
The Public Association ”Union for Equity and Health” is an organization that actively promotes human rights in the context of health and public security, develops and implements sustainable and qualitative innovative interventions that respond to society’s challenges in the Republic of Moldova.
Union’s VISION
External: A tolerant, empathetic society aware of the complex health and social issues that mark a decent life, which ensures a supportive environment in order to respect human rights and fair access to services in the Republic of Moldova.
Internal: Organization that actively promotes human rights in the context of health and public security, develops and implements sustainable and qualitative innovative interventions that respond to society’s challenges in the Republic of Moldova.
Union’s MISSION
We, the members of the Union, create a favorable social environment and improve the quality of people’s lives by ensuring respect for human rights in the field of health and public security in the Republic of Moldova.
Union’s main purpose is to develop and implement policies, actions, interventions and services in the field of health and public security in the Republic of Moldova, sustainable, accessible and qualitative addressed to all groups of people who need them women, men, gender non-conforming people (including teenagers and teenage girls).
Union’s main objectives consist of contributing:
– to the promotion of new health and public security policies in the republic;
– consist in contributing to the promotion of medical, social, legal, and ecological education to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge that allows understanding health, social, legal and environmental issues in their depth and complexity;
TARGET GROUP of beneficiaries:
– organizations active in the field of public health and security;
– young people, including the most vulnerable from them;
– people from groups with increased risk of HIV infection, viral hepatitis, STIs and tuberculosis – women, men, gender non-conforming people (including adolescents);
– people infected and affected by HIV, viral hepatitis, STI and tuberculosis;
– the refugee people, in the context of the war in Ukraine;
Background of the organization, its policies, field of activity (specialty), total number of beneficiaries, etc.
Starting with the year 2000, the first Harm Reduction Programs1 are implemented in the Republic of Moldova, which represent measures taken in order to prevent and reduce the medical, social and economic consequences that inevitably occur when a person uses drugs. In this context, in December 2004, 19 organizations implementing Harm Reduction strategies in Republic of Moldova have decided to create the Union for HIV Prevention and Harm Reduction (the Union). On November 19th, 2007, the Moldovan Ministry of Justice registered this Union. In September 30th, 2021, based on the LAW No 86 from 2020/06/11, the organization had to re-register and changed the name into The Union for Equity and Health (the Union).
Historically the Union focuses on developing and implementing sustainable/accessible and high-quality public health and safety policies and interventions addressing women/men, non-gendered persons, including adolescents.
The main strategic priorities, based on which the Union develops the activities, are:
1. Advocacy for accessibility, quality improvement and sustainability of services
1.1. Advocacy for the continuity of effective funding from domestic resources to program-dependent national commitments for the period 2021-2023
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of NGO financing mechanism from the prophylaxis funds of the National Medical Insurance Company (CNAM) – carried out continuously;
- Monitoring the NGO financing process from the CNAM prophylaxis funds in accordance with the commitments assumed, including the development of the monitoring tool – carried out continuously;
- Participation in the development and implementation of the municipal and national HIV and TB prevention and control programs, plea for the allocation of resources from the municipal and national budget for prevention and support activities in the context of HIV and TB – carried out continuously;
- Involvement of the mass media in promoting the sustainability of the programs – continuously;
1.2. Improving and completing the service package based on the annually assessed needs of the beneficiary groups
- Creation of an annual assessment tool of beneficiaries’ needs (online questionnaire) – carried out continuously;
- Appeal to the international/local donors and to national program coordination department for the expansion of the service package for all beneficiaries, based on the assessed needs- carried out continuously;
2. Provision of public health and security services all services are available also for refugees:
2.1. Provision of services to key population (most vulnerable and at risk people)2, in accordance with the packages recommended by national standards;
2.2. Implementation of innovations in the service delivery process;
2.3. Development and application of the internal mechanism for monitoring and evaluating of the services provided;
3. Promoting Human Rights, Social Justice and Gender Equity. In this respect,
3.1. Developing, maintaining and promoting gender equity;
- Union was one of the first organizations in the country, from harm-reduction field, who promoted integration of gender equality and equity programming and who organized the First Gender Academy in Moldova in 2020, with the support of UNAIDS and UNODC, involving external expertise from EKHN3. In 2021-launched with the support of UNAIDS and UN Women, the online educational platform FORMARE.MD with one of the first E-courses “HIV and Gender”.
