Our dear friend and colleague, president of the HELP association, Nevenka Mardešić, left us 21 September.
We will remember her for her kindness, humanity, cheerfulness and selflessness, courage and struggle, with which she enriched many lives.
Sincere condolences to the family.
The Croatian Institute of Public Health and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) organized the National Reitox Academy on Science-Based Prevention on 16 September 2024 in Zagreb. DPNSEE Executive Director Milutin Milošević participated on the invitation from the Institute.
The aim of this expert meeting was to present the principles of science-based prevention and examples of quality prevention programs implemented in other countries, and to open a discussion on models for improving national prevention interventions.
Namely, epidemiological indicators of the prevalence of substance use in recent years show an increase in the consumption of addictive substances among young people. At the same time, the National Strategy for Action in the Field of Addiction by 2030 and the accompanying Action Plan, adopted in January 2024, emphasize that preventive activities need to be implemented through an integrated, multidisciplinary and science-based approach and coherent action of all departments at the national and local levels. The aforementioned strategic documents also emphasize the need to develop, implement, sustain and improve the availability of quality, scientifically based and proven effective projects and programs for the prevention of addiction and behavioral addictions. This is precisely why the National RTX Academy was held, which represents a continuation of the HZJZ’s investment in quality – proven effective prevention.
The meeting was opened by the representative of the European Union Agency for Drugs, Mr. Gregor Burkhart, MD, and welcoming speeches were given by the representative of the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth – Ms. Marijana Gojčeta, and on behalf of the Ministry of Health and the Croatian Institute of Public Health – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sc. Krunoslav Capak, prim. MD, spec., Director of the HZJZ. Lectures and a panel discussion were given by experts in the field of prevention from the European Union Agency for Drugs, and from Estonia, Spain, Brazil, Germany, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
The panel discussion discussed the challenges and key factors influencing the implementation of proven effective programmes and approaches, with particular emphasis on the importance of faithful implementation, inter-institutional cooperation, the need to align prevention strategies with previously conducted needs assessments, the need to conduct short-term evaluations as well as scientific evaluation studies, strengthening the implementation of prevention strategies in the environment, and the need to harmonize prevention systems.
This policy brief underscores the transformative potential of community-led responses in driving sustainable harm reduction strategies. It highlights the indispensable role of communities in addressing the intersecting challenges of HIV, TB, and viral hepatitis, while aligning with global targets.
By emphasizing actionability, measurable progress, and equity, this brief calls for urgent investment in community leadership to ensure no one is left behind. Scaling up community-led responses is essential to achieving sustainable and equitable health outcomes and policymakers must prioritize investment in these initiatives, ensuring measurable progress and inclusive participation.
The EU4Health BOOST project exemplifies how collective action and investment in community-led initiatives can drive meaningful change and achieve sustainable health outcomes for all. Together, we can build a future where harm reduction strategies are inclusive, responsive, and transformative.
A policy webinar focused on addressing challenges and exploring recommendations to enhance community involvement in harm reduction is scheduled for November 1st, in commemoration of International Drug Users Day (IDUD).
Read the full policy brief here >>>.
The criminalisation of use, possession for personal use, and other related behaviours may have negative impact on people who use drugs, local communities, and the whole society, particularly in terms of access to health and social services.
Several actors in the field of drug policy have indicated that a punitive approach is counterproductive to achieving the health and welfare of humankind and many UN agencies have reported the negative impact of criminalisation on people who use drugs and on their surrounding communities.
The decriminalisation of drug use and related activities is a policy option that is widely supported as a core component of a human rights- and health-based approach towards people who use drugs. Decriminalisation refers to the removal of criminal status from a certain behaviour or action. This does not mean that the behaviour is legal, as non-criminal penalties may still be applied. This process aims to remove the stigma against people who use drugs as well as to ensure that they have access to a broad range of support and health services, including prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction.
This publication, prepared by the Drug Policy Network South East Europe, is part of the EU-funded BOOST project, which supports community-led advocacy for inclusive health systems across Europe.
Read the full policy brief here>>>.
In support of the EU Drug Policy Campaign 2025, the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA), together with the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN), the European Network of People Who Use Drugs (EuroNPUD), and the Drug Policy Network South East Europe (DPNSEE), has released a new policy brief: Advancing Universal Health Coverage for People Who Use Drugs in Europe.
The brief calls for urgent reforms to ensure equitable access to healthcare for one of the region’s most marginalized populations. It outlines how people who use drugs continue to face systemic barriers to essential services—including harm reduction, mental health care, and treatment for infectious diseases—despite longstanding EU commitments to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Universal health coverage must mean everyone – especially those most often left behind,” said Ganna Dovbakh, Executive Director at EHRA. “This paper is a roadmap for the EU and governments to close the gap between policy and practice.”
A policy webinar to discuss the brief’s findings and recommendations is planned for 10 October, marking World Mental Health Day.
The release of the brief aligns with the EU Drug Policy Campaign 2025, which calls on EU institutions to adopt a health- and rights-based approach in the upcoming EU Drug Strategy (2026–2030).
This publication is part of the EU-funded BOOST project, which supports community-led advocacy for inclusive health systems across Europe.
Read the full policy brief here>>>.
The new policy paper outlines urgent recommendations for the EU and Member States, including
You can also find our “Communication Package & Advocacy Toolkit” for your use.
