Happy Mother Tongue Day! 💙

Today, Estonia celebrates Emakeelepäev, a day dedicated to the Estonian language—its history, beauty, and role in shaping identity. In the office of EHPV in Estonia, our staff calls several languages their mother tongues – Estonian, Russian, Ukrainian and Lithuanian, English. This is a reflection of the linguistic diversity around us 🌍

We stand together

Communities are essential to the sustainability of the HIV response and the broader global health efforts, and they remain steadfast committed to their mission: ensuring that all people living with and affected by HIV are treated with dignity and respect.

However, for more than 40 years, communities have faced adversity—stigma, discrimination, criminalisation, funding cuts, and political backlash—despite their primary role ensuring that health services reach all in need, including the most vulnerable populations.

For this reason, on this year’s Zero Discrimination Day, UNAIDS calls on countries, donors and partners to fulfill their commitments to support communities as they work to build sustainable HIV responses by ensuring:

• Community-led organisations are able to deliver life-saving services and advocate without discrimination or harassment
• Community-led organisations can legally be registered in the country they are working in and can receive sustainable funding
• Communities are supported in providing health services to vulnerable and marginalised groups
• Communities are supported and funded in work to monitor respect for human rights including ending criminalization of key populations, stigma and discrimination and gender inequalities.
• Government health services include community representatives within their structures as partners in the development, implementation and monitoring of health programmes to ensure they are accessible and acceptable to people living with HIV and key populations.

Communities of people living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV are on the frontlines of progress in the HIV response. Communities both provide and connect people with person-centred health services, build trust, innovate, monitor implementation of policies and services, and hold providers accountable for human rights violations.

There is clear evidence of community-led impact on sustainability of the HIV response. Nonetheless, community-led responses are too often unrecognized, under-resourced and in some places even under attack.

Crackdowns on civil society and on the human rights of marginalized communities are obstructing communities from providing HIV prevention and treatment services.

Underfunding of community-led initiatives is leaving them struggling to continue operating and holding them back from expansion. If these obstacles are removed, community-led organizations can add even greater impetus to end AIDS.

To meet 2030 HIV targets, sustained investment in community-led responses is crucial.

The current crisis caused by the shift in US funding has resulted in deep anxiety and pain for many as the future of life-saving HIV medicines, services, and programmes—including community-led prevention, treatment, care, and support—is under threat.

This is a crucial moment to commend the commitment of the 41 countries and numerous partners who have united under the Global Partnership for Action to Eliminate HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination. With the critical engagement and leadership of community partners, this initiative has been instrumental in accelerating the removal of systemic human rights barriers and inequalities, paving the way for a more just and inclusive HIV response.

As we focus on the sustainability of the AIDS response now and into the future, this moment demands that we reaffirm our commitment to community autonomy, justice, dignity, and health equity.

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The Wellbeing of Key and Vulnerable Populations among International Refugees and Migrants in Estonia

A Practical Roundtable

On February 11, 2024, Tallinn hosted a significant roundtable discussion addressing the healthcare and social challenges faced by key and vulnerable populations (including people living with HIV and other social diseases) among international refugees and migrants in Estonia.

Organized in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including the Tallinn City Government, the Estonian Network of People Living with HIV (EHPV), the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health, and the Cermes3 Laboratory, the event brought together experts, civil society representatives, and government officials to explore solutions for improving healthcare access and support systems. The roundtable was funded by ANRS MIE (Emerging Infectious Diseases), an autonomous agency of Inserm, France.

Today, Estonia hosts over 35,000 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in the country since 2022, along with numerous other international migrants. The roundtable aimed to shed light on the barriers these individuals face in accessing HIV and TB care, as well as their overall well-being.

The event revolved around four key objectives:

1. Identifying barriers to healthcare access, including bureaucratic and legal obstacles.
2. Addressing stigma and discrimination, particularly for people living with HIV and other vulnerable groups.
3. Showcasing effective strategies used by Estonian civil society to support key and vulnerable populations among international migrants and refugees.
4. Strengthening collaboration for migrant-sensitive healthcare services.

The roundtable featured in-depth discussions based on a recent study by Paris Cité University – Sorbonne, highlighting barriers to healthcare, especially for individuals affected by HIV and tuberculosis. Daniel Kashnitsky (Paris Cité – Sorbonne University) and Maksym Kasyanczuk (Estonian Network of People Living with HIV) presented research findings and community-driven solutions, while three refugees shared their powerful personal stories, offering a crucial firsthand perspective on the challenges they faced.

Additionally, Sigrid Solnik, Representative of the Estonian Refugee Council (Pagulasabi), discussed ongoing efforts in supporting Ukrainian refugees, while Kristiina Aavik, Health Mediator from the International Organization for Migration, highlighted the importance of health mediation programs for migrant well-being.

Latsin Alijev (EHPV) presented on civil society and community-based programs for key populations among migrants in Estonia, emphasizing the role of grassroots initiatives in improving healthcare access and social support.

Karl Sander Kase, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn for Welfare and Health Care, participated in the entire event, underscoring the city’s commitment to improving healthcare access and social support systems for refugees and migrants.

One of the key outcomes of the event was the development of concrete recommendations to enhance healthcare and social service accessibility for vulnerable migrant and refugee groups. These recommendations include:

• Involving key and vulnerable communities, including those with a migration background, in decision-making processes to ensure inclusive policy development.
• Providing HIV and TB care services based on actual residence rather than official registration, ensuring access for all in need, including undocumented migrants.
• Developing community-based data collection mechanisms to enhance understanding and response to healthcare challenges.
• Enhancing awareness and information dissemination through multilingual guides and training sessions.
• Incorporating health topics into law enforcement and migration services, ensuring authorities are well-informed about the healthcare needs of migrants.
• Establishing an advisory workgroup on the Tallinn city level to continuously assess and improve support mechanisms for refugees and migrants.
• Creating effective communication channels for migrants in Tallinn, including dedicated hotlines and support centers.

The roundtable marked a crucial step toward enhancing the healthcare landscape for refugees and migrants in Estonia. As Estonia continues to navigate the evolving challenges of migration and refugee integration, this dialogue helps advance inclusive policies and foster a more supportive environment for key and vulnerable populations in Estonia.

Starting from December 1, 2024, our services are available to the residents of Pärnu and its surroundings.
In Pärnu, you can book consultations with the following specialists:

• Peer consultant on issues for Ukrainian refugees
• Social worker
• Psychologist

Informational consultations and support in solving various administrative issues: (Obtaining documents,  registering a place of residence, registration with various state institutions and portals, assistance in finding a job); Digital skills training; Support in obtaining social and medical services from other specialists; Assistance in communication with state and medical institutions.

Services are provided in four languages: English, Estonian, Russian, and Ukrainian.

Consultations take place at: Pärnu, Lai 14
Registration for consultations: Viktoria – 55597844.
Consultations are conducted with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Estonia.