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Quality Harm Reduction in Iran

Iran is renowned for its harm reduction programme. It was one of the first countries in this geographical region to adopt a harm reduction approach. Government supports and funds the programme. But the drug scene in Iran has changed over the past 20 years. More people are using stimulant drugs and, due to economic circumstances, more people who use drugs have become homeless. Mainline sets out to see whether the current programme in Tehran still fits the needs of the local people who use drugs.

Quality of services

Together with a group of Iranian researchers, three Mainline staff members will assess the quality of the harm reduction programme in Tehran. In the first half of 2021, we will set out to understand the availability of harm reduction services as well as the accessibility, the acceptibility and the quality of these services.

The assessment has a specific focus on women who use drugs, people who are homeless, people who use stimulants, migrants and potential additional groups who might have either specific service needs or who encounter thresholds to access the harm reduction programme.

Our goal is to provide practical recommendations to ensure the programme fits changed needs and addresses new drug trends.

You can request more information about this project via Ancella Voets