This toolkit supports civil society and national stakeholders to engage with policymakers at both the EU and national levels. It includes a Canva template for translating the policy paper; ready-to-use social media content and visuals; customisable email templates for outreach; and advocacy tips and ideas for national action.
Read the full policy paper here>>>.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS UNAIDS is developing the Global AIDS Strategy 2026–2031, and they are calling on communities, civil society, and other key stakeholders to help shape the direction of the global HIV response for the years ahead.
As part of this process, UNAIDS has launched a global survey to gather your insights and experiences.
📝 Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SJN6RXX
📅 Deadline: 18 April 2025
🌍 Languages available: English, French, Spanish (more coming soon)
Why this matters:
Your perspective is critical to ensure the next Global AIDS Strategy reflects the realities on the ground, strengthens community-led responses, and addresses the challenges we face – including threats to funding, human rights, and access to care.
📖 Learn more about the Global AIDS Strategy 2026–2031 here:
https://www.unaids.org/en/2026-2031-global-aids-strategy
The Drug Policy Network South East Europe hosted the side event “Advocacy in Action: Advancing Comprehensive Health and Harm Reduction Services” at the 68th UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, held from 10 to 14 March 2025 in Vienna.
This side event was organized with the support of Czech Republic, Pompidou Group, UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network, Eurasian Harm Reduction Association, European Network Of People Who Use Drugs, Re Generation, Villa Maraini, ISGlobal, Fondazione LILA Milano, Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo, Free Clinic, Spolecnost Podane ruce, and Knowmad Institute.
The session illustrated key advocacy strategies and actions which highlight successful community-led interventions and policy reforms that address barriers such as stigma, legislative hurdles, and funding gaps.
The speakers presented the BOOST Project 2023-2025 (Katrin Schiffer, Correlation), Advocacy Strategy for Comprehensive Health and Harm Reduction Services for People Who Use Drugs in Europe (Ganna Dovbakh, EHRA), Scaling up community involvement for an integrated, responsive and sustainable Harm Reduction (Ligia Parodi, EuroNPUD), and Decriminalization and regulation (Marios Atzemis, DPNSEE). A recorded message from Hon. Halldóra Mogensen, parliamentarian from Iceland, was presented.
Discussion after the presentations included contributions from Czech Republic, Juventas, and Pompidou Group.
The Plenary Annual Meeting of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) and the joint meeting between the CSFD and Members of the EU Horizontal Drugs Groups (HDG) was held on on 11 – 12 December 2024.
The new 3-years mandate of the CSFD kicked off in Brussels in December with the selection of 43 civil society organizations. The CSFD is an expert group of the European Commission aimed at supporting drug policy formulation and implementation.
DPNSEE was re-elected to the CSFD, following a very fruitfull mandate in which we chaired one of the working groups.
The DG HOME.D5 Organised Crime & Drugs UNit, European Commission Directorate-General Migration and Home Affairs, which supports work of the CSFD, presented upcoming Commission activities concerning drug policy , emphasising the current strong political impetus to act against drug trafficking and the risks posed by organised crime, while CSFD asked for more human rights, health and care focus of EU Drugs Policy, balanced with security focus, and offered to contribute its ample evidence and experience. The CSFD requested more focus and funding for demand reduction, prevention, treatment and harm reduction in the upcoming new EU Drugs Strategy, while political signs would point in the opposite direction of only concentrating on supply reduction. The CFSD was concerned about a criminalisation of drug use that would in its view lead to more crime and violence, while a people-centred and community-based approach, as well as security considerations, would plead for decriminalisation and decent care for those using drugs.
Following a DPNSEE intervention, the CSFD called for cooperation with DG Near on balanced approach to accession acquis of the EU candidate countries.
The CSFD is governed by a core group. The new organisation of the CSFD and the Core Group inscludes two thematic groups:
The Core Group members are: Ganna Dovbakh as chair (Euroasian Harm Reduction Association, Ukraine), Oriol Esculies as vice-chair (coordinator of the Oviedo Initiative, Proyecto Hombre, Spain), Milutin Milosevic (DPNSEE, Serbia), Stig Erik Sorheim (EURAD, Norway), Benjamin Tubiana-Rey (Fédération Addiction, France) and Marie Nougier (IDPC, UK).
At the 7. Joint meeting with HDG, participants discussed EU preparedness for synthetic drug threats, developments in the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), recent and upcoming Dialogues on Drugs with third countries and regions, and drug-markets related violence.
The Drug Policy Network South Wast Europe hosted a webinar to present the recently published data related to harm reduction and HIV/AIDS in South East Europe on 26 November 2024. Besides presenting the data, it was an opportunity to discuss ways in which data should be more reliable and how to integrate data collected by civil society organisations in govrenmental reporting.
Following the welcome address by Nebojša Đurasović, DPNSEE President, we had excellent presentations:
In addition, DPNSEE had sent data by countries and territories to its member organisations and governmental institutions. You can also download them here:
Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Greece Kosovo*
Montenegro North Macedonia Romania Serbia Slovenia Turkey
DPNSEE informed that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control – ECDC will publish the HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe 2024 (2023 data) report on 28 November at https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/. DPNSEE will process the new data and prepare new visuals in early 2025.
