroNPUD), Maria Plotko of Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) and Olga Belyaeva of Eurasian Network of People Who Use Drugs (ENPUD). Following the opening session Drug Policy, Decriminalisation: The next global step for Europe? at #EHRC21, we discussed why there are still too few countries which are taking the bold step of deciriminalisation even though it is proven that it works? Why are policymakers still addicted to prohibition? What steps would be necessary to get them to rehab? "I think the challenge is how different demographics of the population are involved in electoral politics. Older people with conservative backgrounds are more prominently voting, and younger people feel increasingly disillusioned with politics and struggle to engage. This creates a bias." says Mat Southwell. What do you think? #HRAtWork #CEHRN #HarmReduction

Informal and lively roundtable discussions with harm reductionists. The session is recorded during the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference 2021 in Prague. Session guests are Tony Duffin of Ana Liffey Drug Project, Beatrix Vas of Youth Rise and Marta Borges of Social Emergency Unit, Portuguese Institute for Social Security. Following the opening session The Development of Drug Policy and Harm Reduction at #EHRC21, we discussed advocacy, decriminalisation, and health inclusion. Harm Reduction is not only a set of practices, strategies or approaches to support the needs of marginalised and underserved communities. As such, it is also a human rights movement for social justice. Moving away from responses that solely focus on individual [health] behaviours, harm reduction also brings attention to the impact of social determinants on health. "We manage to be gatekeepers and not human rights services because we put so many questions to let people in that we end up keeping them out. This is the type of advocacy, we have been working on." says Beatrix Vas. "How we work with people and how we view people should be changed." adds Tony Duffin. And, Marta Borges tells us about how the situation has been like since the arrival of decriminalisation, the "holy-grail", in her country, Portugal. #HRAtWork #HarmReduction #EHRC21

Informal and lively roundtable discussions with harm reductionists. The session is recorded during the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference 2021 in Prague. Session guests are Irena Molnar of ReGeneration, Machteld Busz of MainLINE, Sabrina Sanchez of ESWA and Aura Roig of Metzineres; four strong women representing the core of their work with boldness, kindness, sincerity and fire. “We are the ones that avoid talking about human rights. Instead, we legitimise our services from a social control point of view. We need to break this cycle and indicate that we do our work for the health and well-being of the people.” says Aura Roig. Would you agree? #HRAtWork #HarmReduction #EHRC21