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Albania
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Country level support to adoption and implementation of HTS guidelines and introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations in four (4) countries of the SEE sub-region (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia)

Damir Lalicic
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV.
Introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations, including with TA provided by the WHO Regional Office, Europe

Damir Lalicic
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The assessment was conducted in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV. Some of the key recomendations which are suggested: to update National Guidelines/Protocols for HIV testing, outlining clear HIV testing algorithm in line with WHO recommendation including community based testing and HIV self-testing; update the existing internal protocol on HIVST; develop policy and advocacy recommendations for reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination; integrate HIV self-testing into existing HIV service delivery models including OST programs. The report can be found at the link.
Assessment of OAT sustainability

Ivan Varentsov
Assessment of the sustainability of the opioid agonist therapy programme in the context of transition from donor support to domestic funding was conducted in Moldova and Tajikistan. The reports are being finalized and sent for design, they’ll be published by the end of Q1 2023. The assessments in Albania, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine are ongoing and will be finalized in 2023.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Haris Karabegovic
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Assessment of the legal framework to fund HIV services with domestic funds: sustainability planning; advocacy campaign on change of laws and regulations; establishment of Parliamentary group for HIV,TB, Hepatitis and STIs

Damir Lalicic
Preliminary consultations were held in 2022and assessment was planned in 2023.Domestic funding for HIV services is increased. The funding of Tirana municipality for NGOs offer HIV services was $32,000. The level of funding for HIV-related activities from the City of Skopje remained approximately the same as is in 2021 –approximately 35,000 USD. MoH from Montenegro allocated 100.000 EUR for funding NGO HIV programs in 2022. In Bosnia and Herzegovina for increase services for key populations and PLWHA. was two grants. One grant was from Ministry of Civil affairs, Department for Health and it was about 26 000 Euro for nine CSOs, Partnerships in Health was one of them but also our partners from the Project, Victoria and Ruka Ruci. The second grant was from Federal Ministry of Health, and it was for HIV testing and counselling on HIV, education for KAP and youth. It was about 13 500 Euro and it was granted to the Partnerships in Health. In Serbia there was 19214 USD in total from municipality funding for HIV services in Serbia.
Until now there is Parliamentary group for HIV, TB Hepatitis and STIs established in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Damir Lalicic
Municipal budget advocacy for cities that chose the Fast Track approach: in Tirana and Shkoder cities in the Balkan region

Damir Lalicic
As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe ($130 000), Podgorica ($43 000), Skopje ($35 000), Tirana (USD 32,000), Novi Sad (USD 9,000), Sabac ($7 500) and Zvezdara ($4 000) allocated funds for the implementation of activities that would achieve the goals of the Paris Declaration.
Armenia
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Decentralization of HIV testing services through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of readiness of health systems to decentralize HIV testing services in 5 countries of the EECA region is developed and can be found at the link.
Technical support in optimization of medicine procurement cycles

Daryna Bondarenko
Priorities for improvements of PSM systems in Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan were discussed and agreed for further activities in 2023-2024. In Kazakhstan, MOH provided a list of its activities aimed to preserve state registration procedure and expressed the need to develop relevant legislation. In Georgia, access to the Global Fund procurement mechanism is of the highest priority. In Armenia, long-term agreements for ARVs and streamlining procurement practices from bottom to the top level in terms of centralization/decentralization and improvement of medicines registration procedure are of importance.
Inclusion of PrEP into nationally approved service packages for MSM and/or other key populations

Nikolay Lunchenkov
ECOM in partnership with WHO regional office for Europe analyzed five national PrEP protocols (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Ukraine) and provided Report with recommendations on the steps needed to include PrEP into nationally approved standard package of servises.
Community groups conduct community-led assessment of national quality standards in accordance to IDUIT and organize dialogue with service providers and MOH/local authorities

Ganna Dovbakh
Integration of community-led monitoring (CLM) into the health care systems of countries in the EECA region to assure the quality of services for key populations (KPs)


Nikolay Lunchenkov
Ganna Dovbakh
Practical handbook on community-led monitoring tools was developed in English and Russian languages. The checklist with EHRA and other partners for CLM was discussed and agreed upon.
On 2-8 December 2022, specialists from the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) conducted regional online training “Community-Led Monitoring Methods” for the representatives of community organizations in the CEECA region. The training was attended by 38 representatives of organizations from different vulnerable communities in the CEECA region. The aim of the training consisting of three online sessions was to train leaders of self-organizations from different key communities in the CEECA region to understand, which role CLM can play in their advocacy work, how to formulate the proper problem and research question for CLM, and which of the different methodologies can most effectively provide the data needed for advocacy. Video recordings of the training, as well as presentations can be found at the link.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
Community-led advocacy of elimination of identified critical discrepancies with the WHO prevention, testing and treatment guidelines

Daryna Bondarenko
Current testing and treatment protocols analysis is finished in 7 countries (Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine) and recommendations to align the national protocols with the WHO guidelines are provided. The report is available at the link.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The report is available at the link.
Decentralization of HIV treatment through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of health systems to decentralize HIV treatment services in 5 countries of the EECA is developed and can be found at the link.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Through the use of the Stigma Index 2.0 , measure HIV-related stigma and discrimination experienced by PLHIV in countries of the EECA region by delivering training for interviewers and researchers to familiarize them with the methodology and survey instrument, and in conducting interviews and entering data into the RedСap database system, as well as to develop and disseminate the survey report

Zhanara Akhmetova
Protocols for Stigma Index Research are developed in Armenia and Georgia. The filed phase will start in 2023.
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.



Victoria Kalyniuk
Yuri Yorskiy
Olga Believa
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Legal environment and situation analysis as well as mapping of civil society partners in the area of access by migrants to HIV and TB services

Daniel Kashnitsky
“On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
Also, in Q4 REG has launched a study is Kyrgyzstan.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.”
Legal environment assessment on MSM and trans people in 4 countries

Yuri Yorskiy
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.
Azerbaijan
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Evidence-based advocacy interventions with the aim of removing legal barriers to, and improve the rights of, migrant access to HIV and TB care in sending and receiving countries of in EECA region: national and regional (EECA) meeting and roundtables with participation of civil society, migrant organizations, healthcare officials and parliamentarians

Daniel Kashnitsky
On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.

Victoria Kalyniuk
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched
Municipal budget advocacy for cities that chose the Fast Track approach Azerbaijan

Pulod Dzhamolov
As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe ($130 000), Podgorica ($43 000), Skopje ($35 000), Tirana (USD 32,000), Novi Sad (USD 9,000), Sabac ($7 500) and Zvezdara ($4 000) allocated funds for the implementation of activities that would achieve the goals of the Paris Declaration.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Introduction of the piloted PrEP models to the healthcare systems and advocate to revise and update national policy documents

Damir Lalicic
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro are awaiting the launch of the PrEP pilot project between MCM (Protocols have been developed, client waiting lists are available, study-visits have been carried out for the project staff). The first clients are expected to receive PrEP in Q1 2023.
Advocacy for PrEP financial costs to be covered by national funding schemes (including health insurance)

Damir Lalicic
The second main activity regarding of PrEP was advocacy for PrEP financial costs to be covered by national funding schemes. Our focus in 2022 was preparation of set of recommendations for institutionalization of PrEP in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro and by the end of the year we finalized first drafts which is distributed to the stakeholders.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
Procurement and distribution of Ag-RDTs

Nadiya Yanhol
Purchased 120 thousand rapid antigen tests for COVID (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine) and 4,000 PCR tests for Ukraine to test key population groups and their close contacts.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Haris Karabegovic
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Assessment of the legal framework to fund HIV services with domestic funds: sustainability planning; advocacy campaign on change of laws and regulations; establishment of Parliamentary group for HIV,TB, Hepatitis and STIs

Damir Lalicic
Preliminary consultations were held in 2022and assessment was planned in 2023.Domestic funding for HIV services is increased. The funding of Tirana municipality for NGOs offer HIV services was $32,000. The level of funding for HIV-related activities from the City of Skopje remained approximately the same as is in 2021 –approximately 35,000 USD. MoH from Montenegro allocated 100.000 EUR for funding NGO HIV programs in 2022. In Bosnia and Herzegovina for increase services for key populations and PLWHA. was two grants. One grant was from Ministry of Civil affairs, Department for Health and it was about 26 000 Euro for nine CSOs, Partnerships in Health was one of them but also our partners from the Project, Victoria and Ruka Ruci. The second grant was from Federal Ministry of Health, and it was for HIV testing and counselling on HIV, education for KAP and youth. It was about 13 500 Euro and it was granted to the Partnerships in Health. In Serbia there was 19214 USD in total from municipality funding for HIV services in Serbia.
Until now there is Parliamentary group for HIV, TB Hepatitis and STIs established in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Damir Lalicic
Municipal budget advocacy for cities that chose the Fast Track approach: Sarajevo, Mostar, Bijelina cities in the Balkan region

