Which way to gender equality?

DPNSEE is finalising the strategy review process. As part of it, we had a very inspiring online meeting with experts from the KANA (Creative Active of New Adventures) on gender equality in drug policy on 1 March 2021. With their support, we intend to add elements to the DPNSEE Strategy that will lead us through a process of critical exploration of gender and its implications on drug use and vice versa.

We plan to finalise the Strategy on the General Assembly, expected to be scheduled for end of March/beginning of April.

Youth from Bosnia and Herzegovina Celebrate Successes of Their Projects Supported by RYCO and EU

From the RYCO news

The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) organized a final event within its EU-supported project “Enhancing Youth Cooperation and Youth Exchange in the WB6” in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 7 February 2022. The event presented the results of projects supported within the 4th RYCO Open Call for Project Proposals. These projects provided young people in the region with networking opportunities in the field of regional youth dialogue, peacebuilding and reconciliation, and were implemented by CSOs from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

RYCO Director of Programs Mr Jan Zlatan Kulenovć addressed the participants and said that the fact that we are taking responsibility for regional cooperation and dealing with the past shows that these are important topics, worthy of investment.

Youth exchanges participant Mr Alem Bajramović emphasized that networking is the most important aspect of youth exchanges. “The youth from the region share numerous interests, and they overcome prejudices by meeting peers from other countries. This fosters special emotions and helps forming long term friendships,” he said.

The projects supported by RYCO and the EU within the 4th RYCO Open Call across the Western Balkans fostered reconciliation and regional youth cooperation, as well as strengthened the capacities of the civil society to adapt to the COVID-19 environment. They were implemented from February to October 2021.

During the application phase, 129 applications were received which brought about 400 partnerships from the region. The overall financial envelope for the Call was 333,000 Euro.

 

Final event of the RYCO Call for project in Serbia

The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) the Closing event of the Call for Project Proposals 2020 “A Better Region Starts with Youth” in Serbia was held on 7 February 2022.

Four organisations from Serbia were supported by the Call. One of them was DPNSEE with the project “No risk, no borders for young people“. From Serbia, our member organisations Prevent and Re Generacija were partners in the project.

Stefan Pejić from Re Generacija participated in the panel presenting his experience from the project and how it influenced work of his organisation.

Strategy documents commented

Last two months, the strategy documents, prepared with the support of the TACSO 3 Strategic Mentoring Programme by the external expert Nenad Čelarević, were on consultations at the DPNSEE member organisations.

We shall summarise the comments and proposals to the DPNSEE Strategic Platform and DPNSEE Communication Strategy and prepare final drafts that will be offered for adoption at the DPNSEE General Assembly, planned for March 2020.

The strategy review process was suppoeted by the TACSO 3 Strategic Mentoring Programme, a part of EU TACSO 3 Capacity Development and People to People (P2P) Programme.

 

Strategy Framework document drafted

At its meeting held from 16 to 18 September 2021, the DPNSEE Board had a very interesting and fruitful session with TACSO consultant Nenad Čelarević on Strategy review. Basis for the discussion was the draft strategic framework document prepared by the Working Group on Strategy Review.

The outcome of the session is the document that will be shared with the DPNSEE member organisations for consultations and proposals. In addition, severfal ideas for the draft DPNSEE Communications Strategy were generated. The consultant will process them and prepare the draft that will also be shared with the member organisations for consultations.

 

Preparation call for CSFD members

The current Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) Core Group (which terminated their mandate) organised a preparation call for all CSFD members in the new mandate on 15 September.

During the meeting, a number of topics were discussed:

  • The rejected CSFD Proposal and the impact of this on the work of the new CSFD
  • The agenda of the first CSFD meeting scheduled for 6 – 7 October 2021
  • The working group structure of the new CSFD
  • All potential questions coming from CSFD members

The Drug Policy Network Youth East Europe have been selected as a member of the European Commission Expert Group – Civil Society Forum on Drugs 2021-2023.

Working group on Strategy review

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.

 

DPNSEE appeal to the governments in countries of the region

On the occasion of 26th June, the United Nations’ International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, as part of the Support Don’t Punish campaign’s ‘Global Day of Action’, the Drug Policy Network South East Europe and its member organisations appeal to the governments in countries of the region to ensure that people who use drugs are safe from discrimination and enjoy care which is needed.

It is time to leave behind harmful politics, ideology and prejudice and to prioritise health and human rights over incarceration and futile efforts to achieve a ‘drug-free world. It is time to support, and not punish people who use drugs and other non-violent drug offenders.

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

 

Decades of Delusion

On the 30th of March, to mark the adoption of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs back in 1961, DPNSEE published a set of visual with the message Decades of Delusion.

We think that despite the continued re-launch of the war on drugs, States have been unable to reduce or contain the presence of psychoactive substances all over the world. The Single Convention, amended in 1972 and the other Conventions adopted in 1971 and 1988, have virtually had no effect on the world drug market-creating widespread and systematic human right violations at the trans-national level.

The full set of visuals is available on our webpage following this link>>>.