As the main player in the field of harm reduction in the region, AHRN supports people and organisations in Asia who are working to reduce drug related harms and their impacts. At AHRN, we view harm reduction as being an integral component of a comprehensive continuum of care and, as such, involves key elements such as the reduction of drug use as well as primary prevention. Key activities run by AHRN throughout the region include advocacy, capacity building, rapid assessments, mapping exercises, desk review, information sharing, research and programme and policy development. AHRN has demonstrated its strong scientific and technical strength over a number of years and through a range of initiatives. It has vast experience of working with all the governments in the region and has implemented contracts with the major drug related international NGOs, GOs and UN organisations, including UNODC, UNAIDS, WHO, and UNICEF.

In support of these five key areas, AHRN also conducts research, including mapping of programmes and policies and a multi-site research on the environmental factors that shape the drug careers of young people as well as access to ARV treatment among HIV+ injecting drug users.

All these activities are geared to culminate in the reduction of harms associated with injecting drug use in Asia, especially HIV infection, through a process of networking, information sharing, advocacy, and programme and policy development.

AHRN is run by programmes for programmes. The network links and support programmes with a range of services, including a resource centre, newsletter, special reports training programmes and technical assistance. AHRN's main goal is to promote activities for preventing HIV and other harms associated with drug injecting.

In addition, AHRN is now increasingly focused on network-based solutions for scaling up harm reduction via training programmes and technical assistance.