Theme: Models of Care Year: 2022
Background:
Women and non-binary gender people who use drugs and survive multiple situations of violence and
vulnerability find it difficult to enter or adhere to social healthcare networks. They are often
excluded from specialized services, including the ones focused either on drugs or in gender-based
violence.
Methods:
Metzineres is the first non-profit cooperative aimed at deploying Environments of Shelter that are
exclusive to womxn and which cover the full spectrum of harm reduction. With a holistic and
individualized approach connected to the particularities of each womxn. An innovative and daring
model of intervention based on human rights and gender mainstreaming.
Emphasis is placed on reaching those who experience multiple, simultaneous, and interconnected
social variables: drug-related problems (72%), homelessness (69%), migratory experiences (37%),
LGTBIQ+ (20%), sex work (16%) and/or sex for survival (20%), imprisonment (29%), mental health
disorders (46%), and functional diversity (6%).
Results:
The importance of the almost 40 daily supports met by Metzineres has shown extraordinary results
after just over four years of implementation, exceeding their highest expectations. We managed to
carry out accompaniments, tests and follow-ups taking care of the health of the participating womxn
to improve their quality of life.
Conclusion:
The responsibility to generate genuine and up-to-date information drives the team at Metzineres to
equip themselves with non-intrusive research tools that respect privacy, confidentiality, and
anonymity.
These data are standardized through an own database with indicators that have been generated
based on significant elements for womxn. This method of monitoring and evaluation is applied as a
routine process allowing us to assess the availability, coverage, quality, and relevance of the
interventions. By applying rigorous reviews and pragmatic decision-making, they are able to
constantly reconfigure their actions to the places and populations where they are intended to have
an impact.
Disclosure of Interest Statement:
Nothing to disclose.