Support Advocacy Program for Drug Policy Reform (in view of UNGASS 2019)

poetarojo (62)in #politics • 7 years ago

Motivated by the violence, extrajudicial executions and massacres that have exacerbated the "war on drugs," particularly in the Northern Triangle of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador) we wish to create an Advocacy Program for Drug Policy Reform Our challenge is to search for and promote alternatives to prohibitionist laws and to repressing the military and police in the field of drug policies.

The main objective is to share as much information as possible through different channels, especially with decision-makers, to point out that there are precise alternatives to current drug policies and that each region must adapt them to their own situations.

We have already worked with youths, held meetings with bio-psycho-social agents, attended conferences, workshops and local symposia (El Salvador) and regional (Central America and South America), and participated in international forums. We have gathered several years of analysis, surveys and studies that show widespread disinformation about drug policies (including misleading information coming from decision makers).

We hope to promote a change of perspective on drug policy so that the new political declaration on drug control of 2019 turns away from the criminal and punitive point of view and towards one that respects the dignity of the people and their human rights, which includes allowing the choice of ingesting whatever they wish as long as that action does not result in harm to others; That strategies for harm reduction and risk management should be promulgated and strengthened and that the failed and ill-fated "war on drugs", which has only violated the essential rights of individuals and provoked great social ravages, be ended at the international level.

Specific objectives of advocacy:

To strengthen the comptroller's office from the view point of civil society, make it transparent and report the process to UNGASS 2019.

At international level: To offer a voice from the civil society of the Northern Triangle in international organizations like United Nations.

At the regional level: To promote a change of perspective by providing reliable and evidence-based information about the consequences of continuing the drug war.

At the local level: To support in different ways the people and groups that are committed to the reform of the current drug policies. Example: LaMaríaGuanaca, + info-risk, etc.

These projects began between 2012/2013 in El Salvador and seek to share reliable information from a Harm Reduction and Risk Management perspective. On the one hand through virtual spaces and on the other through the interaction of peers with volunteers who share print information, they organize public demonstrations and informative meetings on current drug policies and alternatives to prohibitionism and the war on drugs. Support in the organization, materials, advertising, etc. Awareness and awareness are the main objectives.

The 2017 - 2019 ACTION PLAN

The Action Plan is already underway. It began with the intersessional period of the CND, especially the participation in international instances is of vital importance.

For the period 2017-2019, the following Plan of Action

A) On an international level
Participation in intergovernmental bodies (New York, Vienna, Geneva) with a view toward the new political declaration on drug control in 2019, promoting a culture of self-determination and regulation of psychoactive substances from a human rights, evidence-based perspective. In addition, promoting judicial cooperation for the prosecution of money laundering and financing of terrorism. See activities in Budget.

B) At the regional level
In relation to our own research on the current situation in the Northern Triangle we need: Knowledge management, data collection, systematization, analysis and recommendations for the new policy statement on drug control 2019.

C) At local level in El Salvador
Contributions to the process in El Salvador.
Country diagnosis of the UNGASS final document.
Support for the annual March for a new drug policy.
Elaboration of information material on Drug Policy and Harm Reduction.

D) At the local level in Germany
Participation in events and activities related to drug policy. Meetings with strategic allies. Country diagnosis of the UNGASS final document.
Translation into German and dissemination of our own articles and materials.
Translation of information materials from allies (Latin American countries, U.S based, others) into German and vice versa.

Monitoring and evaluation

There will be permanent monitoring by the team and an external audit of the project. A narrative report and an annual and other financial report will be made at the end of the project.