Tag: DPNSEE

10 Years of Work and Achievements

Posted on by DPNSEE

The Drug Policy Network South East Europe was formally registered at the Serbian Business Registers Agency on 15 October 2015. Over a decade, DPNSEE has expanded to include 26 member organisations from 11 countries in South East Europe, covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Greece, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. These members are key service providers and advocates working in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration.

Key Areas of Work

  1. Policy Dialogue and Advocacy

DPNSEE has established a sustained track record of facilitating government – civil society dialogues on drug policy, first convened in 2018 and repeated in 2020 and 2023 in Belgrade – creating a recognised regional platform for constructive exchange between policymakers and civil society actors. These events have strengthened mutual understanding and contributed to more inclusive policy processes.

  1. Public Health and Harm Reduction

The Network and its members are deeply involved in promoting harm reduction as a public health priority, including through regional research, policy analysis and advocacy. DPNSEE’s Resource Centre collects and shares a comprehensive repository of drug policy documents, including materials on harm reduction, criminal law, human rights, and service models across the SEE region.

DPNSEE also participates in UNODC-led projects supporting continuity of HIV prevention, treatment and harm reduction services among key populations – including people who use drugs and refugees from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus – with coordinated regional implementation alongside member organisations.

  1. Research, Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building

DPNSEE produces policy briefings, regional assessments and position papers (e.g., on decriminalisation and service gaps) and organises webinars, workshops and training to strengthen skills and knowledge among civil society actors. It collaborates with European networks such as the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN) on joint projects like BOOST, which supports advocacy and community-led efforts to improve harm reduction services.

  1. International Engagement

The Network is a member of influential international bodies including the European Union’s expert group Civil Society Forum on Drugs, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs, linking SEE civil society voices into global policy forums such as the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. DPNSEE is accredited by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which enables attenddance and engagement in key UN policy-making fora such as the UN General

Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

Notable Achievements (2015 – 2025)

  • Institutional Establishment: Formal creation and expansion into a major regional civil society network with 26 member organisations from 11 countries.
  • Sustained Policy Dialogue: Successfully organised a series of high-level regional government–civil society dialogues (2018, 2020, 2023) that have contributed to trust-building and policy cooperation.
  • Regional Knowledge Hub: Development of a comprehensive Resource Centre for policy documents and country-level information, supporting advocacy and research.
  • Strategic Projects: Active participation and implementation of regional and international initiatives on harm reduction, HIV and public health programming, including projects supported by UNODC and the EU.
  • Global Policy Engagement: Representation and advocacy at international platforms, strengthening civil society influence in global drug policy debates.
  • HIV prevention: DPNSEE has made a significant regional contribution to HIV prevention by supporting and coordinating harm-reduction and community-led responses for people who use drugs, including through regional projects and partnerships that strengthened service continuity, cross-border cooperation, and alignment with public-health standards.
  • Youth engagement and prevention: DPNSEE has supported youth-focused prevention and participation by promoting evidence-based drug education, engaging young people and youth-led organisations in policy discussions, and strengthening civil society capacities to address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of young people in the SEE region.

Impact

Over the past decade, DPNSEE has played a crucial role in shifting drug policy debates in South East Europe towards approaches that prioritise health, human rights and community involvement. Through sustained networking, research, advocacy and multi-stakeholder dialogue, the Network has advanced inclusive governance, contributed to policy learning, and supported the strategic visibility and effectiveness of civil society in policy formulation and implementation across the region.

New policy brief calls for a decriminalisation model whereby all drugs are decriminalised

Posted on by DPNSEE

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>>>.

 

Webinar on data

Posted on by Milutin

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:

  • Global State of Harm Reduction report – presented by Colleen Daniels, Deputy Director and Public Health Lead, Harm Reduction International (2024 available here>>>)
  • Harm Reduction in South East Europe – Marios Atzemis, DPNSEE Board member (available here>>>)
  • Civil Society Monitoring of Harm Reduction in Europe – Iga Jeziorska, Senior Research Officer, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (available here>>>)
  • HIV/AIDS surveillance data for South East Europe (data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control – ECDC) – Milutin Milošević, Executive Director, DPNSEE (available here>>>)

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.

