EU institutions must respect Treaty on EU and implement structured civil dialogue now

On 24 January, European civil society sent an open letter to the Presidents of the European  Commission and the European Parliament, and the Belgian presidency of the Council of the  European Union. The signatories of the letter urge the three main institutions of the European Union  (EU) involved in EU decision-making to take concrete measures to implement an open, transparent and regular dialogue with civil society organisations in all policy areas, as set out in Article 11 of the  Treaty on European Union. The open letter was initiated by the Civil Society Organisations’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Civil Society Europe and includes specific proposals for implementation. The letter gained the support of a total of 156 signatories from 26  Member States. The signatories include 39 European networks, 85 national organisations and 60  Members of the EESC’s Civil Society Organisations’ Group (1).

Civil dialogue remains patchy and unstructured across the EU institutions, in spite of the legal provisions.

This is why the signatories of the open letter #EUCivilDialogueNow are calling on the EU institutions  to:

building on the recommendations of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

As a first step, the signatories suggest a European Commission Communication on strengthening civil dialogue at the EU level.

“The European institutions have all the necessary tools to make considerable progress on our proposals,” said Séamus Boland, the President of the EESC’s Civil Society Organisations’ Group, on the eve of the letter’s launch. “In the next European Commission, a vice-president should take on the task of dialogue with civil society, and civil society coordinators should be appointed in each directorate-general,” added Mr Boland.

Gabriella Civico, the President of Civil Society Europe, said: “The Secretariat of the Council of the EU  and the offices of the European Parliament and Commission at the national level need to establish a regular dialogue with civil society. Civil society organisations need direct channels to engage in the EU  policy-making process.”

While the signatories respect the prerogatives of the social partners in social dialogue, they are calling for structured civil dialogue to complement it. Séamus Boland explained: “Effective and responsible civil society organisations can cooperate with governments and with employers’ and workers’  organisations in many areas of policy. The input of their knowledge and expertise can ensure that EU  policies in all fields and on all socio-economic issues are more targeted and effective.”

Gabriella Civico concluded: “Real civil dialogue and cooperation will lead to EU policies better securing the support of citizens and gaining more legitimacy in their eyes, and thus ensure smoother policy implementation. This is particularly important in a complex and rapidly changing world with many  challenges that our communities and societies need to address.”

 

Background information: 

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body established by the 1957  Treaty of Rome. It assists the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the  European Commission. The EESC is the voice of organised civil society in Europe. It represents employers, workers and civil society organisations. The expertise of its 329 Members helps optimise the quality of EU policies and legislation. The EESC’s Civil Society Organisations’ Group is made up of  106 “other representatives and stakeholders of civil society, particularly in the economic, civic,  professional and cultural field”.

Its Members are drawn from organisations representing the following fields:

The overall aim of the Civil Society Organisations’ Group is to truly strengthen participatory democracy across the European Union and to make sure that EESC opinions on EU legislative proposals reflect the interests of all Europeans.

Civil Society Europe (CSE) is the coordination of civil society organisations at EU level established in  February 2016. It brings together 22 European networks of civil society organisations (CSOs) working towards regenerating the European project around the shared values of equality, solidarity, inclusiveness and democracy. Its main objectives are: to facilitate and enable horizontal and vertical dialogue between European civil society organisations and policy-makers and help strengthen CSOs in their activities and relations with the institutions.

CSE’s mission is to contribute to EU recognition of the essential role and value of independent and plural CSOs in building and nurturing a democratic society that is based on fundamental rights. CSE  also works to create the conditions for the development of a strong and independent civil society voice and effective, open, and structured civil dialogue at the EU level, as well as a thriving and enabling civic space across the Union.

For more information and interviews, please contact: 

Jasmin Klötzing
Communication Officer
Secretariat of the Civil Society Organisations’ Group
+ 32 (0) 2 546 90 67
Jasmin.kloetzing@eesc.europa.eu

Margarida Reis
Communication Assistant
Secretariat of the Civil Society Organisations’ Group
+ 32 (0) 2 546 90 36
Margarida.reis@eesc.europa.eu

If you want to stay informed about the activities of the Civil Society Organisations’ Group, please click here.

 

 

(1) When calculating the number of signatories (156), the EESC Members who also signed on behalf of their organisation are counted as single signatories.

