Metzineres (in full "Metzineres - Environments of shelter for womxn who take drugs surviving violences") is a nonprofit cooperative based in Barcelona, Spain, providing shelter for vulnerable and marginalized women and non-binary people who use drugs, including homeless people. [1] [2] The project was launched in 2017 [3] and registered as a non-profit cooperative in October 2020. [4]
Beyond essential health and harm reduction services, Metzineres includes services of cover basic needs such as shower, access to internet, hot meals, spaces for peer-support, [5] modalities to engage with neighborhood communities, [6] help to entrepreneurship, art [7] and cultural activities, [8] webradio, [9] as well as a needle and syringe programme and a supervised injection site. [10] Metzineres also engage in advocacy such as demands for heroin-assisted treatment. [11]
Because of barriers to access to healthcare and institutional gaps, marginalized women and non-binary persons who use illicit drugs may not access the health or social services to which they are entitled. For this reason, some believe that "the Metzineres initiative [...] represents a promising model for how harm-reduction programs can provide essential services and support to women and gender non-conforming drug users who have survived situations of violence." [12]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, Metzineres was recognized as an essential health service by health authorities, [13] and integrated as a special intervention service in the healthcare plan of the Catalan government. [14]
Metzineres also participates in harm reduction conferences, [3] [15] international fora such as the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs [16] and High-level meeting on HIV/AIDS, [17] and activist groups such as the International Network of People who Use Drugs [18] or International Drug Policy Consortium.
The word "metzinera" (plural: "metzineres") is an ancient catalan term, historically used to denigrate women accused of witchcraft, in particular for their use of herbal remedies. [2] According to FilterMag, "the 'x' in the word womxn intentionally signifies a commitment to engage cis, trans and non-binary community members." [19]
Metzineres (in full "Metzineres - Environments of shelter for womxn who take drugs surviving violences") is a nonprofit cooperative based in Barcelona, Spain, providing shelter for vulnerable and marginalized women and non-binary people who use drugs, including homeless people. [1] [2] The project was launched in 2017 [3] and registered as a non-profit cooperative in October 2020. [4]
Beyond essential health and harm reduction services, Metzineres includes services of cover basic needs such as shower, access to internet, hot meals, spaces for peer-support, [5] modalities to engage with neighborhood communities, [6] help to entrepreneurship, art [7] and cultural activities, [8] webradio, [9] as well as a needle and syringe programme and a supervised injection site. [10] Metzineres also engage in advocacy such as demands for heroin-assisted treatment. [11]
Because of barriers to access to healthcare and institutional gaps, marginalized women and non-binary persons who use illicit drugs may not access the health or social services to which they are entitled. For this reason, some believe that "the Metzineres initiative [...] represents a promising model for how harm-reduction programs can provide essential services and support to women and gender non-conforming drug users who have survived situations of violence." [12]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, Metzineres was recognized as an essential health service by health authorities, [13] and integrated as a special intervention service in the healthcare plan of the Catalan government. [14]
Metzineres also participates in harm reduction conferences, [3] [15] international fora such as the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs [16] and High-level meeting on HIV/AIDS, [17] and activist groups such as the International Network of People who Use Drugs [18] or International Drug Policy Consortium.
The word "metzinera" (plural: "metzineres") is an ancient catalan term, historically used to denigrate women accused of witchcraft, in particular for their use of herbal remedies. [2] According to FilterMag, "the 'x' in the word womxn intentionally signifies a commitment to engage cis, trans and non-binary community members." [19]