Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE)

Context

Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) is a state level network of community based organisations (CBOs) for people who use drugs. It is contributing to the state health response related to drug use including HIV and other blood borne viruses and also taking up the issues and problems faced by drug users, at the state and national level. The network was established in 2011 and it has 13 CBOs as its members. Some of the key task of the network include:

• Strengthen governance and practices in attaining the goals of the network.
  
• Strengthen the network’s capacity to function democratically with optimum participation from network constituents.
• Watch dog role to monitor the quality of services that have been provided to people who use drugs.

Advocacy is the core task of the network, with focus on evidence based advocacy for change on priorities identified by the people who use drugs. The network establishes partnerships with like-minded organisations at local, national and international levels with the aim to use collective strength to accomplish shared objectives. The network also commissions focused research studies to enable us to present a more rigorous critique of existing policies and programs.

Website:
www.conemanipur.net

Area of work:
Imphal, India

Contact person:
Asem Jiten Singh

Approaches to implementing Community monitoring/accountability

Accountability to the constituent members of the network is the key principle of the network. The decisions at the network are taken collectively by the leadership team elected by the member CBOs and they are equally responsible for their decisions and action taken. The network has its own system and structures that ensures accountability like financial manual, human resource policy, election policy etc. The reports and achievements of the activities of the network are also shared to its constituent members on regular basis through meetings and newsletter. Every member of the network has the right to know or check documents of the activity by just giving a simple application.

Results and lessons

Since its inception the network has able to achieve in monitoring and improving the quality of services being provided for people who use drugs, community led advocacy in removing the barriers in accessing the second line ART drugs for PLHIV, access to treatment for hepatitis treatment under the Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund for people living with hepatitis C, scaling up the Opioid Substitution Therapy for Injecting Drug Users in Manipur etc.