Joint Statement | Sri Lanka: Stop Abusive Anti-Drug Operation and Release Those Arbitrarily Detained

We, the undersigned organisations, are deeply concerned about the drastic intensification of anti-drug operations in Sri Lanka leading to significant human rights violations.

On 17 December 2023 the Acting Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennekoon, with the endorsement of Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, spearheaded an operation titled “Yukthiya”, with the stated aim of controlling “the drug menace”. The operation is ongoing as of 10 January 2024, with at least one thousand persons arrested daily.

This operation is unfolding in a context of already severe repression against persons who use or are suspected of using drugs, who suffer discrimination and stigma within the Sri Lankan criminal justice system and society.

Alongside the Sri Lankan police, members of the armed forces have been supporting this operation,[1] during which several human rights violations have been reported.[2] These violations include alleged arbitrary arrests, primarily against individuals from marginalised socio-economic communities; searches conducted without warrants or reasonable suspicion; and, degrading treatment including strip searches in public as well as cavity searches. The searches and arrests have been televised,[3] in violation not only of the right to privacy (and of basic human dignity) but also of a person’s right to be presumed innocent. According to lawyers, persons are being arrested even when no drugs are found in their possession, simply for having been arrested for drug offences or having been sent to compulsory rehabilitation in the past. The arrests of main livelihood earners and mothers have adversely impacted the ability of families to meet their basic needs during a time of economic crisis in Sri Lanka, and the wellbeing of children.

Persons are being arrested primarily under Section 54A of the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, an offence which is non-bailable. As a result, those arrested are bound to spend time (sometimes months) in pretrial detention, thereby exacerbating already poor conditions of imprisonment in an overburdened prison system.[4] The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has previously stated[5] that the existing prison conditions and treatment of incarcerated persons are ‘inhumane and degrading’. At present, as per statistics issued by the Department of Prisons, the level of overcrowding of the prison system is at nearly 200% – with punitive drug policies playing a significant role: as of 2022, 63% of convicted persons were sentenced for drug-related offences.[6]

The total reported number of arrests pursuant to operation Yukthiya has exceeded 29,000 as of 9 January 2024,[7] while nearly 1,500 people are in administrative detention in police custody for further investigation.[8] At least 1,600 more persons have been sent for compulsory drug rehabilitation,[9] in violation of several fundamental rights, including the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to consent to and withdraw from medical treatment. “Drug treatment” in these centres is abstinence-based, essential harm reduction services are not available,[10] and persons undergo severe withdrawal symptoms without any medical assistance while in detention. The use of violence to discipline and punish[11] has been reported in at least two compulsory drug rehabilitation centres which are within the purview of the Bureau of the Commissioner General for Rehabilitation and are operated by the military,[12] which is in itself a violation of international standards.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in its statement at the conclusion of its visit to Sri Lanka in 2017[13] expressed concern regarding the involvement of military personnel in drug treatment and rehabilitation. It expressed concern that strenuous physical exercise was the core component of compulsory drug treatment, and at the lack of trained professionals to monitor the health of people in detention. Furthermore, the statement highlighted the irregularities in the judicial process by which persons were sent to the centre without a medical assessment being carried out.

More broadly, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has highlighted that by denying persons access to substitution therapies, states are subjecting “a large group of people to severe physical pain, suffering and humiliation, effectively punishing them for using drugs and trying to coerce them into abstinence.”[14] The Special Rapporteur has further stated “forcible testing of people who use drugs without respecting their autonomy and their right to informed consent may constitute degrading treatment, especially in detention settings. States are obliged to respect the enjoyment of the right to health, including by refraining from using coercive medical treatment. The requirement of informed consent, including the right to refuse treatment, should be observed in administering any treatment for drug dependence.”[15]

Since the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on drugs, there is international consensus on pursuing a holistic and health and human rights-based approach to drugs, which encompasses supply and demand reduction as well as harm reduction. The 2019 Ministerial Declaration on drugs – the current global drug policy document – as well as multiple resolutions of the UN General Assembly, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and the UN Human Rights Council reiterate and recommend a similar approach.

A punitive and militarised approach to drug control contravenes recognised international human rights standards and guidelines, is ineffective to protect individual and public health, and ultimately fails to make communities safer.

