UNFPA international conference on HIV/AIDS/STI and drug abuse prevention among uniformed services

18-09-2008, 11:18

On 29 September — 03 October 2008 in Kyiv, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will conduct an international conference of countries, which successfully implement HIV/STI prevention projects among uniformed services. 

The opening of the conference starts at 10.00 a.m. 29 September 2008 at hall «Zymovy sad» (conference-service complex «Mlyn», Hydropark). On 3 October 2008 at 02.00 p.m. the press-conference of key-speakers will be conducted at the same venue.

About 100 representatives of military staff, police, peace-keepers and UNFPA representatives from more than 30 countries will come to Ukraine in order to share experience of such an important educational and prevention work including medical, psychological and social activities.

UNFPA in Ukraine has a broad 9-year experience of working with uniformed people on HIV/AIDS/STI prevention: with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (Internal Forces and Police Force), State Border Guard Service and State Department of Prisons. During this period thousands of uniformed people were educated, different presentation and medical equipment were procured, hand-manuals, posters and other IEC materials for uniformed services were published.

During implementation of the projects UNFPA has established not only good working but trustworthy relationships with Ukrainian Government that has made significant changes to the existing system of providing help and support. Experience of project implementation in uniformed forces has been documented by international experts as the "best practice". Ukrainian project with the Armed Forces has been replicated in different countries — Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Russia.