Australian Development Gateway

The Australian Development Gateway (ADG) strives to support members of the development community in their efforts to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region. The site has been created with participation from members of government, private, academia and non-government organisations. User feedback mechanisms have been incorporated to guide future directions of the site. The site is optimised for low bandwidth access to enable the widest participation throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Skip to content

ADG channels:

Information by sector: HIV/AIDS

Sub navigation

ADG TOOLBOX

Drugs & HIV

The Asian Harm Reduction Network (pdf 416kb)

Drug use and HIV/AIDS are complex problems with political, social, economic, and cultural dimensions. Experience shows that no single agency is in a position to provide effective and comprehensive responses to all these issues, and new forms of organizational structures were needed.

Over the past few years, technical resource networks, such as the Asian Harm Reduction Network (AHRN), have been successful responding to harm reduction and HIV.

This case study examines the factors that made it necessary to establish this network - and why a network, not a traditional NGO, was necessary.

The study provides information on how the network was conceptualised and its major activities during its first four years of operation. An assessment of the impact of its activities is provided, and future challenges are outlined.

In the final sections, the benefits of harm-reduction networks are discussed in general terms, and the lessons learned in creating and maintaining the network are described.

 

Footer: