Aura is a social anthropologist and the founding Director of Metzineres (sheltered environments for womxn who use drugs and survive violence). Also an international advisor on drug policy, harm reduction, human rights and gender mainstream. Combining research with design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of drug policies, programs and services.

Data collection on women who use drugs and survive multiple forms of violence and vulnerability is often fragmented and inaccurate due to the way it is conducted. Interviews are typically approached from a highly medicalized, patronizing, and condescending perspective, where women who use drugs are placed in a lower position and their knowledge is not valued. This dynamic leaves no room for genuine communication, hindering the collection of real and meaningful data. This bias is further exacerbated by inadequate services and data collection techniques that fail to reach these populations. Existing data on women who use drugs do not take into account an intersectional feminist approach or the full spectrum of harm reduction, hindering the development of effective policies and practices.

At Metzineres, we have created our own database, adhering to principles of technological sovereignty, where we routinely systematize programmatic and profile indicators based on the 50+ daily interventions and activities we carry out. This database, constantly adapted and updated, is one of the largest internationally on women in vulnerable situations who use drugs, with gender and harm reduction indicators. With over 40,000 recorded interventions and more than 500 case files, it generates essential evidence for policy design.

In collaboration with our intervention and research teams, and the women themselves, we analyze the data from a critical, intersectional perspective to identify patterns and propose solutions. This information is crucial for informing local, national, and international public policies based on scientific and community-driven evidence. Presenting our data collection methodology through this oral presentation aims to inspire other organizations in their own data collection practices. Monitoring and evaluation are integral to our ongoing improvement process, ensuring our methodologies are non-intrusive, respect confidentiality, and make visible the realities of women who use drugs and face multiple forms of violence and exclusion.