Project DARIUS: Drug Abuse Research and Intervention Unified Strategy for Iran

In the demand reduction area, the programme will develop and enhance the national capacity of preventing drug abuse, and of treating and rehabilitating drug abusers. In line with the guidelines of the National Five-Year Drug Demand Reduction Strategy, the project's strategy focuses on the consolidation of the Prevention Department of the State Welfare Organization, the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Training, as lead institutions on national drug abuse issues, and on the decentralisation of drug abuse control initiatives by strengthening local monitoring and control plans of action. In this framework, the programme will develop national specialized technical skills and capabilities at central and local levels by providing training to specialists, NGOs, and other voluntary organizations. Subsequently the programme will provide financial support and technical guidance for the first steps of drug demand reduction initiatives launched at the local level. A special emphasis will be placed on drug demand reduction activities of NGOs that promote children's and women's rights.  The problem of drug abuse in the penitentiary system will be addressed through ad-hoc activities that will open the door of the penitentiary system to drug treatment and rehabilitation. Finally, in the area of preventing drug consumption, the project will aim at creating more effective and greater public awareness for the dangers of drug abuse and at fostering the civic society's solidarity towards the needs for treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts.