ABSTRACT
The first case study takes us to the region of Tomsk in Western Siberia. Two local NGOs and one project group are active in the field of HIV/AIDS in Tomsk and will take centre stage in this chapter. The case study aims to show how the organisations have responded to HIV/AIDS and to what extent they have been able to influence the response to the epidemic at the local and regional level. In the following, first, the HIV/AIDS situation in Tomsk will be characterised. Second, the work of the organisations will be described and analysed on the basis of the analytical framework presented in Chapter 6. We will thereby look into the ways the organisations have framed the epidemic and positioned themselves in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Moreover, the chapter investigates how the organisations have mobilised resources, cooperated with state institutions and generated societal support for their work. Finally, the chapter will discuss the influence strategies of the two NGOs and the project group with regard to HIV/AIDS policy-making in the region of Tomsk. This will allow us to assess their contribution to the fight against Russia’s HIV/AIDS epidemic. Empirical data for this case study was obtained by means of interviews with representatives of HIV/AIDS NGOs and state institutions in Tomsk region conducted between December 2007 and February 2008. In addition, statistical data from the Regional AIDS Centre, project documentation by the NGOs, information material, as well as newspaper articles concerning the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region of Tomsk were analysed. Moreover, visits to project sites and participant observation during prevention activities served as additional information sources, which provided valuable insights into the realities of the organisations.