3.2. Developing and maintaining the activity of the network of specialized paralegals and Documentation of cases of violation of the human rights and reporting of cases within national and international structures (UPR, CEDO – http://uorn.md/publicatii-utile/)
- Union has facilitated the access to qualified legal assistance through legal staff of partner law organizations to groups of people at high risk of HIV infection (communities of drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with other men) since 2013-2014. Starting with 2018 the Union invested in developing and strengthening a network of 17 specialized paralegals from representatives that come from those at-risk groups of population and legally empowered the members of this Network, thus increasing access to primary legal aid in accordance with the model of State Guaranteed Legal Aid. These activities were developed thanks to the successful partnership with the National Council for State Guaranteed Legal Aid (CNAJGS) and the Soros Foundation Moldova. At the moment, the Specialized Paralegals’ Network is currently operating in Balti, Chisinau, Cahul, Orhei, Falesti, Edinet, Glodeni and other localities of the country, and is very active in informing the most vulnerable communities about their rights through individual consultations and during public meetings. Within these activities paralegals document cases of rights violation and help individuals to use the law. They provide support and assistance in writing complaints, petitions to solve specific cases or mediate the case in order to prevent confrontation with the courts. Some of the paralegals mobilize the community in order to identify common problems and so they start working in common with the vulnerable groups of people, preparing them to confront the structures that violate their rights. Sometime representing the interest of the community and intervene in their place in order to access justice.
3.3. Humanizing anti-drug policies
- The development and implementation of a probationary program in which the drug user will be included in the initial period of criminal prosecution, based on their own consent;
- Promoting good practices, lessons and challenges in public security/community policing and risk reduction in the Eurasian region;
- Collaboration with representatives of the Police Inspectorate (IGP);
4. Strengthening the internal capacities of the organization and the field
4.1. Ensuring effective organizational management;
- Organizing regular meeting;
- Adjusting internal documentations;
- Development of new needed policies;
4.2. Accreditation of the organization’s services;
- Obtaining public utility status – received in 2022/06/01;
- Accreditation of prevention and psychosocial services – at the end of 2023;
- Accreditation of prevention and medical services – at the end of 2023;
4.3. Strengthening the organizational capacities of the Union;
- Identifying and providing training opportunities for staff – on-going;
- Supervision, prevention of professional burnout – continuously;
- Implementation of fundraising activities (crowdfunding, 2%, collection of funds from commercial agencies, project writing, social entrepreneurship);
4.4. Increasing Visibility
- Promotion of the organization on social networks, online platforms
- Creating and strengthening partnerships with local administrations, civil society and with mass media;
In accordance with the last 3 annual Financial Reports (http://uorn.md/rapoarte/raport-financiar/) the organization coordinated with next budgets:
Fiscal year | Annual budget size spent in USD |
---|---|
2022 | 632497,60 US dollars |
2021 | 528213,50 US dollars |
2020 | 220396.77 US dollars |
Office staff involved in service provision:
Responsibility | No of persons | Responsibility | No of persons |
---|---|---|---|
General coordinator | 1 person | IT specialist | 1 person |
Accountant | 2 persons | Doctor | 3 persons |
HR specialist | 1 person | Nurse | 2 persons |
Center manager | 1 person | Psychologist | 2 persons |
M&E assistant | 1 person | Social assistant | 3 persons |
Procurement staff | 1 person | Social workers | 10 persons |
Advocacy specialist | 1 person | Paralegals | 4 persons |
Public relations specialist | 1 person | Peer to peer educators | 2 persons |
Community mobilization specialist | 1 person | Driver | 3 persons |
Specialist in adult education | 3 persons | Cleaning staff | 1 person |
Total |
- 31 women (70,5%) |
The major activities of the organization are:
2.1. Provision of services to key population (most vulnerable and at risk people)5, in accordance with the packages recommended by national standards;
- Services provided within harm reduction programs, for key populations;
Localities | The group of vulnerable persons | No |
---|---|---|
Balti, Ungheni, Falesti, Edinet, Glodeni | PWID - People who use drugs | 3500 |
Balti, Ungheni, Falesti, Edinet, Glodeni | SW - sex workers | 1000 |
Balti, Ungheni, Falesti, Edinet, Glodeni | MSM - men having sex with men | 100 |
Balti, Ungheni, Falesti, Edinet, Glodeni | PLH - people living with HIV/AIDS | 180 |
- Provision of primary legal aid to vulnerable communities through the local paralegals’ team;
- Provision of care and medical support and referral to medical and social specialized services for refugees, in the context of war in Ukraine, with focus on people affected by or living with HIV for all refugees;
– Blood pressure, glycaemia and temperature measurement;
– HIV, syphilis, hepatitis express testing;
– Distribution of basic medications, etc.;
– Prescription and procurement of specific medication and medical assistive devices, medical equipment; - Psychosocial support (based on case management), including for refugees;
