Drug Control in Laos
Independent ex-post evaluation of a GIZ project
In October and November 2011, Susanne Schardt conducted an independent evaluation of a GIZ project on drug control in the Northern provinces of Laos on behalf of the consortium Sustainum – Institut für zukunftsfähiges Wirtschaften / Health Focus. The evaluation made use of qualitative methods of social research. These included a desk study of relevant documents, semi-structured interviews with government organisations, expert discussions, site visits and the participatory development of so-called timelines with the target population in selected villages in the provinces Luang Namtha, Bokeo and Houaphan. The evaluation also served to develop recommendations for the future German collaboration with Laos in the drugs field. Since 2005, GIZ commissions about 30 independent evaluations annually. Ex-post evaluations, like the one in Laos, are not only meant to assess the overall performance of a project but put a special focus on the sustainability of its results.
The project in Laos started in 1998. At that time, Laos was part of the so-called "Golden Triangle" (Laos, Myanmar and Thailand) and the third-largest producer of Opium in the world - albeit far behind Afghanistan and Myanmar. The prevalence of Opium consumption was 2,9%, which put Laos in the second place behind Iran and far above the global average prevalence of drug consumption of 0,3%. Especially for the extremely poor families of upland Laos the cultivation and sale of Opium are traditionally an important source of income to bridge the gaps in rice supply until the next harvest. The remoteness of these areas and the lack of access to health services together with the easily available opium also lead to high use of Opium as a means of medication by many people living in the Highland of Laos. Many especially old people continue to be addicted to Opium until today.
Aims of the projects were to support the then newly established drug control authorities on national, provincial and district level and achieve a mainstreaming of the development-oriented approach to drug control. In selected communities measures were implemented to achieve alternatives to Opium cultivation, prevention of Opium addiction and detox.
Health.Right.Now! HIV Prevention Without Barriers
High-Level and Expert-Conference in Berlin
On invitation of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) around 200 high ranking representatives and experts from 30 different countries met in Berlin on November 21st 2011 for the international conference Health.Right.Now! HIV Prevention Without Barriers. The focus of the conference was on human rights and the empowerment and political participation of people mostly affected by HIV and AIDS.
Together, the participants reviewed 25 years of German activities in the fight against HIV and AIDS and developed common recommendations for future steps. Besides key note addresses and panel discussions with high-level German and international experts six discussion forums tackled selected key issues and developed recommendations for future intervention areas.
Susanne Schardt facilitated the discussion forum Reducing Harm among Injecting Drug Users – How to Create an Enabling Environment for HIV Prevention. Here, political legal and social framework conditions for scaling up the Harm Reduction approach were discussed. The participants agreed that the Harm Reduction approach should be globally accepted and implemented as a crucial element of health and drugs policy. Germany should make use of its long-standing experience in this field and collaborate with all relevant actors to overcome political, legal and social barriers that restrain drug users as a high-risk group for HIV from seeking help and treatment.
The final recommendations by the participants and mor information about the conference may be found at the conference website.
The 1st conference of the European Harm Reduction Network (EuroHRN)
Marseille, October 6th - 7th, 2011
More than 20 years ago Harm Reduction was developed in Europe. Since that time it has been implemented and scaled up in most EU Member States. From first local pilot projects with substitution, needle exchange and other low threshold services a large diversity of service offers including consumption rooms and heroin prescription have been established over the years. Within the EU the Harm Reduction approach is widely recognized and legally acknowledged today. Despite this long history the European Harm Reduction Network was the last to form in 2010. The 1st European Harm Reduction Meeting on October 6 and 7 2011 in Marseille gathered members, service providers, experts and concerned stakeholders to discuss the Harm Reduction situation within Europe and the future collaboration of the network. The results of the working groups were summed up in the "Marseille Key Issues":
1. Harm Reduction is an effective and efficient public health strategy
2. Harm Reduction has a value of its own
3. The need of a pan-European network is clear
4. Harm Reduction across Europe is inconsistent - some countries need to scale up, others need to 'protect' Harm Reduction
5. Universal coverage of Harm Reduction
6. Europe - birthplace of Harm Reduction - needs to protect this legacy and ensure this continues
The members decided to hold further meetings and discussions, because better communication on the issues is still needed. Partnerships and alliances should be built to bring Harm Reduction forward. Susanne Schardt moderated the session "Partnership with local elected officials" chaired by Patrick Padovani, Deputy Mayor of Marseille. During this workshop common recommendations for future activities were collected.
Read more about EuroHRN and the conference here
I e-mail, therefore I am
Peter Klös about virtual and real worlds at the Internet-platform "Mitten im Viertel"
"Mitten im Viertel" (in the middle of the neighbourhood) is a new Internet-portal - for every neighbourhood, every town quarter and every village in Germany. A platform that enables encounters in real life - and not only in a virtual world. The Internet is merely a means to an end here. The true aim is to make people meet, talk, exchange and help each other where they live. This platform is not another virtual community with a comfortable turn-off button: "Mitten im Viertel" is a forum of citizens that uses the Internet to build new neighbourly relationships. It is therefore a portal into reality, with real contacts, real neighbourhood relationships and real interaction.
In his speech Peter Klös sums it up like this: "Virtuality is not necessarily limited to sitting solitarily in front of a PC. It may also open doors to other people, create new neighbourhood relations, reliability and proximity without ending in ill-natured gossip and jealous social control - and thus in new solitude."
Read more about "Mitten im Viertel" and Peter Klös' contributions here (German)
Topic: Good Leadership in the Workplace
Articles by Susanne Schardt on human resources management and leadership styles - in GWI-Newsletter Coaching
"Mehr Teampotenziale durch gezieltes Projektmanagement" (More team potential through targeted project management) (GWI Coaching - July 2010)
A good team always consists of employees who contribute different knowledge and skills. Good leadership uses this potential well in all projects. Where different skills and characters work together in a well-organised team even the most complex projects can be mastered. If you want to encourage your staff to get actively involved and take over responsibilities you need to delegate different task well. In her article, Susanne Schardt describes how you delegate well to achieve the best results.
"Innovativ Führen - Wählen Sie Ihren Führungsstil" (Innovative leadership - chose your leadership style) (GWI Coaching - August 2010)
Team leaders today are expected to play many different roles. Studies have shown that different styles of leadership should be applied in different situations. The best leaders are able to play different roles and apply the right style to every situation. In this article, Susanne Schardt discusses the advantages and possible disadvantages of different leadership styles.
Thema Burnout: "Brennen Sie jetzt nicht aus" (Topic Burnout: do not burn out now) (GWI Coaching July 2009)
With a harshening economic situation it seems to become "good manners" in many companies to stand constantly under pressure of time and workload. Such an atmosphere works like a suction in your company – and may even lead to burnout syndromes in certain individuals. The true workload however, is not necessarily crucial but the emotional pressure that comes with it. Many people "smoulder" for a long time without recognising the symptoms or risks of burnout. Susanne Schardt describes symptoms and warning signals of Burnout and gives tips for countermeasures.
Thema Jobzufriedenheit: "Mehr Zufriedenheit – mehr Engagement" (Topic job satisfaction: more satisfaction - more commitment) (GWI Coaching - August 2009)
According to a survey of the IFAK Institute of 2008 only 12% of employees feel motivated at work and obliged towards their employers. While it is quite normal to feel exhausted from time to time, things become critically when employees are so discouraged with their work that discomfort is no longer expressed or even given a thought. This is when the risk of the so-called "inner resignation" is highest. Susanne Schardt describes how you can check your own job satisfaction and shows ways how to motivate yourself again.
Read more (in German) in Newsletter Coaching.
