International Harm Reduction Conference

This year's theme – "Call for Leadership" – reflects the urgent need to address critical issues faced by the harm reduction response. The 2015 target set by the international community of reducing HIV among people who inject drugs by half has been missed by a staggering amount, a failure that is now further undermined by the growing funding gap in the harm reduction response due to changing donor priorities. Empowered and engaged leadership among civil society organizations, including networks of people who use drugs, sex workers and people living with HIV, is key to challenging this crisis, as is leadership from national governments such as Malaysia, which through domestic support for harm reduction programming has achieved significant reductions in HIV infection among people who inject drugs. Leadership is also demanded as the international community approaches important United Nations (UN) General Assembly meetings on both drug policy and HIV in 2016.

Highlights of the four day event

Through a four-day programme of keynote speakers, presentations on research and practice, training workshops, exhibitions, films and networking events, the conference will create a multidimensional and interactive space that inspires, connects and shares ideas and solutions among the diverse harm reduction community. With delegates from 80 nations taking part, the conference will reflect the truly global nature of the movement, bringing together researchers and service providers, UN agencies and community-based nongovernmental organizations, policy makers and activists, law enforcement and medical professionals, and the strong participation of people who use drugs and their representative organizations. Together, the participants will work to fuse local, national and international experiences to galvanize their collective efforts.