Drug users launch State-level network
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 23 2011: The Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE), a state-level network of drug users comprising community-based groups of drug users all over the state was launched today at the Retreat House, Mantripukhri, with Chairman of Manipur Legislatures' Forum on HIV and AIDS I Hemochandra as the chief guest.

Speaking at the launch function Hemochandra, who is also the Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly strongly advocated involvement of people from different walks of life and organisations with the assertion that drug use, being a complex issue, requires intervention at various levels.

"While partnership is vital, it is equally important that community takes the lead.

Others should not take decision for you", he added.

CoNE is an initiative facilitated by 365x6, a consortium comprising Praxis, Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) and REACH supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

The consortium is to evolve state level networks of community-based organizations and different forms of collectives of female sex workers (FSW), man having sex with man (MSM), trans-gender and injecting drug users (IDU) across six states of Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu.

Project Director, Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS), Nidhi Kesarwani while congratulating coming-together of the community in the form of a state-level network, said that for any intervention to be meaningful the effort has to come from within the community.

"A common link is essential to identify best practices and region specific needs.

The network will ensure this linkage, and will go a long way as it has emerged from within the community", she expressed.

Introducing the 365x6 initiative whose catch phrase is Facilitating Community Without Borders, PRAXIS, India executive director Tom Thomas applauded the community for its commitment towards community mobilization.

"We firmly believe that communities need to come together and take the lead.

Looking at the number of people gathered here I believe you will be able to take the process forward", he said while exhorting that drug users as a community need to come together and speak up against being stigmatized as one set of people.

A number of NGO functionaries as well as drug users from interior parts of the State, who also shared their experiences and plight cited infrastructure inadequacies as an impediment preventing many drug users from giving up the harmful habit.

It is informed that aim of 365x6 is to enable drug users demand and access services, generate resources and negotiate decisions for reducing risk and vulnerability to HIV and other issues of the community in a sustained manner.

others who addressed the gathering conveyed that decision to form the state-level network was taken after assessing existing community based groups in the state as well as following recommendations of consultative meetings held in all districts of the state.

A 16-member state Advisory Committee including the Media, church, civil society organisations, academicians and other experts guided the Consortium in building the network.

A 14-member steering committee comprising representatives of existing Community Based Groups (CBG) and Community Based Organisations (CBO) of drug users across the districts has been formed under the Advisory Committee to facilitate formation of the state-level network.

Some of the key findings of the district level consultations are harassment of drug users by law enforcement agencies and pressure groups and absence of a mechanism to respond to crisis situations, lack of Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) and the need to expand the existing programme, need for rights education and sensitization to avoid stigma and discrimination, and Female Injecting Drug Users (FIDU) who are still neglected and require special attention.

Comment