 

We call upon the government to:

  • Immediately cease operation “Yukthiya” and release persons who have been arrested without evidence or reasonable suspicion. The government should ensure that those arrested who do not have access to legal representation are provided legal aid.
  • Immediately release persons arrested or sent to compulsory drug rehabilitation for using drugs/having a drug dependence.
  • Cease involving the armed forces in drug control and treatment activities as consistent with human rights law.
  • Repeal laws that allow compulsory drug rehabilitation, close compulsory treatment centres and release persons presently held at the centres within the purview of the Bureau of Commissioner General for Rehabilitation.
  • Allocate adequate financial resources to provide voluntary, community and evidence-based drug treatment and care, under the leadership of the Ministry of Health.
  • Meaningfully engage civil society, communities, human rights experts and UN agencies, such as the World Health Organisation and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in reforming national drug laws and policy.
  • Ensure that any law enforcement operation to address the supply side is conducted respecting due process standards and constitutionally protected fundamental rights.

The co-signatories:

  1. Africa Network of People Who Use Drugs (AfricaNPUD) (Africa)
  2. Amnesty International (Global)
  3. Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) (Asia)
  4. Association for Humane Drug Policy (Norway)
  5. Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation (CDPE) (Canada)
  6. Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS) (Argentina)
  7. Corporación Acción Técnica Social (Colombia)
  8. Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (Europe)
  9. Dianova International (Global)
  10. Drug Harm Reduction Advocacy Network Nigeria (Nigeria)
  11. Drug Policy Australia (Australia)
  12. Fédération Addiction (France)
  13. Foreningen Tryggere Ruspolitikk /Safer Drug Policies (Norway)
  14. GREA – Groupement Romand d’Etudes des Addictions (Switzerland)
  15. Harm Reduction Australia (Australia)
  16. Harm Reduction International (Global)
  17. Health Poverty Action (Global)
  18. Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland)
  19. Human Rights Watch (Global)
  20. Instituto RIA AC (Mexico)
  21. International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
  22. International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) (Global)
  23. International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD) (Global)
  24. LBH Masyarakat (Indonesia)
  25. Mainline Foundation (Netherlands)
  26. Metzineres (Spain)
  27. National Harm Reduction Coalition (USA)
  28. Recovering Nepal (Nepal)
  29. Release (UK)
  30. Skoun, Lebanese Addictions Centre (Lebanon)
  31. Transform Drug Policy Foundation (UK)
  32. Youth RISE (Global)
  33. Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (Zimbabwe)
 
 
 

[1] ‘Operation ‘Yukthiya’: 1,184 more suspects arrested with drugs’ Ada Derana, 5 January 2024. https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=96159
[2] ‘HRCSL concerned over alleged human rights abuses in ’Yukthiya’ Operation’ Daily Mirror, 8 January 2024.
https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/HRCSL-concerned-over-alleged-human-rights-abuses-in-Yukthiya-Operation/108-274667
[3] ‘Operation Yukthiya: Over 18,000 suspects arrested since launch’ News First, 30 December 2023.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6vdBuEH4dw
[4 Ambika Satkunanathan (2021) ‘Broken System: Drug Control, Detention and Treatment of People
Who Use Drugs in Sri Lanka’ Harm Reduction International.
https://www.hri.global/files/2021/08/03/HRI_Report_Sri_Lanka_Drug_Control.pdf
[5] Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Prison Study by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, 2020,
https://www.hrcsl.lk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Prison-Report-Final-2.pdf.
[6] Department of Prisons (2023) Prison Statistics 2022. http://prisons.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/prison-statistics2023.pdf
[7] “Operation Yukthiya Nets Over 29,000 Suspects in 22 Days” News First, 8 January 2024.
https://www.newsfirst.lk/2024/1/8/operation-yukthiya-nets-over-29-000-suspects-in-22-days
[8] Ibid
[9] ‘Yukthiya’ operation leads to 28,520 arrests’ Daily Mirror, 8 January 2023. https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/front-page/Yukthiyaoperation-leads-to-28-520-arrests/238-274623
[10] Ambika Satkunanathan (2021) ‘Broken System: Drug Control, Detention and Treatment of People
Who Use Drugs in Sri Lanka’ Harm Reduction International.
https://www.hri.global/files/2021/08/03/HRI_Report_Sri_Lanka_Drug_Control.pdf
[11] For narratives of persons who have been sent to compulsory treatment centres please see ‘A collection of personal narratives of
persons who use drugs in Sri Lanka (2024)’ compiled by Ambika Satkunanathan at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WJdgrObqMd62aGdXchG7y5lcvI0zlNeP/view
[12] Ibid
[13] Working group on arbitrary detention: preliminary findings from its visit to Sri Lanka (4 to 15 December 2017).
https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2017/12/working-group-arbitrary-detention-preliminary-findings-its-visit-sri-lanka-4-15
[14] ‘Report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’ (UN Human
Rights Council, 1 February 2013) https://www.refworld.org/docid/51136ae62.html.
[15] Ibid