Damir Lalicic
As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe ($130 000), Podgorica ($43 000), Skopje ($35 000), Tirana (USD 32,000), Novi Sad (USD 9,000), Sabac ($7 500) and Zvezdara ($4 000) allocated funds for the implementation of activities that would achieve the goals of the Paris Declaration.
Georgia
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Country level support to adoption and implementation of HTS guidelines: (a) National working groups technical assistance support; (b) Revision of functional responsibilities regarding HTS of HIV specialized settings, relevant testing points and lab(s), and other level institutions including primary care entities; (c) Training of new entities/people engaged in testing procedures; (d) Training for lab professionals to engage more in monitoring and improving the quality of testing procedures; (e) Conduct comparative cost analysis of RDT-based vs current diagnostic algorithm in two countries – to support investment case at policy level; (f) TA for HIV testing algorithm verification activities in 2 selected countries


Stela Bivol
Lucia Pirtina
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
Community-led advocacy of elimination of identified critical discrepancies with the WHO prevention, testing and treatment guidelines

Daryna Bondarenko
Current testing and treatment protocols analysis is finished in 7 countries (Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine) and recommendations to align the national protocols with the WHO guidelines are provided. The report is available at the link.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The report is available at the link.
Decentralization of HIV testing services through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of readiness of health systems to decentralize HIV testing services in 5 countries of the EECA region is developed and can be found at the link.
Decentralization of HIV treatment through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of health systems to decentralize HIV treatment services in 5 countries of the EECA is developed and can be found at the link.
Technical support in optimization of medicine procurement cycles

Daryna Bondarenko
Priorities for improvements of PSM systems in Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan were discussed and agreed for further activities in 2023-2024. In Kazakhstan, MOH provided a list of its activities aimed to preserve state registration procedure and expressed the need to develop relevant legislation. In Georgia, access to the Global Fund procurement mechanism is of the highest priority. In Armenia, long-term agreements for ARVs and streamlining procurement practices from bottom to the top level in terms of centralization/decentralization and improvement of medicines registration procedure are of importance.
Inclusion of PrEP into nationally approved service packages for MSM and/or other key populations

Nikolay Lunchenkov
ECOM in partnership with WHO regional office for Europe analyzed five national PrEP protocols (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Ukraine) and provided Report with recommendations on the steps needed to include PrEP into nationally approved standard package of servises.
Community groups conduct community-led assessment of national quality standards in accordance to IDUIT and organize dialogue with service providers and MOH/local authorities

Ganna Dovbakh
Integration of community-led monitoring (CLM) into the health care systems of countries in the EECA region to assure the quality of services for key populations (KPs)


Nikolay Lunchenkov
Ganna Dovbakh
Practical handbook on community-led monitoring tools was developed in English and Russian languages. The checklist with EHRA and other partners for CLM was discussed and agreed upon.
On 2-8 December 2022, specialists from the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) conducted regional online training “Community-Led Monitoring Methods” for the representatives of community organizations in the CEECA region. The training was attended by 38 representatives of organizations from different vulnerable communities in the CEECA region. The aim of the training consisting of three online sessions was to train leaders of self-organizations from different key communities in the CEECA region to understand, which role CLM can play in their advocacy work, how to formulate the proper problem and research question for CLM, and which of the different methodologies can most effectively provide the data needed for advocacy. Video recordings of the training, as well as presentations can be found at the link.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations, including with TA provided by the WHO Regional Office, Europe


Stela Bivol
Lucia Pirtina
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The assessment was conducted in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV. Some of the key recomendations which are suggested: to update National Guidelines/Protocols for HIV testing, outlining clear HIV testing algorithm in line with WHO recommendation including community based testing and HIV self-testing; update the existing internal protocol on HIVST; develop policy and advocacy recommendations for reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination; integrate HIV self-testing into existing HIV service delivery models including OST programs. The report can be found at the link.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Olga Belyaeva
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Through the use of the Stigma Index 2.0 , measure HIV-related stigma and discrimination experienced by PLHIV in countries of the EECA region by delivering training for interviewers and researchers to familiarize them with the methodology and survey instrument, and in conducting interviews and entering data into the RedСap database system, as well as to develop and disseminate the survey report

Zhanara Akhmetova
Protocols for Stigma Index Research are developed in Armenia and Georgia. The filed phase will start in 2023.
Ensure a monitoring system for the implementation of the human right to health in prisons through national preventive mechanisms

Oleksiy Zagrebelnyi
An analysis of the current situation regarding the development and implementation of tools to ensure access to harm reduction services with a focus on OST was conducted by FreeZone in Georgia and in Kyrgyzstan.
An analysis of the current functioning of NPMs was carried out by FreeZone in Moldova and Kazakhstan.
For Moldova and Kazakhstan, Information on key indicators of the incidence of socially dangerous diseases in penitentiary institutions was collected, namely data on the total number of convicts held in penitentiary institutions; detailed information on the number of people living with HIV infection; the number of detected cases of tuberculosis; the number of convicts who were provided with treatment for viral hepatitis. The results can be found at the links: Moldova, Kazakhstan.
Women-led research, “Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women living with HIV”

Svitlana Moroz
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
Decriminalization of HIV and unintended HIV transmission

Nadiia Savchenko
100% Life conducted an analysis of the legal environment in Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan in order to identify regulatory legal acts that need to be amended to reduce the criminalization of people living with HIV.
Reduce criminalization of drug use and personal possession



Olga Belyaeva
Ganna Dovbakh
Kucheruk Olena
Two reports were developed on decriminalization of drug use in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.
ENPUD is working on several strategic cases: in Moldova, unauthorized urine PAS test was prevented regarding an OST patient, as well as arbitrary detention of an OST patient in another case. In Ukraine, two strategic ongoing cases regarding keeping the driver’s license for the OST patient; and restoring activist`s rights and reputation, and punishing the police officers responsible for the provocation. In Kazakhstan, several strategic cases regarding taking cannabis for medical purposes. In Kyrgyzstan, a strategic case regarding provocation by the police with the planting of “evidence”; extortion of a bribe for the opportunity to be at large while “investigative” actions are going on.
Development and promotion of the Guiding principles (recommendations, model legislation etc.) on drug policy for the EECA region with specific advocacy efforts for reforming drug policy and decriminalization of personal drug use

Kucheruk Olena
The Guiding Principles document is developed and approved by the ECECACD. The first draft of the document was reviewed and discussed during in-person meeting of Commissioners on November 2, 2022 (the Minutes extract with provided recommendations to the document are available upon request). The document was amended accordingly to the recommendations and sent for the second review by Commissioners. Commissioners provided their recommendations and corrections to the text (the letters and texts with corrections are available upon request). Final amendments was done, the document was completed and finally approved by Commissioners (relevant correspondence is available upon request). The final version of the Guiding principles is under design
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
REGIONAL: regional dashboard (with 2 integrated portals) + preliminary results to be reflected on the timeframe / deadlines, at least for this year

Maria Malakhova
ToR for the dashboard is under development; methodologies and approaches to data collection for the social contacting and sustainability and transition portals are being updated.
National info system with database, service provider app, and client app

Maria Malakhova
ToR is developed, specifications are being developed, team is being trained, development is due to start in April 2023.
Virtual social worker

Maria Malakhova
Concept is developed, scripts are under development, research is being carried out to identify the optimal technical framework.
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.
Kazakhstan
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Country level support to adoption and implementation of HTS guidelines: (a) National working groups technical assistance support; (b) Revision of functional responsibilities regarding HTS of HIV specialized settings, relevant testing points and lab(s), and other level institutions including primary care entities; (c) Training of new entities/people engaged in testing procedures; (d) Training for lab professionals to engage more in monitoring and improving the quality of testing procedures; (e) Conduct comparative cost analysis of RDT-based vs current diagnostic algorithm in two countries – to support investment case at policy level; (f) TA for HIV testing algorithm verification activities in 2 selected countries


Stela Bivol
Lucia Pirtina
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
Community-led advocacy of elimination of identified critical discrepancies with the WHO prevention, testing and treatment guidelines

Daryna Bondarenko
Current testing and treatment protocols analysis is finished in 7 countries (Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine) and recommendations to align the national protocols with the WHO guidelines are provided. The report is available at the link.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The report is available at the link.
Decentralization of HIV testing services through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of readiness of health systems to decentralize HIV testing services in 5 countries of the EECA region is developed and can be found at the link.
Decentralization of HIV treatment through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of health systems to decentralize HIV treatment services in 5 countries of the EECA is developed and can be found at the link.
Technical support in implementation of simplified registration for ARVs