One more DPNSEE mandate in the Civil Society Forum on Drugs

Posted on by Milutin

The Drug Policy Network Youth East Europe was today formally informed that we have been, for the second time in row, selected as a member of the European Commission Expert Group – Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) 2024-2027.

As every three years, he European Commission had opened the Call for applications for members of its expert group to completely renew membership for 2024-2027 mandate. We have applied as the network that gathers civil society organisations from all 11 countries of this region of Europe.

The Forum membership comprises 45 civil society organisations coming from across Europe and representing a variety of fields of drug policy, and a variety of stances within those fields.  Its purpose is to provide a broad platform for a structured dialogue between the Commission and the European civil society which supports drug policy formulation and implementation through practical advice.

DPNSEE was member of the Forum in the 2021 – 2024 mandate, where we chaired the Working group on emerging issues in drug policy. We actively participated in CSFD activities and contributed to various documents and position papers, including the Position paper on decriminalisation. We are proud on being selected again and expect to continue being an active member.

 

Training for local advocacy

Posted on by Milutin

Six organisations that will implement local advocacy project that won the support throught a BOOST call for proposals gathered for a workshop in Budapest, Hungary on 13 and 14 June. Workshop aims and objectives were to:

  • Provide a comprehensive understanding of key advocacy concepts and the nuances of advocacy within the harm reduction field.
  • Familiarize participants with the BOOST project’s aims, objectives, and activities, including the Advocacy Strategy.
  • Review and improve local advocacy plans, emphasizing the community’s role in shaping and implementing these plans.
  • Provide tools and resources for the development and implementation of advocacy

Our colleagues from ARAS (Romania) and HOPS (North Macedonia) were among them, together with BerLUN (Germany), HuNPUD (Hungary), R3 (Portugal) and XADUD (Spain).

Besides inputs on the BOOST project, Advocacy, How to engage communities developing and implementing communities, and Media advocacy, participants had the opportunity to present their projects and work with mentors to fine-tune their projects and plans for their implementation.

ARAS plans to use the Electoral Year 2024, which in Romania includes elections on different levels, to ensure long term political support for harm reduction funding at all levels.

HOPS prepared a project to ensure the financial sustainability of Harm Reduction Programs in North Macedonia. It is important because last years the Ministry of Health cut the budget for harm reduction programs by about 40%.

Participants and regional network representatives were interviewed about their advocacy projects by the Right Reporter Foundation, Budapest based organisation that is an expert in video advocacy. The video they shall produce will be disseminated via BOOST project and partners’ communication channels.

The CND67 side event!

Posted on by Milutin

DPNSEE hosted the side event “Decriminalize drug use and possession for personal use: Why, what, and how?” at the Sixty-seventh session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND 67) on 20 March 2024.

At this side event, we presented the scientific and political background for such policy changes and models of decriminalization that may be used, using Position paper on decriminalisation recently published by the EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD).

The event was supported by Montenegro and Serbia missions to OSCE, the Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network, the EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs, the Fédération Addiction, the Forum Droghe, the International Drug Policy Consortium, the Juventas, the Knowmad Institut, the Positive Voice, the Prevent and the Villa Maraini Foundation.

At this side event, we presented the scientific and political background for such policy changes and models of decriminalization that may be used, using Position paper on decriminalisation recently published by the EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs. Panelists from Macau, Croatia, Greece and Italy shared dilemmas, examples of results and challenges from their countries that implemented decriminalization or discuss making that move.

     

Recording of the side event:

https://youtu.be/JKJtuI728Hw

 

Position paper on decriminalisation

Posted on by Milutin

Decriminalisation is defined as the removal of criminal sanctions for certain activities related to drug use and possession for personal use.

Several actors in the field of drug policy have indicated that a punitive approach is counterproductive to achieving the health and welfare of humankind. Many UN agencies have reported the negative impact of criminalization on people who use drugs and on their surrounding communities. Recommendations have also been brought that favour a decriminalisation process in drug policies. This process aims to remove the stigma against people who use drugs as well as ensure that they have access to a broad range of support and health services, including prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction. The decriminalisation of drug use and related activities is a policy option that is widely supported by the United Nations as a core component of a human rights- and health-based approach towards people who use drugs.

The current EU Drug Strategy 2021-2025 endorses alternatives to coercive sanctions as an approach that respects the human rights of people who use drugs.