ACHIEVE Call to Action for the new EU legislature 2024-2029

“Viral hepatitis B and C are two deadly viruses whose burden is greater than HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis combined.

According to the WHO Global Strategy from 2016, which builds on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), viral hepatitis B and C can be eliminated by 2030. An effective vaccine exists for hepatitis B, and affordable, easy-to-administer, effective treatments are available for both hepatitis B and C. For hepatitis C, the cure rate is almost 98% and, in the absence of a vaccine, treatment in addition to the harm reduction measures serves also as prevention for virus transmission. Hepatitis B vaccination also prevents co-infection hepatotropic viruses, such as hepatitis D, which puts patients at risk.

However, the EU as a whole is not on track for elimination, leading to significant inequalities across Europe. This is nothing short of a tragedy for those infected, those at risk of becoming infected, their families, Europe’s health and social systems, and the economy. This tragedy can and must be prevented.

Read the ACHIEVE Call to Action for the new EU legislature 2024-2029 to find out more about the key obstacles to viral hepatitis B and C elimination, the EU mechanisms that exist and can help, and which actions the different actors (Member States, Stakeholders, European Commission and European Parliament) can take to eliminate viral hepatitis B and C in the EU/EEA.”

 

(Text originally published on ACHIEVE’s website)

C-EHRN’s Response to Mayor Halsema’s Call for Redefining Drug Policy

On January the 5th, 2023, Femke Halsema, Mayor of Amsterdam, published an opinion in The Guardian on the need for a global shift in our current approach to drug policy. In the article, Mayor Halsema backs up her call by announcing an international conference this month exploring alternatives to prohibition, with a strong focus on drug market regulation. At C-EHRH, we fully support this call, joining Mayor Halsema in this step forward as partners in the event.

Currently, there is a growing consensus that the so-called war on drugs has not only failed in its own goals but has been a vast drain on public resources and often actively counterproductive. $100 billion is spent on global drug law enforcement every year, whereas just $131 million is spent on harm reduction (1). This means that we spend more than 750 times the amount on punitive responses than we do on life-saving services for people who use drugs.

Punitive responses are not only ineffective at reducing drug use and sales. The ongoing criminalization, stigmatization, and marginalization of people who use drugs and the refusal to consider regulated approaches to drug markets to control the toxic supply has made drugs riskier, incentivized higher-risk behaviours, created obstacles to adequate health and human-rights-based care services, fuelled organized crime and violence against marginalized communities and contributed to insecurity and devastating public health crisis. 

Recently, there have been notable shifts in the global public debate towards transformative drug policy change. In September 2023, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a landmark report recommending that States consider the regulation of drugs to tackle the links with organized crime and insecurity. Also, the UN has recognized the criminalization of drugs as “proven to have negative health outcomes” and to “counter established public health evidence.” (2) The EU Drug Strategy 2021-25 has highlighted the importance of drug policy based on public health (3) and the Global Commission on Drug Policy has called for the decriminalization of drug use as an essential precursor to ending HIV and viral hepatitis as public health threads (4).

Mayor Halsema’s opinion article not only continues this paradigm shift from ideological and punitive approaches towards policies based on evidence, health, and human rights, but It also exemplifies the leading role that cities can play in bridging the disconnection between discourse and policy action by focusing on how – and not if – regulation of the drug market can be achieved.  

We at C-EHRN fully support this initiative and celebrate Mayor Haselma’s commitment to continuing the city’s legacy of innovation and cooperation among European cities to develop more pragmatic and less prohibitionist drug policies. 