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Technical support in optimization of medicine procurement cycles

Daryna Bondarenko
Priorities for improvements of PSM systems in Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan were discussed and agreed for further activities in 2023-2024. In Kazakhstan, MOH provided a list of its activities aimed to preserve state registration procedure and expressed the need to develop relevant legislation. In Georgia, access to the Global Fund procurement mechanism is of the highest priority. In Armenia, long-term agreements for ARVs and streamlining procurement practices from bottom to the top level in terms of centralization/decentralization and improvement of medicines registration procedure are of importance.
Advocacy for engagement of patient community experts into national working groups to develop and adopt medicine procurement lists and technical procurement documentation

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Inclusion of PrEP into nationally approved service packages for MSM and/or other key populations

Nikolay Lunchenkov
ECOM in partnership with WHO regional office for Europe analyzed five national PrEP protocols (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Ukraine) and provided Report with recommendations on the steps needed to include PrEP into nationally approved standard package of servises.
Community groups conduct community-led assessment of national quality standards in accordance to IDUIT and organize dialogue with service providers and MOH/local authorities

Ganna Dovbakh
Integration of community-led monitoring (CLM) into the health care systems of countries in the EECA region to assure the quality of services for key populations (KPs)


Nikolay Lunchenkov
Ganna Dovbakh
Practical handbook on community-led monitoring tools was developed in English and Russian languages. The checklist with EHRA and other partners for CLM was discussed and agreed upon.
On 2-8 December 2022, specialists from the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) conducted regional online training “Community-Led Monitoring Methods” for the representatives of community organizations in the CEECA region. The training was attended by 38 representatives of organizations from different vulnerable communities in the CEECA region. The aim of the training consisting of three online sessions was to train leaders of self-organizations from different key communities in the CEECA region to understand, which role CLM can play in their advocacy work, how to formulate the proper problem and research question for CLM, and which of the different methodologies can most effectively provide the data needed for advocacy. Video recordings of the training, as well as presentations can be found at the link.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Technical support in implementation of long-term contracts for ARV procurement

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations, including with TA provided by the WHO Regional Office, Europe


Stela Bivol
Lucia Pirtina
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The assessment was conducted in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV. Some of the key recomendations which are suggested: to update National Guidelines/Protocols for HIV testing, outlining clear HIV testing algorithm in line with WHO recommendation including community based testing and HIV self-testing; update the existing internal protocol on HIVST; develop policy and advocacy recommendations for reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination; integrate HIV self-testing into existing HIV service delivery models including OST programs. The report can be found at the link.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Legal environment and situation analysis as well as mapping of civil society partners in the area of access by migrants to HIV and TB services

Daniel Kashnitsky
On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
Also, in Q4 REG has launched a study is Kyrgyzstan.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.
Ensure a monitoring system for the implementation of the human right to health in prisons through national preventive mechanisms

Oleksiy Zagrebelnyi
An analysis of the current situation regarding the development and implementation of tools to ensure access to harm reduction services with a focus on OST was conducted by FreeZone in Georgia and in Kyrgyzstan.
An analysis of the current functioning of NPMs was carried out by FreeZone in Moldova and Kazakhstan.
For Moldova and Kazakhstan, Information on key indicators of the incidence of socially dangerous diseases in penitentiary institutions was collected, namely data on the total number of convicts held in penitentiary institutions; detailed information on the number of people living with HIV infection; the number of detected cases of tuberculosis; the number of convicts who were provided with treatment for viral hepatitis. The results can be found at the links: Moldova, Kazakhstan.
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
Decriminalization of HIV and unintended HIV transmission

Nadiia Savchenko
100% Life conducted an analysis of the legal environment in Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan in order to identify regulatory legal acts that need to be amended to reduce the criminalization of people living with HIV.
Evidence-based advocacy interventions with the aim of removing legal barriers to, and improve the rights of, migrant access to HIV and TB care in sending and receiving countries of in EECA region: national and regional (EECA) meeting and roundtables with participation of civil society, migrant organizations, healthcare officials and parliamentarians

Daniel Kashnitsky
On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.



Victoria Kalyniuk
Yuri Yorskiy
Olga Believa
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Through the use of the Stigma Index 2.0 , measure HIV-related stigma and discrimination experienced by PLHIV in countries of the EECA region by delivering training for interviewers and researchers to familiarize them with the methodology and survey instrument, and in conducting interviews and entering data into the RedСap database system, as well as to develop and disseminate the survey report

Zhanara Akhmetova
Protocols for Stigma Index Research are developed in Armenia and Georgia. The filed phase will start in 2023.
Legal environment assessment on MSM and trans people in 4 countries

Yuri Yorskiy
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
REGIONAL: regional dashboard (with 2 integrated portals) + preliminary results to be reflected on the timeframe / deadlines, at least for this year

Maria Malakhova
ToR for the dashboard is under development; methodologies and approaches to data collection for the social contacting and sustainability and transition portals are being updated.
National info system with database, service provider app, and client app

Maria Malakhova
ToR is developed, specifications are being developed, team is being trained, development is due to start in April 2023.
Virtual social worker

Maria Malakhova
Concept is developed, scripts are under development, research is being carried out to identify the optimal technical framework.
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.
Kyrgyzstan
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Decentralization of HIV testing services through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of readiness of health systems to decentralize HIV testing services in 5 countries of the EECA region is developed and can be found at the link.
Technical support in implementation of simplified registration for ARVs

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Advocacy for engagement of patient community experts into national working groups to develop and adopt medicine procurement lists and technical procurement documentation

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Inclusion of PrEP into nationally approved service packages for MSM and/or other key populations

Nikolay Lunchenkov
ECOM in partnership with WHO regional office for Europe analyzed five national PrEP protocols (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Ukraine) and provided Report with recommendations on the steps needed to include PrEP into nationally approved standard package of servises.
Community groups conduct community-led assessment of national quality standards in accordance to IDUIT and organize dialogue with service providers and MOH/local authorities

Ganna Dovbakh
Integration of community-led monitoring (CLM) into the health care systems of countries in the EECA region to assure the quality of services for key populations (KPs)


Nikolay Lunchenkov
Ganna Dovbakh
Practical handbook on community-led monitoring tools was developed in English and Russian languages. The checklist with EHRA and other partners for CLM was discussed and agreed upon.
On 2-8 December 2022, specialists from the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) conducted regional online training “Community-Led Monitoring Methods” for the representatives of community organizations in the CEECA region. The training was attended by 38 representatives of organizations from different vulnerable communities in the CEECA region. The aim of the training consisting of three online sessions was to train leaders of self-organizations from different key communities in the CEECA region to understand, which role CLM can play in their advocacy work, how to formulate the proper problem and research question for CLM, and which of the different methodologies can most effectively provide the data needed for advocacy. Video recordings of the training, as well as presentations can be found at the link.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Community-led advocacy of elimination of identified critical discrepancies with the WHO prevention, testing and treatment guidelines

Daryna Bondarenko
Current testing and treatment protocols analysis is finished in 7 countries (Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine) and recommendations to align the national protocols with the WHO guidelines are provided. The report is available at the link.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The report is available at the link.
Decentralization of HIV treatment through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of health systems to decentralize HIV treatment services in 5 countries of the EECA is developed and can be found at the link.
Technical support in implementation of long-term contracts for ARV procurement

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Assessment of OAT sustainability

Ivan Varentsov
Assessment of the sustainability of the opioid agonist therapy programme in the context of transition from donor support to domestic funding was conducted in Moldova and Tajikistan. The reports are being finalized and sent for design, they’ll be published by the end of Q1 2023. The assessments in Albania, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine are ongoing and will be finalized in 2023.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Legal environment assessment on MSM and trans people in 4 countries

Yuri Yorskiy
Legal environment assessments for Kyrgyzstan and for Uzbekistan were published.
Legal environment and situation analysis as well as mapping of civil society partners in the area of access by migrants to HIV and TB services

Daniel Kashnitsky
On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
Also, in Q4 REG has launched a study is Kyrgyzstan.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.
Ensure a monitoring system for the implementation of the human right to health in prisons through national preventive mechanisms

