HR23 Harm Reduction International Conference is convened by Harm Reduction International (HRI) from 16-19 April 2023 in Melbourne, Australia, under the theme Strength in Solidarity.
WHO supports HR23 with a number of activities, ensuring wide participation by colleagues from low- and lower-middle income countries, chairing and presenting at sessions on pre-exposure prophylaxis and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and holding a WHO side event on the Consolidated guidelines on HIV, viral hepatitis and STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations with focus on people who inject/use drugs.
Objectives
Reinvigorate global understanding and commitment to prioritize and work with communities and people who use/inject drugs for greatest impact on HIV and viral hepatitis responses.
Present existing WHO guidance and recommended package for people who inject drugs.
Launch dedicated policy brief on people who inject drugs, based on the consolidated guidelines and developed jointly with the International network of people who use drugs (INPUD) and UNODC.
WHO key sessions
15 April, 10:00-16:00 (GMT+11) – Supporting the pre conference on viral hepatitis C and harm reduction. This pre conference convenes experts in viral hepatitis to exchange information around the significant current opportunities to advance viral hepatitis testing and treatment amongst people who use drugs, with a view to contributing to WHO’s target to eliminate hepatitis C and B by 2030.
17 April, 11:00-12:00 (GMT+11) – WHO supported HCV major session – Towards the elimination of viral hepatitis C with speakers from a range of countries including Australia, Ireland and Kyrgyzstan.
18 April, 12:30-14:30 (GMT+11) – WHO side event – New WHO guidelines for key populations: Moving focus for impact with presentations and panel discussion with experts from countries, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and civil society organizations to provide case examples and practical guidance on how to incorporate the recommended packages in Global Fund grant proposal development.
19 April, 14:00-15:00 (GMT+11) – WHO supported session on pre-exposure prophylaxis – WHO will present a systematic review on Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention among people who inject drugs: A global mapping of service delivery together with presentations from Thailand, the USA, and Ukraine.
The conference
The Harm Reduction International Conference attracts over 1 000 international delegates and has been held in almost every region of the world. Since the first conference in 1990 it has become the central platform for knowledge sharing, networking and promoting evidence-based best practice in the field of harm reduction and drug policy reform. Attendees include representatives from civil society and people who use drugs, governments, service providers, academia and United Nations agencies.
Reflecting our commitment to an inclusive and intersectional harm reduction community, Strength in Solidarity is a call to action. Harm Reduction International calls upon our friends and allies to stand together, to act together and to push forward together.
Harm Reduction International
Harm Reduction International (HRI) is an international NGO which works to use data and advocacy to promote harm reduction and drug policy reform. HRI demonstrates how rights-based, evidence-informed responses to drugs contribute to healthier, safer societies.