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One of the most significant outcomes of the UNODC CHARCA Project has been its ability to "foreground" women's vulnerability within the Drugs and HIV/AIDS programmatically. Here a Peer Educator from Melbuk, near to the Myanmarese border, makes a point.
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The project is making a unique contribution to address the feminization of the HIV epidemic. At the field level, there is a growing realization that women's risk of contracting HIV/AIDS is significantly enhanced by restrictive social norms that deny education, access to information, mobility and ownership of assets.
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In addition, early age at marriage as well as violence against women are serious impediments to safe sex. These issues are being actively discussed and acknowledged within the general community, especially in remote rural areas where gender roles are heavily biased in favour of men. These PEs are from the New Life Home Society in Aizawl.
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UNODC CHARCA has brought about visibility and dialogue at every level - among community members, line departments of the government, NGO partners and outreach workers of various government services - in respect of women's vulnerability to drugs and HIV/AIDS. Mr. Lewis at the opening of the women's centre in Melbuk.
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This is a photo of about half of the 300 empowered young women of Mizoram who work as UNODC Peer Educators. As such, they serve as ambassadors and change agents within their communities.
There is a great deal of confidence, enthusiasm and commitment in the group and their role as social advocates is growing in church, school and sports settings all over the state.
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These Peer Educators have been working between 2 months and 3 years in Champhai district, close to the Myanmar border. Through them, and other PEs in Mizoram, approximately 900 adolescent and young women from the "general population" have been trained on the gender dimension of Drugs and HIV/AIDS over the past 3 years. This has helped in building up the capacity of young women as the level of awareness among women on HIV issues is generally lower than men.
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Drop-In-Centres of targeted interventions (particularly in Aizawl) have -- over the past two years -- increasingly been de-stigmatised. UNODC CHARCA provides credibility and space for women (not just sex workers and injecting drug users) from the general population with various problems like medical, legal etc., to seek help. In this DIC (Grace Inn, Sikulpuikawn run by Presbyterian Hospital, Aizawl), CHARCA has teamed up with the UNODC project H13 which provides oral substitution using buprenorphine for clients who are trying to move away from heroin / spasmoproxyvon additiction.
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Pu Van Hela, Principal Secretary, Govt. of Mizoram (left) and CHARCA Project Coordinator, Ms. Sailo chat with Mr. Lewis during his recent visit
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UNODC Representative Gary Lewis addressing the villagers in Melbuk, Champhai.
Hmeichhe Buks (or Women's Centres) have been set up in the 289 villages in the Aizawl, Kolasib and Champhai districts of Mizoram.
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This is the most recent
Hmeichhe Buk, built in the village of Melbuk on the Myanmarese border in Champhai village and inaugurated during Mr. Lewis' visit.
Hmeichhe Buks provide space for discussion of women's vulnerability to drugs and HIV/AIDS. Their establishment has been undertaken by the Peer Educators at the village level under the supervision of the MHIP branch (women's federation) in the village. Most of the money for their construction comes from funds raised locally. UNODC contributes a small amount to their maintenance.
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Ms. W. C. Zorammawii, President, MHIP Sub-Headquarters, Champhai, who has done much to support the work of the Peer Educators in Champhai district, Mizoram.
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