Oleksiy Zagrebelnyi
An analysis of the current situation regarding the development and implementation of tools to ensure access to harm reduction services with a focus on OST was conducted by FreeZone in Georgia and in Kyrgyzstan.
An analysis of the current functioning of NPMs was carried out by FreeZone in Moldova and Kazakhstan.
For Moldova and Kazakhstan, Information on key indicators of the incidence of socially dangerous diseases in penitentiary institutions was collected, namely data on the total number of convicts held in penitentiary institutions; detailed information on the number of people living with HIV infection; the number of detected cases of tuberculosis; the number of convicts who were provided with treatment for viral hepatitis. The results can be found at the links: Moldova, Kazakhstan.
Women-led research, “Monitoring of violence against women living with HIV”, including factors preventing support/help seeking behaviors for women living with HIV who experience violence

Svitlana Moroz
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
Decriminalization of HIV and unintended HIV transmission

Nadiia Savchenko
100% Life conducted an analysis of the legal environment in Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan in order to identify regulatory legal acts that need to be amended to reduce the criminalization of people living with HIV.
Reduce criminalization of drug use and personal possession



Olga Belyaeva
Ganna Dovbakh
Kucheruk Olena
Two reports were developed on decriminalization of drug use in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.
ENPUD is working on several strategic cases: in Moldova, unauthorized urine PAS test was prevented regarding an OST patient, as well as arbitrary detention of an OST patient in another case. In Ukraine, two strategic ongoing cases regarding keeping the driver’s license for the OST patient; and restoring activist`s rights and reputation, and punishing the police officers responsible for the provocation. In Kazakhstan, several strategic cases regarding taking cannabis for medical purposes. In Kyrgyzstan, a strategic case regarding provocation by the police with the planting of “evidence”; extortion of a bribe for the opportunity to be at large while “investigative” actions are going on.
Development and promotion of the Guiding principles (recommendations, model legislation etc.) on drug policy for the EECA region with specific advocacy efforts for reforming drug policy and decriminalization of personal drug use

Kucheruk Olena
The Guiding Principles document is developed and approved by the ECECACD. The first draft of the document was reviewed and discussed during in-person meeting of Commissioners on November 2, 2022 (the Minutes extract with provided recommendations to the document are available upon request). The document was amended accordingly to the recommendations and sent for the second review by Commissioners. Commissioners provided their recommendations and corrections to the text (the letters and texts with corrections are available upon request). Final amendments was done, the document was completed and finally approved by Commissioners (relevant correspondence is available upon request). The final version of the Guiding principles is under design
Improve anti-stigma legislation for LGBT


Yuri Yorskiy
Dr. Karen Badalyan
Evidence-based advocacy interventions with the aim of removing legal barriers to, and improve the rights of, migrant access to HIV and TB care in sending and receiving countries of in EECA region: national and regional (EECA) meeting and roundtables with participation of civil society, migrant organizations, healthcare officials and parliamentarians

Daniel Kashnitsky
On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.



Victoria Kalyniuk
Yuri Yorskiy
Olga Believa
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
REGIONAL: regional dashboard (with 2 integrated portals) + preliminary results to be reflected on the timeframe / deadlines, at least for this year

Maria Malakhova
ToR for the dashboard is under development; methodologies and approaches to data collection for the social contacting and sustainability and transition portals are being updated.
National info system with database, service provider app, and client app

Maria Malakhova
ToR is developed, specifications are being developed, team is being trained, development is due to start in April 2023.
Virtual social worker

Maria Malakhova
Concept is developed, scripts are under development, research is being carried out to identify the optimal technical framework.
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.
Moldova
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Community-led advocacy of elimination of identified critical discrepancies with the WHO prevention, testing and treatment guidelines

Daryna Bondarenko
Current testing and treatment protocols analysis is finished in 7 countries (Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine) and recommendations to align the national protocols with the WHO guidelines are provided. The report is available at the link.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The report is available at the link.
Decentralization of HIV testing services through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of readiness of health systems to decentralize HIV testing services in 5 countries of the EECA region is developed and can be found at the link.
Technical support in implementation of simplified registration for ARVs

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Advocacy for engagement of patient community experts into national working groups to develop and adopt medicine procurement lists and technical procurement documentation

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Assessment of OAT sustainability

Ivan Varentsov
Assessment of the sustainability of the opioid agonist therapy programme in the context of transition from donor support to domestic funding was conducted in Moldova and Tajikistan. The reports are being finalized and sent for design, they’ll be published by the end of Q1 2023. The assessments in Albania, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine are ongoing and will be finalized in 2023.
Community groups conduct community-led assessment of national quality standards in accordance to IDUIT and organize dialogue with service providers and MOH/local authorities

Ganna Dovbakh
Integration of community-led monitoring (CLM) into the health care systems of countries in the EECA region to assure the quality of services for key populations (KPs)


Nikolay Lunchenkov
Ganna Dovbakh
Practical handbook on community-led monitoring tools was developed in English and Russian languages. The checklist with EHRA and other partners for CLM was discussed and agreed upon.
On 2-8 December 2022, specialists from the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) conducted regional online training “Community-Led Monitoring Methods” for the representatives of community organizations in the CEECA region. The training was attended by 38 representatives of organizations from different vulnerable communities in the CEECA region. The aim of the training consisting of three online sessions was to train leaders of self-organizations from different key communities in the CEECA region to understand, which role CLM can play in their advocacy work, how to formulate the proper problem and research question for CLM, and which of the different methodologies can most effectively provide the data needed for advocacy. Video recordings of the training, as well as presentations can be found at the link.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Decentralization of HIV treatment through integration to primary healthcare

Giorgi Soselia
Synthesis Report on assessment of health systems to decentralize HIV treatment services in 5 countries of the EECA is developed and can be found at the link.
Technical support in implementation of long-term contracts for ARV procurement

Denis Godlevskiy
Advocacy plans were developed for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova to further contribute to ARV price reduction. Official letters were sent to pharmaceutical companies and government authorities regarding further price reduction for ARVs, keeping the simplified procedures of registration of medicines and medical devices, etc.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Olga Belyaeva
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Ensure a monitoring system for the implementation of the human right to health in prisons through national preventive mechanisms

Oleksiy Zagrebelnyi
An analysis of the current situation regarding the development and implementation of tools to ensure access to harm reduction services with a focus on OST was conducted by FreeZone in Georgia and in Kyrgyzstan.
An analysis of the current functioning of NPMs was carried out by FreeZone in Moldova and Kazakhstan.
For Moldova and Kazakhstan, Information on key indicators of the incidence of socially dangerous diseases in penitentiary institutions was collected, namely data on the total number of convicts held in penitentiary institutions; detailed information on the number of people living with HIV infection; the number of detected cases of tuberculosis; the number of convicts who were provided with treatment for viral hepatitis. The results can be found at the links: Moldova, Kazakhstan.
Women-led research, “Monitoring of violence against women living with HIV”, including factors preventing support/help seeking behaviors for women living with HIV who experience violence

Svitlana Moroz
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
Development and promotion of the Guiding principles (recommendations, model legislation etc.) on drug policy for the EECA region with specific advocacy efforts for reforming drug policy and decriminalization of personal drug use

Kucheruk Olena
The Guiding Principles document is developed and approved by the ECECACD. The first draft of the document was reviewed and discussed during in-person meeting of Commissioners on November 2, 2022 (the Minutes extract with provided recommendations to the document are available upon request). The document was amended accordingly to the recommendations and sent for the second review by Commissioners. Commissioners provided their recommendations and corrections to the text (the letters and texts with corrections are available upon request). Final amendments was done, the document was completed and finally approved by Commissioners (relevant correspondence is available upon request). The final version of the Guiding principles is under design
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
REGIONAL: regional dashboard (with 2 integrated portals) + preliminary results to be reflected on the timeframe / deadlines, at least for this year

Maria Malakhova
ToR for the dashboard is under development; methodologies and approaches to data collection for the social contacting and sustainability and transition portals are being updated.
National info system with database, service provider app, and client app

Maria Malakhova
ToR is developed, specifications are being developed, team is being trained, development is due to start in April 2023.
Virtual social worker

Maria Malakhova
Concept is developed, scripts are under development, research is being carried out to identify the optimal technical framework.
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.
Montenegro
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Country level support to adoption and implementation of HTS guidelines and introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations in four (4) countries of the SEE sub-region (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia)

Damir Lalicic
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV.
Introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations, including with TA provided by the WHO Regional Office, Europe

Damir Lalicic
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The assessment was conducted in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV. Some of the key recomendations which are suggested: to update National Guidelines/Protocols for HIV testing, outlining clear HIV testing algorithm in line with WHO recommendation including community based testing and HIV self-testing; update the existing internal protocol on HIVST; develop policy and advocacy recommendations for reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination; integrate HIV self-testing into existing HIV service delivery models including OST programs. The report can be found at the link.
Introduction of the piloted PrEP models to the healthcare systems and advocate to revise and update national policy documents

