Ukrainian Experience in the Sphere of Providing the Representatives of Vulnerable Groups with Legal Assistance
00:00, August 24, 2007 | Drug usersOn August 16, 2007 a seminar/training took place in Vanadzor Press Club. The goal of the seminar was to familiarize the employees of the juridical department of HCA Vanadzor with the Ukrainian experience in the sphere of providing the representatives of vulnerable groups with legal assistance.
Anahit Papikyan, head of Harm Reduction Program of Open Society Institute-Yerevan office, opened the seminar. Andrey Tolopilo, Technical Adviser on Policy Advocacy of OSI International Harm Reduction Development Program, presented his experience in Ukraine. He told about projects implemented in 17-19 regions of Ukraine during 2004-2006, through which legal assistance was delivered to about 1000 drug users, to 400 people infected with HIV or having AIDS and to 250 women working in the sex industry.
Within the framework of the project the beneficiaries were provided with consultations; lawyers made applications, petitions, and appeals directed to relevant structures; and their interests were represented in court. Janna Ataiants, representative of OSI – New-York office, presented the situation of legal assistance given to the abovementioned group in Russia.
Besides the employees of HCA Vanadzor, there were representatives from NGOs “Real World, Real People,” “Armenian Helsinki Committee” and the representative of Harm Reduction Program in Vanadzor.
The seminar was organized with support from Open Society Institute Yerevan office.