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.

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