Damir Lalicic
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro are awaiting the launch of the PrEP pilot project between MCM (Protocols have been developed, client waiting lists are available, study-visits have been carried out for the project staff). The first clients are expected to receive PrEP in Q1 2023.
Advocacy for PrEP financial costs to be covered by national funding schemes (including health insurance)

Damir Lalicic
The second main activity regarding of PrEP was advocacy for PrEP financial costs to be covered by national funding schemes. Our focus in 2022 was preparation of set of recommendations for institutionalization of PrEP in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro and by the end of the year we finalized first drafts which is distributed to the stakeholders.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
Procurement of condom vending machines to reduce contacts during COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
2 countries (Moldova, Montenegro) were supported in purchasing vending machines. 13 machines were purchased to reduce contacts during COVID-19.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Haris Karabegovic
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Assessment of the legal framework to fund HIV services with domestic funds: sustainability planning; advocacy campaign on change of laws and regulations; establishment of Parliamentary group for HIV,TB, Hepatitis and STIs

Damir Lalicic
Preliminary consultations were held in 2022and assessment was planned in 2023.Domestic funding for HIV services is increased. The funding of Tirana municipality for NGOs offer HIV services was $32,000. The level of funding for HIV-related activities from the City of Skopje remained approximately the same as is in 2021 –approximately 35,000 USD. MoH from Montenegro allocated 100.000 EUR for funding NGO HIV programs in 2022. In Bosnia and Herzegovina for increase services for key populations and PLWHA. was two grants. One grant was from Ministry of Civil affairs, Department for Health and it was about 26 000 Euro for nine CSOs, Partnerships in Health was one of them but also our partners from the Project, Victoria and Ruka Ruci. The second grant was from Federal Ministry of Health, and it was for HIV testing and counselling on HIV, education for KAP and youth. It was about 13 500 Euro and it was granted to the Partnerships in Health. In Serbia there was 19214 USD in total from municipality funding for HIV services in Serbia.
Until now there is Parliamentary group for HIV, TB Hepatitis and STIs established in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Damir Lalicic
Municipal budget advocacy for cities that chose the Fast Track approach: Podgorica, Bar, Bijelo-Polje cities in the Balkan region

Damir Lalicic
As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe ($130 000), Podgorica ($43 000), Skopje ($35 000), Tirana (USD 32,000), Novi Sad (USD 9,000), Sabac ($7 500) and Zvezdara ($4 000) allocated funds for the implementation of activities that would achieve the goals of the Paris Declaration.
North Macedonia
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Country level support to adoption and implementation of HTS guidelines and introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations in four (4) countries of the SEE sub-region (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia)

Damir Lalicic
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV.
Introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations, including with TA provided by the WHO Regional Office, Europe

Damir Lalicic
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The assessment was conducted in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV. Some of the key recomendations which are suggested: to update National Guidelines/Protocols for HIV testing, outlining clear HIV testing algorithm in line with WHO recommendation including community based testing and HIV self-testing; update the existing internal protocol on HIVST; develop policy and advocacy recommendations for reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination; integrate HIV self-testing into existing HIV service delivery models including OST programs. The report can be found at the link.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Haris Karabegovic
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Assessment of the legal framework to fund HIV services with domestic funds: sustainability planning; advocacy campaign on change of laws and regulations; establishment of Parliamentary group for HIV,TB, Hepatitis and STIs

Damir Lalicic
Preliminary consultations were held in 2022and assessment was planned in 2023.Domestic funding for HIV services is increased. The funding of Tirana municipality for NGOs offer HIV services was $32,000. The level of funding for HIV-related activities from the City of Skopje remained approximately the same as is in 2021 –approximately 35,000 USD. MoH from Montenegro allocated 100.000 EUR for funding NGO HIV programs in 2022. In Bosnia and Herzegovina for increase services for key populations and PLWHA. was two grants. One grant was from Ministry of Civil affairs, Department for Health and it was about 26 000 Euro for nine CSOs, Partnerships in Health was one of them but also our partners from the Project, Victoria and Ruka Ruci. The second grant was from Federal Ministry of Health, and it was for HIV testing and counselling on HIV, education for KAP and youth. It was about 13 500 Euro and it was granted to the Partnerships in Health. In Serbia there was 19214 USD in total from municipality funding for HIV services in Serbia.
Until now there is Parliamentary group for HIV, TB Hepatitis and STIs established in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Damir Lalicic
Municipal budget advocacy for cities that chose the Fast Track approach: Skopje cities in the Balkan region

Damir Lalicic
As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe ($130 000), Podgorica ($43 000), Skopje ($35 000), Tirana (USD 32,000), Novi Sad (USD 9,000), Sabac ($7 500) and Zvezdara ($4 000) allocated funds for the implementation of activities that would achieve the goals of the Paris Declaration.
Region
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
REGIONAL: Establish and maintain a virtual regional professional network to update testing strategies and simplify testing, diagnostic and linkage to care, and for information dissemination on evidence for HTS policy revisions in countries of the region


Stela Bivol
Lucia Pirtina
Within the sub-regional meeting in Kazakhstan in November 2022, the establishment of the virtual network was initiated. The concept and purpose of the network were presented to the participants. Within the network, participants (members) will be able to exchange experiences, ask questions, take part in discussions, share files, collaborate on documents, exchange and learn from each other on HIV testing.
REGIONAL: Conduct an initial sub-regional meeting in Kazakhstan given the WHO Geographically Dispersed Office (GDO) on primary care is based in Almaty, involving Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan and Moldova will report on their previous transition to updated HIV testing strategies and showcase the impact on the number of people tested and initiated onto treatment.


Stela Bivol
Lucia Pirtina
“PAS Center in collaboration with WHO Regional Office for Europe, organized the sub regional meeting on the decentralization of HIV testing services and the simplification of HIV algorithms. The meeting was held on 28-30 November 2022, in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The main aims of the meeting were to discuss ways to improve HIV testing services in line with WHO recommendations and to exchange countries’ best experiences of revising their HIV testing strategies. The event was attended by representatives of the ministries of health responsible for HIV testing services, HIV programme managers, technical-level specialists from the health institutions responsible for the national HIV testing services from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Georgia and Uzbekistan, and SoS project 2.0 implementers and partners.”
REGIONAL: Develop regional operational guidance on decentralization and rapid initiation of HIV testing and treatment based on country experience


Stela Bivol
Lucia Pirtina
Terms of Reference is under development to hire the consultant who will develop regional operational guidance based on country experience from Moldova and Kyrgyzstan.
Terms of Reference is under development to hire the consultant who will develop regional operational guidance based on country experience from Moldova and Kyrgyzstan.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
REGIONAL: Provision of technical assistance to national CSOs to reduce the price of treatment and diagnostics in countries of the EECA region

Denis Godlevskiy
Draft reports on procurement monitoring of CD4 and VL tests as well as the rapid tests for HIV have been prepared and a session on diagnostics and ARVs price reduction advocacy was organized and held during the National Consultation in Moldova.
REGIONAL: Provide technical support to SEE RCN and national SEE CSOs to advocate for ART procurement price reductions in five (5) countries of SE Europe


Daryna Bondarenko
Denis Godlevskiy
REGIONAL: Support the development and functioning of a regional platform to share experience and best practices that ensure access to quality assured treatment and testing systems

Denis Godlevskiy
REGIONAL: Contribute to the transformation of the perception and understanding of the importance of PrEP as one of the key HIV prevention approaches at all levels and for all key populations in the countries of the EECA region and SEE sub-region


Nikolay Lunchenkov
Ioannis Mameletzis
ECOM in partnership with WHO regional office for Europe analyzed five national PrEP protocols (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Ukraine) and provided Report with recommendations on the steps needed to include PrEP into nationally approved standard package of servises.
REGIONAL: Targeted online sexual / reproductive and mental health intervention for experimenting youths: online services to be provided in a wider range of the countries of the region, as well as offline in one Balkan country

Maria Malakhova
Policy statement being finalised, will be launched in March 2023. Implementation guide with case studies under development.
Organization and support of two shelters (Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions), one-time support for 4 shelters, material payments to OST clients

Nadiya Yanhol
60 stationary places for living in shelters in Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions were organized with support of food, transportation, coverage of a basic package of medicines and household goods, clothing for 405 people from key groups and members of their families. Provided technical support to 4 shelters (Poltava, Cherkasy, Kryvyi Rih and Zhytomyr). 70 payments were made for the payment of rent and provision of proper social and living conditions for the participants of the OST program. 22 payments were made to victims of violence from the Russian occupiers. In total, more than 1,500 people were covered by the program.
Provision of support to refugees among KPs and PLHIV as a part of emergency response: Ensuring better access to services for people who have moved to other countries due to the war (incl communication, navigation, case management): launch and sustaining of an international support service (HelpNow), two HelpNow hubs, a web portal with crucial regularly updated information and online medical consultations solution

