We would like to highlight 3 side events, one on drug consumption rooms, organised by De Regenboog Groep, with C-EHRN, the European Network of Drug Consumption Rooms and ICAD as co-sponsors, and the other 2, on civil society’s role in monitoring drug policy and on the incorporation of social justice into harm reduction, organised with the support and participation of our Network.

Empowering Voices: Civil Society’s Role in Monitoring and Evaluation of Drug Policy

19 March 2024, 14:10-15:00 [CET]
Room M0E07

Civil society organisations play an essential role in monitoring drug policy and drug-related services, providing ground-level insights that complement and expand the knowledge generated by the governments and international organisations. By being more connected with people who use drugs, and advocating for the rights of affected communities, they bridge the gap between policy and practice, contributing to the development of more effective, humane, and realistic drug policies.

This side event will highlight the crucial role of civil society in monitoring drug trends and drug-related services and the added value civil society brings to the policy-making process through its monitoring activities. This event also aims to underscore the effectiveness of networking among civil society organisations, highlighting their capacity to systematically monitor essential, field-derived data.

Speakers:
Dr Mireia Ventura, Drug checking services coordinator, Trans European Drug Information network [TEDI] – NEW Net; Acción, Bienestar y Desarrollo [ABD] – Energy Control
Dr Iga Jeziorska, Senior Researcher, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network [C-EHRN]
Susanna Ronconi, Researcher, Forum Droghe
Danilo Ballotta, Principal Policy Analyst, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction [EMCDDA]

Chair & Moderator: Stéphane Leclercq, Director, Fédération bruxelloise des institutions pour toxicomanes [FEDA BXL]

Drug Consumption Rooms in Europe – Between Health & Safety

21st of March, 09:10h [CET]
Hybrid Location: Room M0E100 & Online
You can join the event via this Zoom link.

For more than 30 years, Drug Consumption Rooms (DCRs) have been implemented in Western countries, generating a substantial body of practical experience and research that evidences their effectiveness in achieving public health and safety goals and contributing to the well-being of people who use drugs. However, the scale and breadth of their global implementation still vary significantly. This side event aims to contribute to an informed discussion about DCRs by presenting the available evidence, reviewing the various models being adopted and their characteristics, as well as (legal) preconditions and considerations that would allow this public health service to be integrated in a balanced continuum of drug policy initiatives.

Speakers:
Dr. João Castel-Branco Goulão, Director General of the Portuguese Institute on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies [ICAD]
Dr. Blanca Iciar Indave Ruiz, Scientific Agent of the Support to Practice Sector at the Public Health Unit of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction [EMCDDA]
Mx. Roberto Perez Gayo, Head of Policy at Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network [C-EHRN] and Coordinator of the European Network of Drug Consumption Rooms [ENDCR]
Mr. Hugo Faria, Team Manager at Associação Ares do Pinhal

Chair & Moderator: Ms. Katrin Shiffer, Director of Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network [C-EHRN] and Head of the International Department of Stichting De Regenboog Groep.

The Incorporation of Social Justice Into Harm Reduction, an Essential Step

22 March, 13:00 [CET]
Room M0E100
Organized by the ABD Associació Benestar I Desenvolupament

Harm reduction is consolidated worldwide as an effective public health strategy in substance use.

Through the example of Spain with experience of more than 40 years, the main of this Side is to make visible the importance of (re)incorporating the perspective of social justice to strengthen health and social protection systems, while integrating and stimulating the participation, learning and leadership of the communities themselves.

Ester Aranda Rodríguez, Director of Harm Reduction in ABD and researcher in UNAD.
Juan Fernández Ochoa, Campaigns and Communications Officer at IDPC. Global coordinator of the Support Don’t Punish campaign.
Roberto Pérez Gayo, Head of Policy at Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network [C-EHRN] and Coordinator of the European Network of Drug Consumption Rooms [ENDCR]
Aura Roig Fortaleza, Founder Director of Metzineres and international advisor on drug policy, harm reduction, human rights and gender

Chair & Moderator:
Constanza Sánchez Avilés, Law, Policy and Human Rights Director at ICEERS

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