Mitigating harm is not easy. A key message from the 2023 European Drug Report analysis is that the impact of illicit drug use is now seen almost everywhere in our society (5). As a civil society organization working in policy and harm reduction, representing more than 360 members, we know that without bold and broader social and health reforms, decriminalization and legal drug regulation alone won’t fully ensure people’s well-being. Equally, without a solid commitment to embedded and prioritized principles of social justice, equity and human rights, we risk replicating inequities and injustice. 

For this reason, as partners of the conference, C-EHRN appreciates this opportunity to further cooperation, to be innovative and ambitious, to do things differently and better, and to help repair the harms of past policy failings. Key elements in achieving this ambition include:

Improving access to and availability, coverage, and quality of Harm Reduction services
Many harm reduction organizations operate on the front lines, providing crucial services to marginalized communities affected by drug use. Despite their significant impact, these organizations often face legal challenges and lack formal recognition. To enhance the effectiveness of harm reduction efforts, it is imperative to advocate for the legal recognition of these civil society organizations as official service providers. This recognition could take the form of legislative measures that explicitly acknowledge and validate the role of harm reduction organizations as part of a balanced drug policy, ensuring they receive the support and resources needed to carry out their vital work. Additionally, establishing social contracting mechanisms can formalize partnerships between these organizations and relevant authorities, fostering collaboration and sustainability.

Implementing equity programs that facilitate and empower marginalized communities
Recognizing the disproportionate impact of drug policies on marginalized communities, it is crucial to implement equity programs aimed at addressing systemic inequalities. These programs should go beyond the surface level and actively empower marginalized communities by providing equal access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. Also, they are given equal opportunities to shape and implement policies and programs, recognizing their wealth of knowledge, experience, and leadership. 

Tailored initiatives, taking into account the unique challenges faced by these communities, can contribute to breaking the cycle of marginalization perpetuated by current drug policies. By prioritizing equity, cities can pave the way for inclusive, just, and effective harm-reduction strategies that consider the specific needs of diverse populations.

Prevent the emergence of monopolies and corporate capture.
As drug policies evolve, there is a risk of corporate interests dominating the landscape, potentially leading to monopolies that prioritize profit over public health. It is essential to proactively prevent such scenarios by implementing regulatory frameworks that ensure a diverse and competitive landscape. Measures should include strict regulations on market entry, preventing undue influence from powerful corporations. By actively engaging in policy discussions, harm reduction advocates can contribute to shaping regulations that prioritize public health, prevent monopolies, and uphold the principles of equity and justice in the evolving landscape of drug policy.

(1) Provost, C. et al (2023) Aid for the war on drugs. London, Harm Reduction International. https://hri.global/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HRI_Aid-for-the-War-on-Drugs_Final-1.pdf
(2) https://www.who.int/en/news-room/detail/27-06-2017-joint-united-nations-statement-on-ending-discrimination-in-health-care-settings
(3) https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/attachments/13642/Council%20of%20the%20EU%20%282020%29%20EU%20Drugs%20Strategy%202021-25.pdf
(4) https://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/ahead-of-world-aids-day-global-commission-on-drug-policy-new-report-says-the-hiv-and-hepatitis-epidemics-cannot-be-ended-without-drug-policy-reform-and-the-real-participation-of-people-who-use-drugs
(5) https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/european-drug-report/2023_en

Becoming Peer. Learning from Nightlife

To mark the launch of our latest publication, ‘Becoming Peer. Learning from Nightlife’, C-EHRN recently hosted an online dialogue meeting with the authors (Tait Mandler and Roberto Perez Gayo) and other experts in the field of nightlife harm reduction and peer work (Hayley Murray, researcher at Wageningen University and Lynn Jefferys, operations manager at EuroNPUD). The participants of the dialogue, who have diverse backgrounds and living experiences, including those from nightlife, research, substance use, care provision, policy and advocacy or community self-organising of people who use drugs, delved into the ways through which innovative forms of meaningful involvement, health, and evidence can emerge in their respective fields of work.

Becoming Peer was born with the intention of offering a toolbox for reimagining harm reduction, drawing from concepts, experiences and practices from nightlife and other so-called “recreational settings”. The publication invites stakeholders to acknowledge the value of each other’s expertise in developing effective harm reduction practices. Through discussions of common but contested concepts, the authors invite the reader to question and unsettle power imbalances between different actors, practices, and forms of knowledge, making space for more effective community-based responses to arise.