Maria Malakhova
Activity currently being funded from alternative sources.
REGIONAL: Operational researches on the impact of COVID-19 on HIV service delivery





Maria Malakhova
Victoria Kalyniuk
Elena German
Zinaida Abrosimova
Maria Plotko
The following studies have been carried out:
- Operational study to assess the ways/channels/mechanisms used by various key populations from different countries to access services, research and communications in times of COVID-19 (Alliance)
- Domestic and other forms of violence among transgender women, sex workers and women who use drugs during COVID-19 pandemic (in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan)
- Monitoring and Documentation of Rights Violations Faced by Trans* People during COVID-19 Pandemic in EECA (in process) (ECOM)
- Health and social well-being of MSM and trans*people in EECA during COVID-19 pandemic (in process) (ECOM)
- Situation Analysis on the Provision of HIV Health Services for Foreign Migrant Citizens in Kazakhstan (Kaz)
- An overview of best practices based on civil society and medical institutions in the Russian Federation in assisting foreign migrants in the Russian Federation and overcoming barriers for migrants to access HIV services (Kaz)
- Webinar Series on Police Responses to Gender-Based Violence against Women Who Use Drugs: Practices and Opportunities;
- Development of interactive materials for women who use drugs in violent settings (EHRA)
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
REGIONAL: Develop regional annual summary reports on rights violations faced by MSM and transgender people in the EECA region

Yuri Yorskiy
National summary reports for 2022 are developed for five EECA countries: Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. They are under design and will be available by the end of January 2023. Regional summary report for 2022 will be finalized in Q1 2023.
REGIONAL: Support high-level review of legislation for MSM and trans people

Yuri Yorskiy
ECOM is supporting strategic litigations on human rights abuses among gay men, other MSM and trans people in Armenia. Apart from that, a number of webinars for gay men, other MSM and trans people on meaningful involvement with UN Treaty Bodies, UPR and UN Special Procedures were held, namely: “Universal Periodic Review: Advocacy within a process” on October 20, 2022, “The right to health for LGBT people: submission of alternative reports to UN treaty bodies” on November 18, 2022.
REGIONAL: Create and promote a Regional Platform on the elimination of HIV-related stigma and discrimination in countries of the EECA region that includes interventions and advocacy activities to remove punitive laws that criminalize HIV transmission and provoke stigma and discrimination in relation to PLHIV; conduct and facilitate country-level and regional consultations to develop strategic plans to eliminate criminalization, stigma and discrimination towards PLHIV; provide mentorships to protect PLHIV against the consequences of HIV criminalization; and provide support to the Global Partnership for action to eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination

Nadiia Savchenko
REGIONAL: Rapid gender assessment of barriers faced by key populations in access to HIV services using secondary and available data


Yuri Yorskiy
Svitlana Moroz
Gender barriers assessment is under finalization, the report will be published in Q1 2023.
REGIONAL: Build the capacity, and raise awareness, of gender equality and rights of key populations in the region




Svitlana Moroz
Yuri Yorskiy
Olga Belyaeva
Dr. Karen Badalyan
On October 11, 2022, EWNA held a Regional consultation for the EECA countries “Expanding access to mental health services for women living with HIV and women from key populations” in order to identify priority measures for the integration of community-led HIV-related mental and physical health prevention, care and support services for women living with HIV and women from key populations. Based on the findings of the Regional consultation on mental health for women living with HIV and women from key populations in EECA, the EWNA developed the statement “Integration of women’s community-led mental health services into the HIV response in the EECA region”.
EHRA held online training for social workers, outreach workers, psychologists and other experts, providing counselling to people who use drugs (6 modules, 153 people trained from Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and other countries), developed recommendations for organizing and providing harm reduction online.
REGIONAL: Build the capacity of the community of people who use drugs in the EECA region


Ganna Dovbakh
Olga Belyaeva
For 4 countries (Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Ukraine) in December 2022, EHRA announced RFP – Subgrants: Capacity building in promotion of drug policy reform in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Ukraine. The winners will be selected in early 2023.
ENPUD Expert Council on Treatment was established: prevention of interruptions in access to treatment, and monitoring the availability of stocks of OST drugs in case of force majeure. ENPUD Expert Council on Rights and Drug Policy was established: direct dialogue with decision-makers in the countries of the region. The Emergency Assistance Fund for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (ENPUD) was established: organization of departure, starting with the preparation of visas, exit corridor; work with shelters for departure.
REGIONAL: Development and submission of reports to UN Treaty Bodies, UN Special Procedures or UPR on human rights violations among KPs (countries TBD)


Yuri Yorskiy
Ganna Dovbakh
ECOM in this reporting period has submitted a number of reports to the UN institutions, among which:
- an alternative report on rights violations of trans people in Kyrgyzstan to the UN Committee against Torture (CAT), for the follow up procedure. The report includes cases collected by the ECOM Reactors in Kyrgyzstan.
- an alternative report on behalf of the community of Tajikistan to the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Human Rights Defenders, with the data on rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity faced by LGBT HRDs, with a particular focus on the right to health. Report was presented at the online meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur and the relevant recommendations were made by the mandate holder in its final communique.
- an alternative report on Rights Violations based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Kyrgyzstan to the UN Human Rights Committee (HRCtee), for the Country Review.
- an alternative report on rights violations of trans people in Armenia to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), for the country review.
Matrix for analysing trends in human rights violations against people who use drugs is prepared and published by EHRA. The purpose of this Matrix is to facilitate the analysis of documented human right violations by grouping violations into strategic blocks that are easy to use for the subsequent reporting to human rights treaty bodies and/or as part of follow-up advocacy at national level; and to equip human rights activists with knowledge/skills in how to prepare/ write reports for a human right body. The Matrix aligns the analysis with the environment in which human rights treaty bodies and national governments develop human rights practices, surrounded and mediated by community-led monitoring.
REGIONAL: Coordination, support in development and submission of the CEDAW alternative/shadow reports prepared by the coalition of women’s communities (HIV-positive women, women who use drugs, sex-workers, LBT women) countries TBD

Svitlana Moroz
A shadow report on Uzbekistan was submitted to the CEDAW committee in January 2022. Recommendations to decriminalize HIV were received.
REGIONAL: Engage with the EECA Commission on Drug Policy to initiate and facilitate public discourse at a high political level in the region and to raise awareness among the general public and professional groups in order to get the public to demand changes and prepare the ground for reforms

Kucheruk Olena
In 2022 there were two meetings of the ECECECAD Commissioners: on May 31, 2022 (online) and on November 2, 2022 (in person). During the meetings, Commissioners discussed the current situation and war implications to the region as well as have made decisions and plans for the work.
Commissioners represented the ECECACD at different global and regional events. President Kwasniewski and Professor Kazatchkine represented the Commission at the EuroScience Open Forum ‘Why Europe Must Lead Drug Policy Reform & Decriminalization’, July 14, 2022, Leiden, The Netherlands (online) and at the media-event in Montreal (within the International AIDS Conference), July 31 2022, Montreal, Canada. It was a good media coverage in international media after that. Mr. Andriukaitis represented the Commission at the Bloomberg CityLab 2022 Session: Drug Legalization: What Works? October 11, 2022, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (in person). Professor Kazatchkine and Olena Kucheruk contributed to producing a JIED podcast on drug policies and the war in Ukraine from 2014, October 27, 2022.
Country visit to Vilnius was conducted on November 2-4, 2022. The main advocacy target was the draft law on decriminalization of possession of small amounts of cannabis. On 23 November, the Seimas Committee on Legal Affairs approved amendments to the Administrative and Criminal Code that propose to decriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis without intent to distribute it. With this decision, the Committee puts the bill to a vote in the Seimas. It is worth mentioning that during its official visit to Lithuania on November 2-4, a delegation of the ECECACD had a number of meetings to discuss the draft law with members of the Seimas, the Speaker of the Seimas, the President of Lithuania and representatives of key ministries and institutions responsible for drug policy. Commissioners provided scientific evidences and arguments in favor of decriminalization, held a press conference, gave a series of interviews and had a series of working meetings to support the draft law in Lithuania.
The web-site of the ECECACD is developed and updated: ececacd.org. Brief video with speeches of all Commissioners is developed and placed to the web-site.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
REGIONAL: Ontology (guide with joint language / coding / principles, etc)

