Author: Milutin

Executive Director, Drug Policy Network Youth East Europe

Working group on Strategy review

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As part of the TACSO 3 supported Strategic Mentoring Programme, a DPNSEE working group on Strategy review, comprised of young people who participated in design of the current Strategy, had a meeting with the external consultant Nenad Čelarević.

DPNSEE is supported by TACSO 3 to review the network’s Strategy and develop the Public Relations and Communication strategy.

Result of the meeting is the draft strategy document that will be discussed at the DPNSEE Board meeting and then circulated to the member organisations for consultations.

 

Turning the tide

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IDPC published a historical analysis of civil society advocacy for drug policy reform at the UN, assessing gains, challenges and insight on how the latter have been generally overcome. The “Turning the tide: Growth, visibility and impact of the civil society drug policy reform movement at the UN” briefing paper offers a historical analysis of civil society advocacy for drug policy reform at the UN, assessing the many gains made and challenges encountered over time – and ways in which reform-oriented civil society has met, resisted, and generally overcome, these challenges. This paper is based on desk research, discussions with advocates involved in the key events discussed in the paper, and the lived experiences of the authors, and so is naturally weighted more to the recent moments such as Beyond 2008, the 2016 UNGASS, the 2019 Ministerial Segment, and the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key international drug policy moments studied in this report – including the 1998 and 2016 UN General Assembly Special Sessions (UNGASS) on drugs, the 2009 High Level Segment and its 10year review in 2019 in particular – have created the momentum for civil society to engage in, and influence, global drug policy debates.

The participation of a wide range of reform-minded civil society representatives – including affected communities of people who use drugs, people in recovery, patients using medicinal cannabis or essential medicines for pain relief, farmers of crops used for illegal drug production, formerly incarcerated people and others – has had an undeniable impact on UN drug policy events, elevating real lived experience from the ground at often dry and bureaucratic debates in Vienna.

To read the briefing paper, follow this link>>>.

Ready for the Workshop 2?

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Participants of the “No risk, no borders for young people” gathered at the Zoom meeting on 18 August 2021. The aim was to see again familiar faces, chat about how summer went/is going, share about the experiences from the youth exchange opportunities they had and check if everything is in order for the Workshop 2 scheduled for 26 – 29 August in Velipojë, Albania.

Young Women and Drug Use

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Youth RISE and Women and Harm Reduction International Network published a position paper and recommendations developed by a working group of 10 women drawn from the membership of YouthRISE and WHRIN, based in 10 different countries across the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

This paper sets out the core issues and recommendations relating specifically to young women who use drugs. Young women and girls who are affected by punitive drug policy face unique age-related as well as gender-specific risks, barriers and rights violations that are not well recognized or responded to by policymakers or service providers. These intersectional inequities are particularly evident when facing societal expectations, when accessing harm reduction and health care services including sexual and reproductive health services, when navigating the illicit drug market and when in contact with the criminal justice system.

Globally, evidence shows that a major barrier to young women’s access to health, including harm reduction services, sexual and reproductive health care services and HIV testing and care, is associated with age-restrictions and informed consent in service provision. While age restrictions impact all young people who use drugs, women are particularly affected by any limited access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.

To read the paper, follow this link>>>.

 

Financial Management Training

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DPNSEE Staff participated in the Financial Management Training organised by the Regional Youth Cooperation Office on 13 August 2021.

The training was facilitated by the External Expert whom we had the chance to meet during the on-spot check. It was focused on best practices in final financial reporting and on the needs that were assessed during the interim reporting and the on-spot check.

The training included following topics: Implementation modality, HR, payroll and time management; Documentation, records; Internal control; Procurement; and Financial reporting.

The training will be of great help for prepare the final report of the No risk, no borders for young people project.

Evaluating and planning summer activities

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The Project Team meeting of the No risk, no borders for young people project was held online on 30 July 2021.

The Project Team shared impression that the youth exchange which was offered for (at least) one young activist from each partner organisation was a success. Besides practical on hand work with young people in risk, it was an excellent opportunity to share with the peers and learn about the host city.

Most of the meeting was dedicated to preparations for the Workshop scheduled for 26 to 29 August 2021 in Velipojë. Several improvements and additions to the agenda were introduced during the meeting. Logistics is already arranged, including travel, accommodation, working space and food.

First ideas sharing about the Curriculum content and trainers was held. We shall open a call for experts soon so that we make the selection at the Workshop 2. Also, we shall have a deeper discussion about the Curriculum there and make the final decisions.

 

Is every seventh young person in Serbia involved in drug trafficking?

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Our Executive Director Milutin Milošević was guest at the morning programme of the K1 TV together with Director of the Office for Combating Drugs of the Government of Serbia Milan Pekić and psychologist Ms Vesna Tomić.

The trigger for the talk was result of a survey presented recently which shows that 17,7% of secondary school pupils use drugs while 14,1% of them is involved in drug trafficking.

The guests estimated that the target of the survey were sport fans, which are deeply involved in drug trafficking, and that resulted in so high number. Still they agreed that situation is not good.

Milutin presented official data collected by the Institute for Public Heath using the ESPAD methodology which are significantly lower. He also emphasised the need for multi-stakeholder, systematic, long-term approach to the issue of drugs.

The recording of the talk is available in Serbian.

On the spot check meeting

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Today we held the On the spot check meeting with our colleagues from the Regional Youth Cooperation Office. The aim of the meeting was to get the feedback on the narrative and financial interim of the report of the No risk, no borders for young people in South East Europe project.

These meetings focus mainly on the financial part of the project implementation, with the purpose of grant monitoring as well as mentoring on how to submit a sound financial report within the framework of the grant contract, with the financial support of RYCO and co-financed by the European Commission.

The colleagues from RYCO and external expert proved that the reports are done in an appropriate way and gave us some useful comments for minor corrections.

COVID Technical Assistance Directory

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Known as C19RM, the COVID-19 Response Mechanism supports countries to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on programs to fight HIV, TB and malaria, and initiates urgent improvements in health and community systems.

All countries, including regional/multi-country recipients, that are currently receiving funding from the Global Fund, are eligible to receive C19RM funding.

More about the COVID-19 Response Mechanism is available following this link>>>.

The Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA), being the host of the EECA Regional Platform for Communication and Coordination supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund), has collected information concerning the availability of HIV, TB and COVID-related technical support (TS) for non-governmental (NGOs) an community-based (CBOs) organizations in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA).

Information presented in this document was provided, and confirmed, by the organizations included and collected between February and April 2021.

To read this technical assistance directory, follow this link>>>.

 

Third program check in meeting

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The DPNSEE Staff and RYCO Local Branch Office Belgrade had a regular update on the implementation of the “No risk, no borders for young people” on 13 July 2021.

We informed our RYCO colleagues on the Follow up activities after the Workshop 1 where young people from the region have the opportunity to travel and experience work in drop-in centres abroad. We also presented preparations for the Workshop 2 scheduled for 26 – 29 August in Velipojë, Albania.

Finally, we discussed the Curriculum that will be the outcome of the No Risk, No Borders project and potential future projects and programs in the area of youth risky behaviour.