While some EU member states retain a stance of criminalising personal use and related behaviours in their national legislation, several member states have already decriminalised use and possession for personal use, and various EU member states have bills in their parliament to take that step as well.

The Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD), an expert group of the European Commission, is of the opinion that the perspective established by the EU Strategy 2021-2025 – a balanced, human rights-based approach to drug policy – needs to be improved at the EU level and in member states.

After almost two years of discussions and balancing often oposite positions, CSFD produced this Position paper. DPNSEE is proud of being involved and even managed the process of agreeing on the final version of the document.

To access the Position paper, follow this link>>>.

 

By youth for youth

Posted on by Milutin

The safety of young people in the nightlife, a topic of extreme importance for most young people, is often neglected. NGO Re Generacija, which has been putting this topic in the focus of its projects and programs aimed at a systemic approach to this topic for many years, invites to the event to promote the report on the results of the research and the Handbook for participation in public policies for organizations working with youth involved in nightlife and marginalized youth.

The event will be held on 25 January 2024 at the premises of the Office of Combating drugs, Palata Srbija, starting at 10:00. The event is organized with project partners Terra from Croatia and HOPS from North Macedonia and with the support of DPNSEE.

More about the event is available (in Serbian) following this link>>>.

 

A very successful regional campaign

Posted on by Milutin

The Drug Policy Network South East Europe (DPNSEE) coordinated the „Eliminate Violence Against Women Who Use Drugs – EVAWUD“ campaign in South East Europe, together with its 25 member organisations from 11 countries of the region. The campaign lasted from 25 November and lasted until 10 December 2023.

The campaign started in early November with informing the member organisations and inviting them to participate. The press release, originally prepared by the Women and Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN) and adjusted by DPNSEE, was translated into local languages of the region and distributes to media and institutions >>>. DPNSEE also prepared and distributed a document with key facts related to women and drug use.

From more than 30 social networks accounts (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) of partners in the region, 70+ posts, stories and photos were shared. They reached arounf half a million users who interacted seeing reacting, commenting and reposting. Most of these posts were at the DPNSEE Instagram account.

DPNSEE organised a meeting dedicated to eliminating violence against women who use drugs on Friday 8 December 2023 in the Palace of Serbia, in Belgrade, with the support from the Office for Combating Drugs of the Government of Serbia. It was the opportunty to share thoughts and experiences in working on this important issue.

Participants came from several intitutions, including ministries on human and minority rights and social dialogue and health, the Institute for Public Health and UNODC representatives for South East Europe, and civil society organisations.

The meeting was very well covered by the media in Serbia (N1 >>>, Beta >>>, Danas >>>, Radio 021 >>>, NasloviNet >>>).

Other media from the region also reported about the issue of women who use drugs: Vijesti (MNE) >>>, TRN (RNM) >>>, Telma (RNM) >>> , SMK (RNM) >>>, CIN (MNE) >>>, IMA (RNM) >>>.

Thanks to media and social networks, we estimate that we reached out to more than half a million people. We regret that we didn’t have funds to pay te adverts at the social networks. With them, we should have had 10 times wider reach.

Eliminate Violence Against Women Who Use Drugs

Posted on by Milutin

The Drug Policy Network Southe East Europe organised a meeting dedicated to eliminating violence against women who use drugs on Friday 8 December 2023 in the Palace of Serbia, in Belgrade, with the support from the Office for Combating Drugs of the Government of Serbia. It was the opportunty to share thoughts and experiences in working on this important issue.

Participants came from several intitutions, including ministries on human and minority rights and social dialogue and health, the Institute for Public Health and UNODC representatives for South East Europe, and civil society organisations.

Ivana Joksimović, the Assistant Minister for human rights and social dialogue spoke about human rights of marginalised and discriminated communities. Milutin Milošević, the DPNSEE Executive Director presented the EVAWUD campaign to eliminate violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs and presented some results from recent surveys published by DPNSEE.

Irena Molnar from ReGeneration shared about their program on improving the competencies of employees in social protection through examples of activities aimed at working with women who have survived violence and are drug users and young people at risk. Nebojša Djurasović from Prevent, the DPNSEE President, presented their experiences in working with the shelter for sex workers in Novi Sad.

The discussion showed a shared determination to continue fostering and protecting human rights of women and gender diverse people who use drugs in Serbia.