Maria Malakhova
Information systems assessment has been carried out in 5 countries; ontology guide being finalised.
Serbia
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Country level support to adoption and implementation of HTS guidelines and introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations in four (4) countries of the SEE sub-region (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia)

Damir Lalicic
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV.
Introduction of self-testing, community-based testing and decentralized testing into national policy documents and clinical guidelines, and harmonized testing policies and processes with new WHO recommendations, including with TA provided by the WHO Regional Office, Europe

Damir Lalicic
Costing Methodology for HIV infection testing costs based on current HIV testing strategies and RDT-based testing costs and data collection tool are developed, data on Kazakhstan and Georgia are collected, the reports are under finalization.
In 2022, the project conducted an assessment on policies, regulations, and practice of HIV Rapid Testing/Self-testing in 4 SEE countries and developed a report on findings and recommendations. The assessment was conducted in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate country-specific policies, regulations, and practical factors that are currently facilitating or affecting community-level access to rapid diagnostic tests, including self-testing of HIV. Some of the key recomendations which are suggested: to update National Guidelines/Protocols for HIV testing, outlining clear HIV testing algorithm in line with WHO recommendation including community based testing and HIV self-testing; update the existing internal protocol on HIVST; develop policy and advocacy recommendations for reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination; integrate HIV self-testing into existing HIV service delivery models including OST programs. The report can be found at the link.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
Procurement and distribution of Ag-RDTs

Nadiya Yanhol
Purchased 120 thousand rapid antigen tests for COVID (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine) and 4,000 PCR tests for Ukraine to test key population groups and their close contacts.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Women-led research, “Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women living with HIV”

Svitlana Moroz
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Haris Karabegovic
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Assessment of the legal framework to fund HIV services with domestic funds: sustainability planning; advocacy campaign on change of laws and regulations; establishment of Parliamentary group for HIV,TB, Hepatitis and STIs

Damir Lalicic
Preliminary consultations were held in 2022and assessment was planned in 2023.Domestic funding for HIV services is increased. The funding of Tirana municipality for NGOs offer HIV services was $32,000. The level of funding for HIV-related activities from the City of Skopje remained approximately the same as is in 2021 –approximately 35,000 USD. MoH from Montenegro allocated 100.000 EUR for funding NGO HIV programs in 2022. In Bosnia and Herzegovina for increase services for key populations and PLWHA. was two grants. One grant was from Ministry of Civil affairs, Department for Health and it was about 26 000 Euro for nine CSOs, Partnerships in Health was one of them but also our partners from the Project, Victoria and Ruka Ruci. The second grant was from Federal Ministry of Health, and it was for HIV testing and counselling on HIV, education for KAP and youth. It was about 13 500 Euro and it was granted to the Partnerships in Health. In Serbia there was 19214 USD in total from municipality funding for HIV services in Serbia.
Until now there is Parliamentary group for HIV, TB Hepatitis and STIs established in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Municipal budget advocacy for cities that chose the Fast Track approach: Sombor, Kragujevac, Zvezdara, Subotica, Novi Sad, Sabac, Stari Grad, Zajecar, Novi Pazar and Nis cities in the Balkan region

Damir Lalicic
As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe ($130 000), Podgorica ($43 000), Skopje ($35 000), Tirana (USD 32,000), Novi Sad (USD 9,000), Sabac ($7 500) and Zvezdara ($4 000) allocated funds for the implementation of activities that would achieve the goals of the Paris Declaration.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Damir Lalicic
Tajikistan
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Improve HIV care cascade for key populations specific and targeted interventions in Dushanbe, Kulyab and Khorog of Tajikistan

Pulod Dzhamolov
Starting July 2022, Fast Track Cities initiative is being implemented in Dushanbe, Kulyab and Khorog. As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe allocated $130 000 for HIV programs in 2022.
Assessment of OAT sustainability

Ivan Varentsov
Assessment of the sustainability of the opioid agonist therapy programme in the context of transition from donor support to domestic funding was conducted in Moldova and Tajikistan. The reports are being finalized and sent for design, they’ll be published by the end of Q1 2023. The assessments in Albania, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine are ongoing and will be finalized in 2023.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
Procurement and distribution of Ag-RDTs

Nadiya Yanhol
Purchased 120 thousand rapid antigen tests for COVID (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine) and 4,000 PCR tests for Ukraine to test key population groups and their close contacts.
REAct monitoring system implementation to capture COVID-19 related rights violations

Nadiya Yanhol
Support of the hotline / phone services within REAct monitoring system implementation in order to provide distant support and legal consultations to women from groups at risk suffering domestic violence and experiencing human rights violations (in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) – Distant legal consulting to avoid face-to-face meetings between client and REActors. With the help of crisis and instant assistance, it was possible to expand the coverage of clients with services (38% of all services in Tajikistan and 45% in Uzbekistan) and reduce barriers to accessing REAct services.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Yuri Yorskiy
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Legal environment and situation analysis as well as mapping of civil society partners in the area of access by migrants to HIV and TB services

Daniel Kashnitsky
“On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
Also, in Q4 REG has launched a study is Kyrgyzstan.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.”
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.
Municipal budget advocacy for cities that chose the Fast Track approach: in Dushanbe, Kulyab and Khorog cities of Tajikistan

Pulod Dzhamolov
As the result of budget advocacy the city administrations in Dushanbe ($130 000), Podgorica ($43 000), Skopje ($35 000), Tirana (USD 32,000), Novi Sad (USD 9,000), Sabac ($7 500) and Zvezdara ($4 000) allocated funds for the implementation of activities that would achieve the goals of the Paris Declaration.
Ukraine
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
Implementation of PrEP with long acting ARV

Nadiya Yanhol
During 2022 we managed to create two working groups regarding the development of a pilot project on long-acting PrEP for key population groups (KPG) in Ukraine or other country in the EECA region with pharmaceutical companies – ViiV Healthcare (ViiV) regarding long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) and GILEAD regarding long-acting lenacapavir (LA PrEP). Our main goal during communication is to provide 100 representatives of KPG with long-acting PrEP as part of a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention with technical support from the Alliance for Public Health and donation of a drug from a pharmaceutical company as an additional HIV prevention option for people at high risk of HIV infection.
Inclusion of PrEP into nationally approved service packages for MSM and/or other key populations

Nikolay Lunchenkov
ECOM in partnership with WHO regional office for Europe analyzed five national PrEP protocols (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Ukraine) and provided Report with recommendations on the steps needed to include PrEP into nationally approved standard package of servises.
Pilot stimulant users ST model/program and evaluate its effectiveness to enable its adaptation and finalization for proposal to governments in the countries of the region

Maria Malakhova
Research protocol developed and submitted for review to the IRB.
Organization and support of two shelters (Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions), one-time support for 4 shelters, material payments to OST clients

Nadiya Yanhol
60 stationary places for living in shelters in Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions were organized with support of food, transportation, coverage of a basic package of medicines and household goods, clothing for 405 people from key groups and members of their families. Provided technical support to 4 shelters (Poltava, Cherkasy, Kryvyi Rih and Zhytomyr). 70 payments were made for the payment of rent and provision of proper social and living conditions for the participants of the OST program. 22 payments were made to victims of violence from the Russian occupiers. In total, more than 1,500 people were covered by the program.
Provision of support to refugees among KPs and PLHIV as a part of emergency response: Ensuring better access to services for people who have moved to other countries due to the war (incl communication, navigation, case management): launch and sustaining of an international support service (HelpNow), two HelpNow hubs, a web portal with crucial regularly updated information and online medical consultations solution

Maria Malakhova
Activity currently being funded from alternative sources.
Provision of HIV prevention services with precautions against COVID-19

Nadiya Yanhol
Work on shelters has expanded – in addition to 5 shelters for working with women who use drugs in conditions of violence (Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan), support for flexible shelters for representatives of the LGBT community in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been added. The program was distinguished by a special programmatic approach to working with clients – about 3,200 clients received material assistance in the form of food packages (Georgia, Kazakhstan). PPE support in Kaz for migrants and KGP (124,000 disposable masks, 1,000 antiseptics); CLM to provide quality services for clients of OST programs in 7 countries.
Procurement and distribution of Ag-RDTs

Nadiya Yanhol
Purchased 120 thousand rapid antigen tests for COVID (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine) and 4,000 PCR tests for Ukraine to test key population groups and their close contacts.
Community-led advocacy of elimination of identified critical discrepancies with the WHO prevention, testing and treatment guidelines

Daryna Bondarenko
Current testing and treatment protocols analysis is finished in 7 countries (Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine) and recommendations to align the national protocols with the WHO guidelines are provided. The report is available at the link.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The report is available at the link.
Assessment of OAT sustainability

