Advocacy and Regional Cooperation in Drug Demand Reduction

Project Number: IRNI57

Title: Advocacy and Regional Cooperation in Drug Demand Reduction

1. Background:

Escalating production of illicit drugs in Afghanistan in recent years is significantly impacting upon I.R. of Iran and the broader region in terms of trafficking and drug abuse. Given the considerable impact of drug abuse on the society, drug demand reduction initiatives need to be accompanied by powerful advocacy in order to remove stigmatization and criminalization of drug users. In spite of the fact that addiction is a disease recognized by the medical community, negative attitudes persist towards individuals with substance abuse problems. Advocacy is closely connected to collaboration and joint efforts between different involved entities, including the active involvement of Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) and civil society. Iran has achieved milestone results in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, including the promotion of the role of NGOs and the mass media. However, considerable shortcomings still need to be addressed. In particular, DDR activities need to be promoted in order to ensure that internationally recognized best practices are shared and that regional and international cooperation is facilitated.

The Iranian health sector and NGOs have expressed interest in a cross-fertilization process on DDR policies and interventions to UNODC Iran. Iran requires exposure to internationally recognized standards and can benefit from regional experiences in certain specific areas of work, while at the same time, acting as a provider of expertise and know-how for countries such as Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf States as well ascountries in Central Asia. The main areas of cooperation were identified by Iranian NGOs during the "Participatory workshop with NGOs to identify joint strategies on demand reduction", held in Tehran on 27-28 October 2004. On that occasion, NGOs emphasized the need for increased integration of their respective efforts in drug demand reduction and welcomed initiatives aimed at promoting the networking of NGOs at national and regional levels. The present project consequently aims to promote advocacy and national and regional cooperation on demand reduction issues.

  2. Strategy:

  2.1. Identified needs and problems to be addressed

Many effective measures have been launched in the field of Drug Demand Reduction in Iran. Relating and interacting with countries of the region contributes significantly to the enhancement of regional drug demand reduction policies and in controlling the problem of drug abuse. Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), who are playing a praiseworthy role in carrying out demand reduction activities, do , however, not have much interaction at national and regional levels and thus do not share their achievements amongst each other. NGOs require empowerment and capacity building for improving their demand reduction activities.

 Accordingly the following needs are propounded:

•  Assistance in developing national programs in demand reduction;
• Capacity building and empowerment of NGOs;
• Sharing of successful practices in demand reduction at national and regional levels;
• Networking of demand reduction institutions especially NGOs at national and regional levels;
• National and regional cross-fertilization on effective demand reduction measures; and
• De-stigmatization of drug users and support for provision of services to this at-risk population

2.2. Project strategy and linkages to the Strategic Program Framework

This project consists of four outputs designed to assist the Iranian Drug Control Headquarters in its efforts towards advocacy in demand reduction and improved national and international cooperation through the following strategies:

·        Collecting available data and documentation;

·        Promoting cross-fertilisation and information-sharing; and

·        Empowerment and Capacity building. 

The project is part of the Strategic Program Framework (SPF) of UNODC Iran. Building on UNODC previous experiences and initiatives under the NOROUZ program, the UNODC Iran Strategic Program Framework (SPF) foresees as its second strategic objective, support for Iranian authorities in devising a comprehensive and balanced approach in the field of demand reduction, with an emphasis on the role of advocacy and the involvement of various stakeholders, especially NGOs, at national and regional levels.

2.3. Target groups and areas

The target groups of this project consist of all relevant demand reduction decision/policy-making agencies/institutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Accordingly, these will include:

• Relevant authorities and policy makers;
• NGOs and civil society;
• Mass media
• Relevant research institutes
• Relevant training centers

2.4 Expected end-of-project situation

It is expected that at the end of the project, comprehensive policies and interventions together with successful cross-fertilisation mechanisms will be in situ, providing the suitable context and framework for the conduct of demand reduction activities. More specifically, the project should result in further developments in demand reduction policies, with a specific emphasis on the de-stigmatisation of drug users, and the establishment of empowered NGO networks at national and regional levels in order to more effectively perform drug demand reduction activities.

3. Objectives and Outputs

The overall objective of the project is successful advocacy for evidence-based demand reduction policies and programmes for improving drug control in general. The immediate objective of the project is to promote policies and strategies facilitating the implementation of drug demand reduction programmes.

The outputs of the project consist of the following:

Output 1

Establishment of a Project Management Unit responsible for the implementation and monitoring of project activities, as well as for proper and timely reporting to UNODC Vienna and project donors within the UNODC Office in Iran

Output 2

Supporting national institutions in the further development of comprehensive national drug demand reduction programs

Output 3

Supporting the further empowerment of national NGOs in conducting demand  reduction activities;

Output 4

Promoting the establishment of national and regional networks of NGOs specialized in drug demand reduction