– Information and counseling on the rights and social opportunities of persons temporarily on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and of refugees;
– Support in navigating through the primary and specialized medical assistance system;
– Support in navigating through the social assistance and public services system;
– Information and advice on GBV and referral for temporary placement in the crisis room;
– Information and counseling on health issues, including mental and sexual reproductive health;
– Referral for medical consultation and medical exams, based on doctors prescriptions;
– Procurement of needed basic accommodation needs and for household heating, especially for those in vulnerable and most at risk situations;
– Joint activities between host community and UA nationals – angle for integration and social cohesion;
2.2. Innovational service delivery;
- Online interventions (online training, online outreach, social advertising, communication through chat groups);
- Services offered taking in consideration the gender perspective;
- Mentoring activities for women from vulnerable groups, also for refugee women;
- Elaboration of on-line courses to be accessed by locals and refugees;
- Emergency support and placement for vulnerable women and women confronting GBV, also for refugee women;
- Creating safe spaces for people marked by addiction to psychoactive substances;
- Management of automatic consumables dispensers for vulnerable groups (vending machines);
2.3. Internal monitoring and evaluating of the services provision;
- Collecting data and monitoring through the database;
- Feedback collection box;
Meetings of specialist to discuss difficult situations;
Starting with march 2022, the organization was actively involved in assisting refugees in the context of the war in Ukraine. During a year, the organization ensured to no less than 1200 refugees (unique persons – from Balti, but also from close towns situated nearby) access to next services:
- Offering medical primary health care through stationary and mobile facilities mainly in Balti municipality: nurse and doctor’s consultations (CWS) and access to specific additional medical support as doctor’s consultations, medical equipment, medical examinations (PLAN International), also including in the context of sexual reproductive health (IRC), assistive equipment and hygiene products (Keystone Moldova);
- Offering access to specific psycho-social services, including local referral (PLAN International, IRC), as well as household support based on case management (Keystone Moldova);
- Offering access to urgent placement in the chrysies room within the center and specific GBV consultations (PLAN International)
- Group meetings for support and cultural inclusion with informational sessions, therapeutic – mental health support or other group support activities involving both population – angle for integration and social cohesion (UNAIDS Moldova);
Cooperation and coordination with actors in the project site
Identify the government agencies, controlling powers, community representatives, etc. in the project site, and describe the current relationship and capacity for coordination and collaboration with them.
For the moment, the Union maintains the developed collaborative relations with governmental and civil society actors (the list can be seen below) from different localities in the country, especially based on the services offered in the context of Harm Reduction, but also in the newest context while offering specialized services to refugees in in the context of the war in Ukraine.
For some of the towns included in the project, we are just planning to have meetings and communication with Local Authorities in order to establish common interventions taking in consideration local existing resources. We see this as an effective strategy in reaching the final goals within the project, as well reaching the mission and objectives of the organization itself.
Within the organization there are 4 main project coordinators who have studies in the field of organizational management and health and which are mostly involved in making contacts for developing partnership relations and communication.
The Union is an active member of the:
- Country Coordination Mechanism for HIV/TB/STI National Programs (CCM) and it’s Working Groups
- National Antidrug Commission
- National Committee of Key affected population (KAP)
- Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA)
- Eurasian Key Populations Health Network (EKHN)
- South and East Europe Regional TB and HIV Community network (SEE RCN)
- Regional Refugee Response for the Ukraine situation, through participating in the local coordination forum
We cooperate with:
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
- Dermatology and Communicable Diseases Hospital
- Republican Narcological Hospital
- Local Public Authorities from towns we are already working (Ungheni, Falesti, Edinet, Floresti, Sangerei, Orhei, Donduseni, Drochia, and Riscani)
Our main donors are:
- UNAIDS Moldova
- UNODC local office
- UN Women local office
- UNICEF Moldova
- Soros Foundation-Moldova
- Center for Health Policy and Analysis (PAS)
- Eurasian Key Populations Health Network (EKHN)
- Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN)
- Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA)
- The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, through grants operated by local agencies
In the context of refugee situation in Moldova, we collaborate and receive finances from:
- UNAIDS Moldova
- PLAN International, Inc
- The International Rescue Committee (IRC)
- Church World Service, Inc. (CWS)
- Keystone Moldova
- Zdorovii Gorod
- The Friends of Moldova
- Speranta Terrei
- The registered RAC’s in Balti and other towns