Ivan Varentsov
Assessment of the sustainability of the opioid agonist therapy programme in the context of transition from donor support to domestic funding was conducted in Moldova and Tajikistan. The reports are being finalized and sent for design, they’ll be published by the end of Q1 2023. The assessments in Albania, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine are ongoing and will be finalized in 2023.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Legal environment and situation analysis as well as mapping of civil society partners in the area of access by migrants to HIV and TB services

Daniel Kashnitsky
On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
Also, in Q4 REG has launched a study is Kyrgyzstan.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
Evidence-based advocacy interventions with the aim of removing legal barriers to, and improve the rights of, migrant access to HIV and TB care in sending and receiving countries of in EECA region: national and regional (EECA) meeting and roundtables with participation of civil society, migrant organizations, healthcare officials and parliamentarians

Daniel Kashnitsky
On December 9, the REGMH with the assistance of the NCC Secretariat held in Dushanbe a Roundtable “Protection of health of migrants from Tajikistan”. The event was timed to presentation of a new study conducted by the REGMH: “Situation and Economic analysis of HIV-related health services in the field of migration in Tajikistan”.
On December 13, 2022, the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health together with Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV held a Roundtable in Almaty “Health of HIV positive migrants in Kazakhstan”. The aim of the Round Table was to promote effective and timely treatment of international migrants living with HIV. During the meeting, the Situational and Economic analysis on the provision of HIV-related health services for international migrants in Kazakhstan was presented and discussed.
On December 19, REG together with local NGO “Real World. Real People” held a Roundtable in Armenia, Yerevan aimed to buster a discussion and exchange of experience on the provision of services for international HIV-positive migrants between heads of health authorities of the Republic of Armenia, government departments responsible for migration and civil society organizations. At the meeting, a study “Analysis of legal and institutional barriers to accessing HIV services among migrants in the Republic of Armenia” (developed by REG in 2021) was presented.
On October 11, REG held an online meeting “Migrants’ access to HIV services in Central Asia and Caucasus” that gathered representatives of UNAIDS, Central Asian Association of PLHIV (Kazakhstan), TB People (Georgia), NGO “Real World, Real People” (Armenia), IFRC Central Asia, WHO Europe, Elton John AIDS Foundation, NGO Equality Movement (Georgia), AFEW (Kyrgyzstan), IFRC South Caucasus, Global Fund, WHO, and MSF. The goal of the meeting was to initiate a discussion and work out possible solutions to provide access to HIV services for those who urgently left the countries following the political situation.
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.


Victoria Kalyniuk
Olga Belyaeva
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
REGIONAL: regional dashboard (with 2 integrated portals) + preliminary results to be reflected on the timeframe / deadlines, at least for this year

Maria Malakhova
ToR for the dashboard is under development; methodologies and approaches to data collection for the social contacting and sustainability and transition portals are being updated.
National info system with database, service provider app, and client app

Maria Malakhova
ToR is developed, specifications are being developed, team is being trained, development is due to start in April 2023.
Virtual social worker

Maria Malakhova
Concept is developed, scripts are under development, research is being carried out to identify the optimal technical framework.
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.
Uzbekistan
Objective 1. HIV care cascade
Institutionalizing effective models of, and processes in, HIV responses in the EECA region to impact the HIV care cascade in the region
REAct monitoring system implementation to capture COVID-19 related rights violations

Nadiya Yanhol
Support of the hotline / phone services within REAct monitoring system implementation in order to provide distant support and legal consultations to women from groups at risk suffering domestic violence and experiencing human rights violations (in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) – Distant legal consulting to avoid face-to-face meetings between client and REActors. With the help of crisis and instant assistance, it was possible to expand the coverage of clients with services (38% of all services in Tajikistan and 45% in Uzbekistan) and reduce barriers to accessing REAct services.
National Contingency Planning

Nadiya Yanhol
Supporting key group populations in a COVID setting “General contingency planning guide developed in the frames of the C19RM is available here.
Guide by APH for Contingency Planning for Key Population HIV Services during COVID-19 and Other Emergencies for North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in English is available at the link https://aph.org.ua/en/eeca/ in the folders with the names of each country.
Community-led advocacy of elimination of identified critical discrepancies with the WHO prevention, testing and treatment guidelines

Daryna Bondarenko
Current testing and treatment protocols analysis is finished in 7 countries (Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine) and recommendations to align the national protocols with the WHO guidelines are provided. The report is available at the link.
WHO has held the analysis of HIV testing guidelines in 6 countries of EECA – Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The report is available at the link.
Objective 2. Removing HR/gender barriers
Removing barriers to services for key populations to promote quality health interventions based on human rights principles; addressing gender barriers to services
Legal environment assessment on MSM and trans people in 4 countries

Yuri Yorskiy
Legal environment assessments for Kyrgyzstan and for Uzbekistan were published.
Developing and launching call for “Gender and HIV” small grants with special eligibility focus on Monitoring situation with human rights of Trans* people

Dr. Karen Badalyan
Small Grants Programme with 4 selected projects run by grass-root NGOs in 2022 included:
- “National Trans Coalition” NGO with the project titled “HIV prevention in Armenia through gender mainstreaming” (Armenia);
- “The Public Association “Union for Equity and Health” NGO with the project titled “Gender Equality for sex workers” (Moldova);
- “Rromnjako Ilo” Zrenjanin he Public Association” NGO with the project titled “Check your health – Equality for Trans Roma and Roma women/girls sex workers” (Serbia);
- “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION «NASHA DOPOMOGA»” with the project titled “RIGHT TO HEALTH!” (Ukraine).
Decriminalization of HIV and unintended HIV transmission

Nadiia Savchenko
100% Life conducted an analysis of the legal environment in Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan in order to identify regulatory legal acts that need to be amended to reduce the criminalization of people living with HIV.
REAct (https://react-aph.org/): Monitoring of human rights violations and discrimination against PLHIV and KPs. Responding to such cases through provision or referring to legal or social services to victims and through advocacy actions. In Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, REAct system was initiated within SoS_project#1.0 in 2020, and in 2022 is transferred to national funding, meanwhile APH continues to provide technical support to users. In Ukraine, REAct was implemented in 2019 and is functional within national GF grant. REAct system is supported by APH in Uzbekistan for 2022-2023, in 5 Balkan countries – for 2022-2024, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan – for 2023-2024. At the same time, regional networks ECOM and ENPUD started to use REAct program for documentation in several countries of the region and are supported for 2022-2024 within SoS_project#2.0 grant.



Victoria Kalyniuk
Sergei Uchaev
Zhanara Akhmetova
Cumulatively, during 2022 there were registered 6700+ cases in 13 countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) involving 170+ CBOs, as well as regional networks such as ECOM (in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) and ENPUD (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus).
The following publications are available:
- Statistic country reports by APH on human rights violations based on REAct data collected in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Tajikistan.
- Protectors or Perpetrators: the impact of unlawful policing on human rights and HIV. Join analytical publication in partnership with Frontline AIDS, Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan), AIDS Foundation (South Africa), Gender Dynamix.
- Report on the results of the analysis of the Hotline calls by APH: Domestic and other forms of violence against women living with HIV and women in key populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
- REAct Statistical Report for the 1st half of 2022 by APH. Violations of the rights of people living with HIV and representatives of vulnerable groups in Georgia.
Situational Report by APH: Drug policy in Georgia and Challenges. - Series of publications by APH based on REAct data within regional campaign “16 days against gender-based violence”.
Objective 3. Budget advocacy
Budget advocacy for sustainable services for key populations in the EECA region
Legal framework for financing HIV services from domestic funds – development and approval

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Increasing domestic financing of countries for services to key groups

Roman Drozd
Targeted activities were held in all project countries to discuss with national and international, governmental and non-governmental stakeholders the changes needed to enable sustainable and uninterrupted funding of HIV-related activities from national resources. Through targeted advocacy, technical support, and an integrated approach to HIV funding, in 2022 the project team managed to allocate approximately 1,7 million USD at the national level to programs for key populations, using social contracting mechanisms: Moldova – 154,126.84 USD; Kazakhstan – 118,529.33 USD; Kyrgyzstan – 61,000 USD; Tajikistan – 19,200.00 USD; Georgia – 357,000 USD; Ukraine – 931,453.96 USD.
Regulation of service packages for key groups

Roman Drozd
In the reporting period, the Emergency package of services for key and vulnerable groups of the population in the field of HIV, and TB in the context of military conflicts was finalized, including tariffication. On its basis, in 2023, the process of advocacy and promotion of implementation at the level of countries in the EECA region will be launched.