Program_Caritas_drug _conference_english. pdf

PRESENTATION

Since 1996 Caritas Germany directly or in cooperation with the German Government, the European Commission, UNESCO, UNAIDS and UNODC supports both technically and financially drug demand reduction projects and activities in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. Through this process the DCV has developed an international network of significant partners including local government institutions, NGO’s and local communities.

To create and strengthen synergies and conscious alliances between national policies and the partners´ activities from the beginning was one of the most important quality criteria for all the projects receiving support, without forgetting the role of clear and well established methodologies and transparency on outcomes.

During the last five years one of the local and regional most important aspects was the implementation of alliances between different governmental and non governmental actors, and between countries focused on diminishing drug use harms and on advocacy for the rights of drug users, particularly those highly vulnerable to social exclusion, HIV, STD/STI. This strategy was implemented by adopting the suggestions of the 1998 UNGASS final declaration.

Ten years later a high level segment at the session of the Commission on Narcotic drugs (CND) is planned to be held in 2009 to review the UNGASS objectives. This international conference is an opportunity for DCV and its partners to meet, share experiences, explore new topics, highlight common elements and differences, agree on common quality criteria and propose a common position to be shared and to be used as a starting point for the next ten years of work in the area of drug demand reduction.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this conference is to know and discuss the outcomes of the past ten years of given support and by this process to have direct knowledge of the partners’ work, of their good practices, strength and fragilities; to highlight the drug demand actual field and political characteristics, to establish a dialog between Caritas Germany partners in Germany and abroad, and to reach a common position to be presented during the high level meeting of the CND in 2009.

PARTICIPANTS

Some representatives of: Caritas Germany and its most important partners in Germany and abroad, University “Alice Salomon” in Berlin, the German Government, UNESCO, UNODC, the European Commission, local governments institutions in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

METHODOLOGY

Four days of work. First day: session open to public where a critical analysis of the major last ten years topics is presented and discussed. Second and third day: four sessions a day to go deeper into specific priorities with the contribution of an expert per topic and the participants´ experiences. During the first day the position of Caritas Germany on Drug Demand Reduction will be shared with participants and discussed during the second and third day to reach a common set of positions with the contribution of all DCV partners. All DCV partners will be invited to prepare a Poster to illustrate their work, position, results, alliances etc.