Center for Civil Society International ([email protected])
Fri, 18 Jul 1997 11:24:08 -0700 (PDT)
CCSI presents excerpts from the Agency for Social Information (ASI) e-mail
information bulletin. Translated from Russian by CCSI volunteer Tom
Sorenson, J.D., Ph.D., Edmonds, Washington, USA. For more information on
how to receive ASI's bulletin regularly, contact:
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AGENTSTVO SOTSIALNOI INFORMATSII
Kutuzovskyi pr. 22 pod. 14a,
Moscow, 121151
Tel./fax: (095) 249-3989
E-mail: [email protected]
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N 22 (131)
30 May - 5 June 1997
In this issue:
I. Our Government is not Prepared for the War on AIDS
II. A Rotary Club has Opened in Barnaul
III. The Children's Rights Foundation "Chance" Invites
Participation in a Conference
IV. A Conference of Social Organizations of South Russia
took place in Krasnodar
I
Our Government is not Prepared for the War on AIDS
On June 3 at the Journalists Union [Nizhnii Novgorod] there was a press
conference organized by the Nizhnii Novgorod office of the Agency for
Social Information at which representatives of noncommercial organizations
Elena Kopnina (of the regional department of the women's charitable
organization "A Future Without AIDS") and Viktor Greskii (of the Human
Rights Society) told of the status of HIV infection in Nizhnii Novgorod
oblast and answered numerous questions from journalists.
As Elena Kopnina says, only 40% of the necessary funds were allocated last
year to the federal program "Anti-AIDS." Moreover, a large portion of
this money went to the salaries of personnel at specialized centers
although according to date of the World Health Organization 60% of all
funds should go toward preventative work if results are to be achieved.
In their opinion drug addicts, especially young drug addicts, are one of
the more difficult groups to reach with preventative measures. There is
much criminal activity among this group. In order to earn one dose, a drug
addict must sell ten. Those who are already drug dependent must, at least,
be warned of how to protect themselves from infection by using single use
or "boiled" needles, by boiling the drugs before using them if only for a
few minutes, and by not buying used needles. But the main thing is to
prevent drug addiction among those youth who are still "healthy."
The participants in the press conference believe that Nizhnii Novgorod is
violating the human rights of those suspected of being HIV infected.
Decree No. 203 of the oblast administration "On Strengthening Measures for
Preventing the Spread of HIV Infection (AIDS) in Nizhnii Novgorod Oblast"
at many points does not correspond with federal law or with international
standards. The main point, as to which the Human Rights Society is
preparing to file suit against the oblast administration, is the list of
categories of people who must submit to HIV testing. These include drug
addicts and those merely "suspected of using" drugs, homosexuals, and
persons who have arrived from neighboring countries within 3 months.
All the participants in the press conference noted the insufficient
attention paid to this problem by the mass media despite the fact that
today in Nizhnii Novgorod oblast there are 367 known cases of HIV
infection, 165 of these having occurred already this year. "Their
ostrich-like policies lead the papers to write about that which is
pleasant rather than truly acute and timely topics, and the television
shows foreign programs. The only thing left to do is to erect a bell of
AIDS, a bell of syphilis, a bell of tuberculosis in Minin Square and to
ring them constantly," says Elena Kopnina. "Addicts don't read the
papers, and the television is silent. Why can't we put spots on the harm
done by drugs and the ways to catch AIDS in programs for young people
between the shows and the interviews with pop stars?" In the words of
Viktor Gruskii, writing about parrots dying out in the forests of the
Amazon is safer than warning about the AIDS epidemic in Nizhnii Novgorod.
And still the only way to treat AIDS is not to get it.
Additional information is available at telephone number: 31-3564.
II
A Rotary Club has Opened in Barnaul
"Rotary International" unites citizens of 157 countries. The number of
Rotary Clubs is continually growing. About 700 new clubs are organized
annually. This international organization was founded in 1905 by Paul
Harrison (USA). Rotarians believe that the main thing is the recognition
by every member of the club of the high goal of service to people in
business and in everyday and social life, as well as the strengthening of
international understanding. The first social activity of the Baranul
Rotary Club was a display of the works of artists of the Altai region on
the Internet. The [celebration of the] opening of the Rotary Club was
concluded with a charity concert, the proceeds of which will go toward the
treatment of drug addicts.
III
The Children's Rights Foundation "Chance" Invites Participation in a Conference
The foundation "Chance," the creator of Russia's first "Children's
Advocacy," will conduct the first international conference on the subject
"Contemporary Problems of Children's Rights" in Ekaterinburg on September
10-12.
Write to 620034 Ekaterinburg, ul. Bebelia, d. 71, Russia.
Telephone/fax: (3432) 45-5533
IV
A Conference of Social Organizations of South Russia took place in Krasnodar
Around 100 representatives of 47 noncommercial organizations of Krasnodar
and Stavropol krais and Rostov oblast took part. The conference was part
of the program "Support of Social Initiatives" with the goal of clarifying
the needs and prospects for the development of the noncommercial sector in
the region. The initiator and organizer of the conference was the
inter-regional social organization "South Russia Resource Center."
In his greetings to the participants the mayor of Krasnodar Valerii
Samoilenko, the head of the Association of South Russia Cities, emphasized
that one of the most important aspects of the work of any noncommercial
organization is cooperation with governmental agencies, which makes
possible more effective solutions to social problems. For its part, the
Krasnodar administration considers it necessary to cooperate with social
organizations. To this end there will be created a Directorate on Social
and Inter-Regional Relations, one task of which will be to work with
representatives of the noncommercial sector. In his presentation Mr.
Samoilenko expressed hope for the development of cooperation with the
South Russia Resource Center and supported the project of developing the
regional program "Support for Social Initiatives."
The participants in the conference believe that the further successful
development of the region's noncommercial organizations requires
overcoming the isolation of the NCOs, both from each other and with regard
to cooperation with the other sectors of society, the creation of a
unified NCO information network, the completion of the legislative basis
and the mechanism of state support for the activities of noncommercial
organizations, and increasing the professional level of the members of the
NCOs.
E mail: [email protected]
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| CCSI presents excerpts from the ASI Bulletin. The |
| ASI Bulletin is a publication of the Agency for Social |
| Information (ASI) in Moscow. Originally published in |
| Russian, selected stories are translated and posted to |
| the CCSI listserv "CivilSoc." English and Russian |
| archives are available on the CCSI Web site at: |
| |
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