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What is the role of civil society
regarding drugs?
Civil Society continues to play a
critical role in the shaping of multi-
disciplinary drug demand reduction
services around the world. UNODC
works hand-in-hand with the Vienna
NGO Committee on Drugs and the
New York NGO Committee on Drugs
to ensure that those affected have
a voice at all levels of the policy
making process. At an international
and national level, NGOs enhance
communication,
cooperation
and
exchanges between UN agencies and
member states. Strong networks exist
throughout the civil society landscape
that promote increased awareness
and that support significant advocacy,
facilitating the representation of the
affected populations.
Passion and dedication are the
cornerstones of civil society. They
serve as the foundations for the
building of a strong public health
approach that is grounded in the
protection of the human rights of
patients; the provision of timely and
effective services in the prevention
of drug use; treatment for drug use
disorders; recovery and rehabilitation
of drug dependent users; and reducing
the health and social harm associated
with drug use, including also those
who inject drugs. Civil society partners
around the world have supported the
shift to a health perspective in drug
policy and have embraced a strong
reliance on science and evidence-
based practice.
What do you think about Green
Crescent’s fight against addiction?
UNODC is proud to be a partner of
Green Crescent, and applauds the
excellent work being done to prevent
drug use and other risky behaviors.
Green Crescent has an impressive
network of 120 branches and hundreds
of thousands of volunteers who
work together to establish over 50
independent organizations, and to
unite all these organizations under a
large International FederationofGreen
Crescents, similar to an umbrella.
Green Crescent also represents
Eastern Europe and Central Asia as a
member of the Vienna NGO Committee
on Drugs.
At an international level, Green
Crescent has initiated several events
and taken a leadership role at high
level events during the Commission
on Narcotic Drugs. UNODC continues
to be an enthusiastic partner of Green
Crescent, and envisions an even
stronger leadership role for them to
play at an international level in the
coming years.
At a local level, Green Crescent not
only disseminates evidence-based
services, but also set a high standard
for community values and ideals,
and in reducing risks and promoting
resiliency. They support and
encourage family-based interventions,
community interventions and school-
based interventions, and embody a
multi-pronged systemic approach to
prevention.
At an international level,
Green Crescent has initiated
several projects and has
taken a leading role in its
participation at high level
events of the Commission on
Narcotic Drugs.
The former frameworks
in which substance use
was viewed as a crime,
as a moral failure, as a
recreational activity or as a
social trend no longer apply.
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