The Laboratory of Initiatives to Increase Access to Justice for the Groups Vulnerable to HIV is a platform for researching and verifying the legal issues and problems of the groups vulnerable to HIV (people who use drugs, patients for substitution maintenance therapy (OST), sex workers, men having sex with men, people living with HIV and their partners and others).
The Laboratory carries out research, analysis, and verification of the legal issues, needs and problems in the area of access to justice. Based on the results of the primary study, a list of the themes requiring deeper examination is drawn up. Following the study, the Laboratory team suggests mechanisms and tools to help reduce the negative effects of the problems identified.
The Laboratory’s activity is aimed at regular examination and analysis of the legal issues and needs of the groups vulnerable to HIV as well as the development of the training programs for the advocacy groups (attorneys, lawyers, police officers, investigators, and prosecutors) in the first place. This is the group training which the School treats as the key tool to reduce the negative effects of the existing legal issues.
The Laboratory works efficiently by carrying out the following stage activities:
- Primary search and verification of issues.
- Deeper study. Work with stakeholders.
- Presentation of the study findings.
- Preparation of the concept/development of the mechanism for resolution of the issue, for instance:
- Training the attorneys to protect the representatives of the groups vulnerable to HIV (based on the customers’ requests).
- Specialized training of the lawyers from the free legal aid centres on the special aspects of the legal aid to the representatives of the groups vulnerable to HIV (protection from discrimination, protection of the violated right to medical aid, etc.).
- Developing training guidelines and information materials for lawyers, attorneys, and clients.
- Developing proposals on how to improve access of the groups vulnerable to HIV to the legal services.
5. Introduction of the mechanism for/tool of reduction of the negative impact.
6. Monitoring of efficiency of introduction of the concept.