About our work
Nature of the organization
Belarusian Public Association "Positive Movement" (hereinafter - BPA "PM") is an independent public organization. BPA "PM" is a legal entity with separate property, has an independent balance sheet, opens settlement and foreign currency accounts in bank institutions, from its own enters into relationships with legal entities and individuals. The "Positive Movement" is a republican public association and can operate throughout the territory of Belarus.
There are 152 members of the BPA "Positive Movement": people living with HIV; people affected by the problem of drug use; their relatives; doctors; lawyers; psychologists.
The supreme body of the BPA "PM" is the Congress. In the period between the congresses, the work of the BPA "PM" is managed by the Board. Since its inception, the Board of the organization includes people who include HIV and drug use. Currently 80% of the Board is women. About 80% of organizations’ workers are people living with HIV, people who are affected by drug use.
The purpose of the association is to prevent HIV infection, drug addiction and other diseases, to protect the physical and mental health of the population.
Main directions of activities are:
1. Prevention of HIV infection among injecting drug users (harm reduction strategy, testing for HIV and hepatitis, inclusion in treatment).
2. Formation of adherence to treatment and support of people living with HIV.
3. Advocacy for access to treatment for HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis for all who need it (analysis of procurement and provision of drugs, work with outages, development of proposals to improve access).
4. Increasing the level of psychosocial adaptation of PLWH (social support centers, programmes to help children and families affected by HIV). Psychological assistance to orphans and vulnerable children.
5. Primary prevention of HIV infection and drug addiction for the general population and the youth.
6. Reducing the vulnerability of women (socialization, labor activation and restoration of sources of income for women released from places of restriction of freedom).
7. Raising public attention to HIV / AIDS problems, reducing stigma and discrimination.
Target population groups
1. People who use drugs.
2. People living with HIV.
3. Families and children affected by HIV.
4. Children, adolescents and young people.
5. General population.
6. People who make decisions.
Organizational approach (philosophy)
Gender-sensitive, rights-based approach has long been a daily practice of the organization. “Positive Movement” does not tolerate stigma and discrimination on any grounds. When implementing its activities, the organization follows the principle "everyone is important":
1. Philosophy of harm reduction - every person, regardless of the peculiarities of his/her behavior, has the right to access to medical, social and other assistance.
2. Balanced drug policy - people who use drugs are not criminals.
3. Approach oriented to recovery - every person who finds theirselves in a difficult life situation due to health problems, delinquency needs more support and resources.
4. Sustainable Development Goals.
Length of existence and experience
BPA "PM" is one of the oldest organizations providing assistance to people facing such diseases as HIV infection and drug addiction. The organization was founded in 1999 at the initiative of specialists from the Republican Center for the Prevention of HIV / AIDS and people living with HIV.
In the area of advocacy for equal access to services, the following main projects have been implemented (from 2010 to the present):
· "Harm reduction works - provide funding"
· "Developing the capacity of non-governmental organizations in response to the growing needs of women who use drugs"
· "The right to access special care that plays a key role in improving the quality of life of people living with HIV / AIDS in the Republic of Belarus"
· "Increasing the effectiveness of social support for women who have undergone drug addiction treatment through programs of comprehensive adaptation to work"
· "Promotion of mechanisms to reduce the financial burden and restore sources of income for women released from prison"
Projects to provide direct services to people:
· “Improving the quality of life, social adaptation of PLHIV and representatives of other groups vulnerable to HIV by building the capacity of Belarusian HIV-service NGOs for the prevention of infectious diseases”
· "Implementation of social support programs for the prevention of HIV / AIDS in the Republic of Belarus"
· "Monitoring and support of adherence to treatment in children living with HIV"
· "Developing an interdisciplinary approach to helping people living with HIV"
Information campaigns:
· Information campaign in the media on tolerance to HIV-positive women in 4 cities of Belarus (Minsk, Vitebsk, Mogilev, Bobruisk)
· Information campaign with a photo exhibition on the positive effects of opioid substitution programme on the lives of its clients and their families
· Information campaign with a photo exhibition on equal access to treatment of HIV-infection
Research projects:
· Researching strategies to develop widespread access to antiretroviral therapy for HIV treatment in the Republic of Belarus
· "Conducting a study of procurement and provision of drugs for the treatment of HIV infection and viral hepatitis C in the Republic of Belarus"
· "Review of international mechanisms and ways of providing antiretroviral drugs and drugs for hepatitis C with direct antiviral action"
BPA “Positive Movement” has experience in obtaining funding for projects and services from the state (from local budgets) under state social order mechanism:
· "Equal counseling of people with HIV and the formation of adherence to treatment with antiretroviral drugs"
· "Conducting anonymous consultative preventive work among people belonging to population groups with a high risk of contracting socially dangerous diseases, HIV"
· "Medical and social assistance to people with HIV"
