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Back to Society
Over two years ago, a new government came to power in Georgia. Many prisoners were then released at a rapid pace. They were not well prepared for their release and encountered problems with reintegration. Among these persons were many who use drugs.
In cooperation with local partners Tanadgoma and AFEW Ukraine, Mainline supports the ex-prisoners in Georgia. A large percentage of these people use drugs. Via the project ‘Back to Society,’ we devote attention to the specific needs and problems of these ex-prisoners.
The project ‘Back to Society’ is financed by the European Union, starts in 2014 - until 2015.
Focus & collaboration
In 2014, Tanadgoma began setting up so-called ‘social bureaus’ in Georgia. These offer help with psychosocial problems, with the goal of easing the return to society and combating the high rate of recidivism. In this project we work together with the Ministry of Justice (MPLA) and the national probation authorities (NPA) in Georgia.
Efficient precare and aftercare
Hilde Roberts, a Mainline trainer, developed a training program for employees working with probation or in prisons in Georgia. During this training program, Roberts first demonstrated a number of ‘good practices’ from prisons in Europe that are working on effective reintegration and harm reduction. The programs in question have been proved to reduce recidivism and damage to health and to help people find their way back to society.
There was a focus not only on the European examples but also on the Georgian reality. In order to obtain a good picture of the Georgian situation, a study involving prisoners, ex-prisoners, and probation officers was carried out prior to the training. During the training program, the results were presented by the Tanadgoma Centre for Information and Counseling on Reproductive Health, the organization that initiated the project.
After completion of the training program, participants had new, practically applicable
Contact person: Machteld Busz
perspectives on their own work and their own organization. A subsequent step in 2015 is the training of probation personnel on a larger scale. Mainline is involved in the development of the training manuals. Following this training, probation officers have tools they can use to provide better support for the psychosocial rehabilitation of (ex-)prisoners and persons on probation.
Between 2009 and 2012, Mainline worked together with Alternative Georgia and Tanadgoma, two organizations in the capital city of Tbilisi. The project is financially supported by Matra funds. The Dutch police, a public prosecutor, and a judge were involved in order to improve the rights of drug users. Mainline organized meetings of ministerial employees, members of parliament, judges, public prosecutors, and top police and prison administrators in Tbilisi. Afterwards, we carried out studies in prisons to determine the health of (drug-using) prisoners, identify risky behaviour, and assess prisoners' knowledge of infectious diseases.
We provide custom-designed training for employees in prisons and the probation service.
See our trainings
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, Marocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Mainline is a partner in the Love Alliance programme. The Love Alliance brings together organisations led by communities most affected by HIV and AIDS.
Kenya
Women who use drugs in Kenya face violence every day. At home. On the streets. By the police. In their communities. A unique study - conducted in Mombasa, Kenya - sheds light on the tough realities these women encounter. Urgent action is needed now.
South Africa
Women Who Use Drugs face additional problems compared to their male counterparts. The harm reduction field far too often neglects the needs of women. To some extent, the same is true for peer workers: incredibly valuable staff in any impactful service. How can local services make sure that peer workers are valued, supported and living up to their full potential?
United Kingdom, Finland, Greece, Estonia, Serbia, Portugal, the Netherlands
Harm reduction approaches are rarely applied in a recreational sports setting. And why would we - sport equals health, right? Not always. Research shows that the use of performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDs) is quite common in various recreational sport scenes. And for those people who use frequently and in high doses, harm reduction can make a big difference.
Kenya, South Africa
Young people use drugs - including minors. It's an inconvenient truth: societies usually seek to prevent young people from damaging their health and there is a big taboo on drug use among young kids. But are stigma, legislation or moral judgement keeping young people away from harm reduction services? This project aims to find and improve access to services.
Global
The use of drugs during sex is a growing worldwide phenomenon among men who have sex with men (MSM). Mainline has built a unique track record while working in the frontline of the Dutch 'chemsex' scene. Now, we also apply this expertise in an international context. The best place to start? Our chemsex e-learning.
Iran
Iran is renowned for its harm reduction programme. It was one of the first countries in this geographical region to adopt a harm reduction approach. Government supports and funds the programme. But the drug scene in Iran has changed over the past 20 years. More people are using stimulant drugs and, due to economic circumstances, more people who use drugs have become homeless. Mainline sets out to see whether the current programme in Tehran still fits the needs of the local people who use drugs.
Indonesia
Prisons in Indonesia are often overcrowded and health services are limited. Is quality prison health too expensive? Not according to findings from Atma Jaya University, who applied the method of 'economic modelling' to prison health services, including drug dependency programmes. The findings feed important advocacy messages to improve the prison system in 2021.
Vietnam
October 2019 marked the start of a cutting edge new initiative. With the support of Open Society Foundation, Mainline and SCDI in Vietnam are building expertise to support people who use stimulant drugs. The core motivation to do so is the sharp rise in the use of crystal meth in the South Asian region and the lack of a coordinated harm reduction response.
South Africa
Together with activists and peer- and outreach workers in South Africa, Mainline worked on a practical guide about involving peers in harm reduction work.
A MAINLINE-GIZ STUDY
With the support of the Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD), a project implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a team of three Mainline researchers conducted a study into effective harm reduction interventions for stimulant users. The study includes a review of the evidence for different harm reduction strategies for stimulants and a detailed description of seven good practices in different world regions.
Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, Tanzania and Vietnam
The Bridging the Gaps programme started its second phase in January 2016 and continued until the end of 2020. The shared goal of the Bridging the Gaps alliance: to improve the health and rights of people who use drugs, sex workers and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
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