On the 8th of May 2024, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) organised a webinar to inform discussions on drug consumption rooms (DCRs). With the participation of our Head of Policy, Roberto Perez Gayo, the discussion reviewed current DCR models & three well-established examples from different European countries.
Join us for a comprehensive webinar series, organised by C-EHRN in collaboration with the Rights Reporter Foundation! Designed for the focal points and members of our network, these sessions aim to bolster your advocacy skills and amplify your impact in the realm of harm reduction. Explore various aspects of advocacy, from understanding its importance to developing effective strategies. Each session offers insights to strengthen your advocacy toolkit.
Read about what we will cover in the four sessions and find the registration links below. Can’t attend all the sessions? Please note that joining only one of the sessions is also possible! You can register separately for each session through the respective link.
Webinar 1 – Harm Reduction Advocacy: Planning, Tools and Audiences
May 22, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Register here.
Advocacy is often a challenge for civil society organisations working in the field of harm reduction because of lack of know-how, capacities and resources. This webinar helps participants to gain a better understanding of what advocacy is: the art of influencing policy decision making. It explains how to plan and monitor advocacy activities. Various advocacy activities, tools and methods will be reviewed and discussed, according to their usefulness in influencing various groups of stakeholders in different contexts. In the second part of the webinar, participants will share their own on-the-ground experiences with advocacy in the field of drug policies, both successes and failures, and discuss lessons learnt.
Webinar 2 – Harm Reduction Video Advocacy
May 29, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Register here.
Online videos can reach out to a wide audience, mobilise people for a cause, and document best practices and/or human rights abuses. They can be used in public education, give voice to marginalised people, visualise research data and have the potential to go viral on social media. This webinar gives a short introduction to video advocacy, by presenting examples from the 17 years of work of Drugreporter, in the field of drug policy reform and harm reduction advocacy. The webinar will discuss the opportunities and challenges of video storytelling.
Webinar 3 – Meaningful Involvement of Civil Society
June 11, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Register here.
The meaningful involvement of civil society is now widely accepted in Europe as a crucial part of policy making. However, there is little or no consensus on what constitutes “meaningful” involvement. This webinar will present a new tool developed by the EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs in 2022, the Quality Standards of Civil Society Involvement, and the findings of a focus group study to assess civil society involvement in four European countries (Hungary, Finland, Greece and Ireland). Participants will discuss the often opposing views on the role of civil society, the challenges and opportunities of civil society involvement in various political contexts at European, national and local levels. The webinar will address the worrying trend of shrinking space for civil society in Europe.
Webinar 4 – Fighting Disinformation and Moral Panics
June 18, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Register here.
Drug policies are often influenced by sensational media reporting that fuels moral panics about drugs and leads to the othering of people who use drugs. The spread of disinformation is a major barrier to drug policy reform, undermines basic norms and values like human rights and scapegoats civil society organisations. This webinar addresses strategies to fight disinformation in an age that is often characterised as post-truth. Participants will discuss what methods they use to educate the public about drugs and drug policies and how to defend civil society from politically motivated attacks.
Please join us on Monday 13 May at 12.00 CET for the launch of the 2024 Manifesto for a Progressive EU Drug Policy through a conversation on the future of European drug policy that will feature Members of the European Parliament and keynote European civil society speakers.
Please kindly register for the event through this link.
More than 260 European drug policy NGOs and 130 drug policy experts from 25 EU Member States have already signed the 2024 Manifesto for a progressive EU drug policy. We are coming together to call for a pragmatic and innovative EU drug policy that makes Europe safer, healthier, and more just.
If you want to support the manifesto, please make sure to:
If you want to get more involved in the campaign by translating the manifesto to your language or organizing a local launch event, please reach out to arogialli@correlation-net.org and kschiffer@correlation-net.org.
You can find the manifesto in Czech, English, Estonian, French, German, Italian, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Romanian, and Spanish, and the list of signatories, in this web page.