 

Who is considered a “peer”?

Peer workers are generally understood to be people with first-hand experience of a specific activity or setting, and the word ‘peer’ points to similarities and shared status. However, being a “peer” worker does not necessarily mean being in a position equivalent to that of people in similar roles or those on the receiving end of interventions. Peer workers have different positionalities, and asymmetries stand between people with lived and living experiences. To cultivate meaningful peerness, it’s central to recognise and use the generative potential of differences to create new strategies for mutual respect and equality among all stakeholders – including peer workers, researchers and policymakers.

 

Who decides what “healthy” looks like?

Widespread models of health see health as the responsibility of the doctor or the medical establishment, while the patient engages passively, as a “consumer” or as the target of health promotion campaigns. However, from the early history of harm reduction, we learn that health can be understood as a dynamic community practice:

What if health is an activity, not so much a definition of the state of the body? […] However we define it, health emerges in practices of care. And so again, in nightlife harm reduction, there’s a lot of emphasis on ways in which people care for each other. (Tait Mandler, researcher at Wageningen University)

Health can be redefined as a whole concept from the position of people who use drugs, who have long been cast in the position of the “unhealthy”. Being healthy means different things to different people, and it is limiting to define it only within the healthy/unhealthy binary.

Health to someone can mean that they feel at their best. And if feeling at their best means dancing under the influence of drugs in the sand and surrounded by a community who cares about them, then that should also be part of health. (Hayley Murray, researcher at Wageningen University)

Participants of the meeting discussed the importance of trust in successful peer support, which can originate from having a shared experience with a certain substance, a similar background or presentation, and from simply knowing that the other party will not be judgmental, shocked or stigmatising and prepared to tend to one’s needs.

Building trust is really centered on using non-stigmatizing, strengths-based language and creating places for people to have safe conversations around drugs, in an anti-oppression, non-carceral framework. People need to know that you’re a person who isn’t going to be shocked when they say something about GHB or heroin, for example. (Lynn Jefferys, operations manager at EuroNPUD)

 

What counts as evidence?

Harm reduction projects that promote their own version of health from the community often have to produce evidence to show the impact of their work, whether for funding or to affect policy. There is a hierarchy that frames certain types of evidence, such as randomised control trials and statistical analysis, as the most convincing. On the other hand, lived experiences and personal stories are often discredited or taken less into account. 

Yet, the tacit, embodied knowledge and the everyday experience of people who use drugs constitute a precious “living archive” of information. Becoming Peer advocates for the recognition and respect for the expertise of people who use drugs in the harm reduction field and their involvement in developing innovative, community-based strategies and interventions.

As long as evidence is equated with expert knowledge or only seen as useful when produced through particular scientific methods there can be no meaningful peerness […]. An archive, on the other hand, doesn’t prefigure how it is used, doesn’t dictate what’s useful and what’s not. Archives don’t foreclose the future—they allow it to be open ended. (Mandler, T. & Perez Gayo, R. (2023) Becoming Peer: 25)

Dealing With Drugs Conference Amsterdam

On the 26th of January, the conference ‘Dealing With Drugs – cities and the quest for regulation’ will take place in Amsterdam.

Mayor of Amsterdam Femke Halsema is the host of the conference: “Together with many cities in the world, the beautiful city of Amsterdam struggles with the effects of drug-related crime. The objective of this international conference is to explore how -and not if- further regulation of the drug market can provide a solution.” 

Together with an international group of fellow mayors, scientists, user groups, practitioners and policy makers, the mayor wants to explore the path toward a more rational drug policy. During this one-day conference, you can partake in different side sessions and experience a ‘pop-up XTC shop’.

If you’re interested in visiting the conference, the website provides more information about the program.

The available seats are limited, those who want to visit the conference are kindly asked to send an email to conferenceondrugs@amsterdam.nl, with their name, function and a brief description of why they are interested.

Highlights from our recent DCR Training in Brno, Czech Republic

Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network [C-EHRN] and the ENDCR [European Network of Drug Consumption Rooms] organised a drug consumption room (DCR) training in collaboration with the local organisation Podané Ruce, which recently opened a mobile DCR based in Brno (in September 2023). Roberto Perez Gayo, Head of Policy at C-EHRN, and Arianna Rogialli, Project and Policy Support Officer, visited Brno on the 30th of November and 1st of December 2023 to deliver the training program to the local organisation.

