ARAS - Asociatia Romana Anti-SIDA
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Mission Statement
To prevent the transmission of HIV and other infectious diseases including HBV and HCV and other STIs, and, more recently, the prevention of TB; promote the non-discrimination of people living with HIV and of those living at high-risk of infection; reduce the psychological, medical and social impact of HIV, HBV and HCV and other STI’s; increase the capacity of institutions, professionals, and associations for HIV/AIDS affected persons; and support civil society to adequately answer the specific issues of HIV infection and other STIs; advocate for human rights in general, and more specifically, for the right to health and social services.
About This Cause
All ARAS activities target the general population as well as specific, vulnerable groups including: young people; people living with HIV/HCV/TB; people who inject drugs (PWID); sex workers (SWs); homeless people; the Roma ethnic minority; men having sex with men (MSM) and others. ARAS is the major Romanian HIV service provider for the key populations with the highest network of HIV prevention, social services and linkage to care in Bucharest metropolitan area. It currently runs: 1 needle and syringe exchange center for PWID, 1 social center targeting Roma ethnics, 1 mobile unit reaching PWID, SWs, MSM, homeless and Roma ethnics, 1 MSM checkpoint and 2 opioid substitution centers. In 2019 ARAS worked with 5300 key populations as follows: 3873 PWID, 913 MSM, 395 SWs, 119 homeless. In order to reach its goals and objectives, in the last 10 years, ARAS managed annually a program portfolio ranging from $700,000 to $1,000,000 with funding from a wide range of international, national and local donor agencies such as: UN, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, European Commission, European Social Funds received through various government agencies, Open Society Institute, SIDACTION, Coalition Plus, AIDES, Norway Grants, city halls etc. Project implementation is supervised by the Program Department and is supported by the ARAS’ accounting system which operates in line with the Romanian accounting regulations as well as by the internal policy for the collection and reporting of cost/financial data including for procurement. Project research and M&E activities are usually backstopped by the Research and M&E Department whose staff regularly develop data collection tools, organize and supervise the collection, storage and analysis of all data from the level of HIV prevention, social services and linkage to care. All advocacy activities are supervised by the Advocacy Department which ensures links between activities, sustainability and integration of all these efforts. Since January 2019, ARAS has implemented the GDPR EU Directive regarding the protection of personal data. ARAS promotes gender equality which is also included in its Internal Regulations (latest version, 2014). ARAS has a long history of working in multi-partners and multi-country projects, both inside and outside the EU region as well as in-country with national partners (either public or private entities) and has reached over the last 10 years average rates of project execution of 95%. ARAS is member of various national and international networks and commissions where it plays an active role in advocacy (e.g. COALITION PLUS, Correlation, SWAN – associated member, AIDS Action Europe, Eurasian Harm Reduction Association, TAMPEP, Drug Policy Network South Eastern Europe, Civil Society Forum on Drugs (European Commission), Country Coordination Mechanism etc. ARAS has a track record of advanced knowledge and expertise in the field of HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs, TB and key populations bringing together staff from the medical, psychological and social fields, financial staff, people living with HIV/AIDS, current and former drug users, MSM, Roma ethnics and volunteers. The internal Training Department ensures staff and volunteers have induction training and have constant access to the recent developments and emerging challenges and needs in the field. The Training Department also deliver external training to various group of professionals on: voluntary counselling and testing, prevention of stigmatization and discrimination, HIV prevention, harm reduction, key populations, etc. The overall responsibility for the achievement of ARAS’ goals and objectives rests with the ARAS’ Executive Director which oversees all activities and services delivered as well as the financial execution.