Thank you very much for your support, and we are looking forward to seeing you on Monday 13 for the launch of the manifesto.
Correlation, IDPC, NewNet & UNITE.
To mark the publication of the City Reports, we invite you to join our webinar on Tuesday, 9th April, 12:00 (CEST/Amsterdam time).
The City Reports are the final segment of Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN)’s Civil Society-led Monitoring of Harm Reduction 2023 Data Report. These concise harm reduction ‘case studies’ highlight either innovative practices or urgent issues demanding immediate attention in five different European cities. The reports will serve as advocacy tools to engage decision makers at all levels, either by showcasing best practices or as an urgent call to action.
During the webinar, primary author Alice Pomfret will be joined by the five representatives of the participating focal points to delve into the findings and discuss the next steps for advocacy based on the reports’ conclusions. Participants are invited to engage in an interactive Q&A session.
Panellists:
Following a new format, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network’s Civil Society-led Monitoring of Harm Reduction in Europe 2023 Data Report is launched in 6 volumes: Hepatitis C Care, Essential Harm Reduction Services, New Drug Trends, Mental Health of Harm Reduction Staff, TEDI Reports and City Reports (Warsaw, Bălţi, Esch-sur-Alzette, London, Amsterdam). The Executive Summary can be accessed here.
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.
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]
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.
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
To celebrate the core publications for the C-EHRN Civil Society-led Monitoring of Harm Reduction in Europe, we invite you to join the roundup webinar on the 7th of March, 1:00 PM (CET)!
To join the webinar, register by the 6th of March on this link!
Following a new format, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network’s Civil Society-led Monitoring of Harm Reduction in Europe 2023 Data Report is launched in 6 volumes: Hepatitis C Care, Essential Harm Reduction Services, New Drug Trends, Mental Health of Harm Reduction Staff, TEDI Reports and City Reports (Warsaw, Bălţi, Esch-sur-Alzette, London, Amsterdam). The Executive Summary can be accessed here.
As part of the BOOST project, a Digital Skills Training for harm reduction organisations working in the area of HIV and viral hepatitis will be held between February and March. The course aims to build the capacity of community-based & community-led harm reduction organisations to use digital tools in the area of HIV and viral hepatitis services.
Find the course sessions, dates, and registration link for each session below:
Can’t attend all the sessions? Please note that joining only one of the sessions is also possible! You can register for each session you’re interested in separately through the respective link.
To mark the publication of The Mental Health Challenges Faced by Harm Reduction Staff, we invite you to join the webinar on the 15th of February!
The publication is a segment of Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN)’s Civil Society-led Monitoring of Harm Reduction In Europe 2023 Data Report and is dedicated to the well-being and working environment of harm reduction staff. The study focuses on the various challenges harm reduction workers encounter in their work and how those challenges affect them and their organisations, as well as coping mechanisms and organisational opportunities for support.
The participants in this study are identified as focal points within the C-EHRN. The network encompasses a diverse array of contributors, including grassroots and community-based organisations, service providers, drug user organisations, and research entities. Within this network, focal points act as hubs for collecting data and information on a broad range of issues related to harm reduction in the cities they work.
During the webinar, 3 representatives of the participating focal points will join the primary author, Laoise Darragh, to discuss the findings.
Panellists:
Laoise Darragh (C-EHRN)
Magdalena Bartnik (Prekursor Foundation for Social Policy, Warsaw, PL)
Martin Blakebrough (Kaleidoscope 68 Project, Newport, GB)
Tessa Windelinckx (Free Clinic, Antwerp, BE)
To join the webinar, register by the 14th of February on this link.
Following a new format, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network’s Civil Society-led Monitoring of Harm Reduction in Europe 2023 Data Report is launched in 6 volumes: Hepatitis C Care, Essential Harm Reduction Services, New Drug Trends, Mental Health of Harm Reduction Staff, TEDI Reports and City Reports (Warsaw, Bălţi, Esch-sur-Alzette, London, Amsterdam). The Executive Summary can be accessed here.
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.
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.
