Read the original article and see more photos on the EHRN website
Partners and supporters of the campaign “Women against Violence” continue the tradition of awarding friendly police officers on the occasion of the International Women’s Day marking the end of the 2nd year of the campaign “Women against Violence ” and the beginning of its third and final year. This year, 11 organizations from 18 cities in 6 countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) decided to join the initiative and give awards to law enforcement representatives who had cooperated over the past year to address problems of women who use drugs. Certificates of gratitude were granted to a total of 46 friendly police officers from the region. Below are comments by the activists who participated in the initiative.
“These local police officers have been working with our shelter for many years. They bring women from our group who end up at their local police stations back to us. The police are always on our side and treat our women without stigma and discrimination. They also support us when we have problems with neighbors”, Irena Ermolaeva, Head of “Asteria” (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan), an organization that unites women who use drugs, explains the reasons for awarding the certificates of gratitude to law enforcement representatives.
“In the framework of the EHRN campaign “Women against violence”, representatives of Kharkiv’s Department for Drug-Related Crimes were awarded certificates of gratitude […] Knowing that I’m an NGO staff member still enrolled in the OST program and a person living with HIV, they never even for a moment let me feel as if I’m different from any other normal person. The friendly atmosphere at the DRC Department and an offer to sit down and talk over a cup of coffee got me a little confused as my “rich experience” of drug use (23 years) and of communicating with former police does not allow me to relax at a subconscious level […] But in general, I had a feeling that this communication proved to be enjoyable. I’d like to believe that in the future we will come to a situation when the police dealing with drug dependent persons won’t plant drugs on them and will refer them to healthcare programs for OST or rehabilitation. I’d like to believe it… “, says Oksana Ivantsova, a representative of “Athena”, an initiative group of women who use drugs from Kharkov, Ukraine.
“We believe that interaction between police officers and harm reduction programs implemented by NGOs, including the International Charitable Foundation “Vertical”, facilitates the transition from persecution of women who use drugs to their support by the police, which is an important prerequisite for improving society, controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS and improving the quality of life for women. The recipe for success is simple. First, cooperation and joint actions; second, the police help and understand”, says Julia Dorokhova of the Charitable Foundation “Vertical”, coordinator of the campaign “Women Against Violence” in Kyiv, Ukraine.
“Olga Zinchenko supports our work with young girls. Olga works closely with us; she is competent, tolerant and beautiful at the same time”, says Natalya Dotsenko, Head of the Charitable Foundation “Spodivannya” from Zaporozhye, Ukraine, granting a certificate of gratitude to police captain Olga Zinchenko.
“We would like to thank the Head of the Directorate for Drug Related Crimes, police colonel Edesh Rakhimzhanov, for his help, assistance and support of HIV prevention activities”, says Natalia Rudokvas, a representative of the organization “Answer” from Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan.
“An employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Yekaterina Dmitrievna Shelegova is not only a professional officer, but also a beautiful woman. It has long been understood that women are less prone to aggression and it is very important for our campaign, because women for their beauty and kindness are able to resist violence and aggression. Our organization chose Yekaterina as for some time she has been representing one of our partner organizations in the implementation of harm reduction programs. She has always been actively involved in our activities and thanks to their support in our region we can successfully implement pilot programs targeting drug dependent people”, – Tatiana Semenova, member of the initiative group of people who use drugs, Minsk, Belarus.
“This International Women’s Day we decided to express our gratitude to those police officers who do not turn their back on our clients in spite of their social status, diagnosis and a way of life. And listen to their needs, show tolerance and openness for dialogue”, – Olga Ponomareva, social worker, BO” Club “Svitanok”, Donetsk, Ukraine.
“Chief Inspector for the protection of women against violence, Svetlana Garkusha, is an extraordinary person! Bold and courageous while looking tender and fragile. A person in love with her profession, not by occupation, but by professional calling, who is ready at any time to stand up for our women. Women of any status whether she was released from the penal colony or uses drugs, has HIV-positive status, or well-to-do women in difficult situations. Deceived, humiliated women subjected to home or police violence – offended by a family member or a law enforcement officer will always receive timely advice, assistance in obtaining necessary documents, legal support in court, and will have someone advocating for their rights”, – Lena Bilokon, Executive Director of the NGO “My House”. Chairperson of the NGO “Kazakhstan Network of Women Living with HIV”
Read the original article and see more photos on the EHRN website