The DCR is currently open for injection only and allows for one person at a time (although this could be expanded to 2 or 3 injection spots in the future). DCR staff comprises two social workers. Podané Ruce has also been running an outreach needle distribution program in the same area for several years.

The DCR Trainings are a series of trainings designed and implemented by C-EHRN and the ENDCR which aims to assist organisations that have recently opened or plan to open a DCR. The training provides drug, harm reduction and other social & health-related professionals with resources and guidance for the implementation and operation of the first DCRs in their local context. Brno is the second location where DCR trainings are taking place, the first was Ljubljana in September 2023 [read about the training in Ljubljana here].

The training equipped its participants with tools and insights to contribute to the effective planning, establishment and operation of the mobile DCR in Brno. Building on a needs assessment consultation, the program focused on the topics and areas that are the most relevant to participants. Throughout the training, participants were introduced to different DCR models and approaches, with a focus on mobile DCRs, discussed case studies and best practices, and took part in collaborative exercises aimed at adapting service development to the needs of clients by defining user journey maps, needs and points of contact. Special attention was given to identifying strategies for the DCR to reach the local Roma community successfully. Moreover, the training included sessions aimed at supporting the DCR’s operational logistics, identifying suitable staffing and workforce models and establishing protocols.

The recent DCR training in Brno was a step towards empowering organizations in operating (mobile) DCRs. This initiative is a reflection of C-EHRN and the ENDCR’s ongoing commitment to support the implementation of DCRs, promote harm reduction, and enhance the overall well-being of local communities.

 

 

Expert & Member Meeting 2023

In December, Budapest gave place to C-EHRN’s Expert & Member Meeting, with more than 130 professionals gathering to discuss the key activities of the network!

To find out more about the event and C-EHRN’s key activities, watch the inspiring video by the Rights Reporter Foundation, and look at the summary of the event below.

On Monday the 4th, our focal points discussed the civil society monitoring of harm reduction in Europe process, ways to use the C-EHRN Monitoring data for advocacy purposes and getting familiar with a new data collection and visualisation tool for the C-EHRN monitoring activities. In the meantime, the partners of the Drug-Prep Project had insightful discussions on foresight research and other project activities.

 

A press conference also took place, introducing drug consumption rooms, drug checking in Europe and the example of Portugal’s health-based drug policy approach, sharing the message that “not only the richest countries in the world can implement efficient drug policies based on decriminalisation” (Marta Pinto, University of Porto). As a result, the conference gained coverage in RTL, one of Hungary’s most popular commercial TVs.

At the end of the day, some meeting participants visited Válaszút Misszió Drogkonzultációs Iroda, learning about their services and the Hungarian context.

Tuesday began with C-EHRN’s director, Katrin Schiffer, opening the official programme for all participants of the event, also introducing C-EHRN’s new visual identity which we launched with the event! During the plenary sessions, we discussed various topics including drug policy and harm reduction in Hungary, civil society monitoring and data collection, and some of the network’s main activities, including research on harm reduction in prison and harm reduction and gender.

Throughout the afternoon’s parallel sessions, we also talked about infectious diseases in community-based settings in the context of the BOOST project, while a migration workshop took place through the SEMID-EU project, and those interested could find out about the application of foresight research in the context of the drugs field (Drug-Prep project). In the following sessions, the civil society involvement case studies conducted in 4 European countries were discussed, while we also spoke about drug consumption rooms and mental health.

Wednesday’s parallel sessions gave space for an engaging conversation about C-EHRN’s strategy for 2024-2028, while drug checking and the state of harm reduction in five European cities (Amsterdam, Bălţi, London, Esch-sur-Alzette and Warsaw) were also discussed.

The Semid-EU plenary delved into the needs and (harm reduction) service access of marginalised migrants who use drugs in the EU, after which we reflected on the outcomes of the time spent together at the member & expert meeting.

To capture the event, we bring you a collection of images below.

Inspiring Short Film on Ireland’s Health Led Approach to Drugs Use

In June 2023, Drugreporter visited Dublin where they interviewed key experts about Ireland’s drug policy developments. Through the resulting film, you can get to know the Ana Liffey Drug Project, a leading low-threshold harm reduction program in downtown Dublin, and learn about key issues of drug policy in Ireland through the lens of experts. The film also introduces the work of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use.

“The Citizens’ Assembly members worked hard and were engaged in a subject well known as a complex multifaceted policy topic. Theirs was an unprecedented effort of deliberative democracy by 99 citizens, supported by an independent Chairperson and a government secretariat, to consider the attendant issues related to drugs use in Ireland and to make recommendations to the Government.” (Tony Duffin, the CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project)

To complement the film, Tony Duffin, CEO of Ana Liffey, shares a thought-provoking reflection on Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use. Dive deeper into the assembly’s recommendations and the transformative potential they hold in steering Ireland’s drug policies towards a more progressive, health-driven direction in the article on Drugreporter’s website.

The interviewed experts in the film are: Francesca Osborne, Saoirse Aitken, Tony Duffin, Damien Gagnevin, (Ana Liffey Drug Project), Jim Walsh (Drugs Policy and Social Inclusion Unit Department of Health), Andy O’Hara (UISCE Advocacy Service for People who use Drugs in Ireland), Anna Quigley (CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign), Stacey Lyons (National Voluntary Drug and Alcohol Sector)

The production of the video has been co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s)only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Ana Liffey Drug Project | https://www.aldp.ie
Correlation European Harm Reduction Network | https://www.correlation-net.org
Drugreporter | https://www.drugreporter.net

Produced by the Rights Reporter Foundation – Drugreporter, 2023
Reporter | Péter Sárosi
Video | István Gábor Takács

Highlights from the Civil Society Forum on Drugs Plenary Meeting

The Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) Plenary Meeting, organised by the European Commission (DG Home) on November 14-15, 2023, gathered 40 CSFD Members in Brussels. Chaired by C-EHRN’s Director, Katrin Schiffer, the meeting also included Iga Jeziorska, C-EHRN’s Research Officer, representing Youth Organisations for Drug Action [YODA] within the CSFD Core Group.

The event revolved around discussions across four pivotal working groups and their activities and included a separate meeting with the Horizontal Working Party on Drugs (Horizontal Drug Group – HDG), consisting of EU Member State representatives, in which the CSFD could exchange information and views with the Commission and the Member States.

Under EU Drug Policy working group, coordinated by Iga Jeziorska, the CSFD conducted surveys to assess the EU Drug Strategy’s implementation. Ongoing data collection aims to shape a forthcoming report in 2024.

Adria Cots Fernandez helmed the International Drug Policy group, providing regular contributions to the HDG ahead of Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) meetings, organizing an informative webinar on the new EMCDDA Mandate, and facilitating an advocacy training session with the presence of two HDG members.

Addressing Civil Society Involvement in Drug Policy at a national level, the team chaired by Péter Sárosi conducted comprehensive case studies in Finland, Ireland, Greece, and Hungary. The case studies, with the financial support of C-EHRN and in cooperation with the Rights Reporter Foundation, aimed to assess the implementation of the Quality Standards for Civil Society Involvement in Drug Policy, developed by CSFD in 2021. These studies utilized structured discussions with civil society representatives and decision-makers.

The Emerging and Cross-Cutting Issues group, led by Milutin Milosevic, delved into crucial topics like gender perspectives in drug policy, mental health, and decriminalization efforts. The Paper and CSFD Contribution to enhance the Gender perspective and the position paper on People Who Use Drugs and Mental Health can be accessed on CSFD’s website.

In addition to these focal areas, the CSFD provided input to the European Commission and the Horizontal Drug Group on pivotal issues such as the new EMCDDA Mandate, the ongoing evaluation of the EU Drug Strategy, to which it wants to contribute actively, and concerns regarding the EU Roadmap on drug trafficking.

Throughout the discussions, the CSFD emphasized the need for a balanced approach in drug policy, stressing the significance of addressing health and social dimensions alongside supply reduction efforts and encouraging the European Commission to develop a roadmap for expanding access to drug demand and harm reduction. This approach aims to foster comprehensive and inclusive drug policies across Europe.

Comprising 45 civil society organizations, the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) is an expert group of the European Commission and serves as a platform for informed dialogue between the European Commission and the European civil society, actively contributing to the formulation and implementation of drug policies through practical advice.