351836 | Strengthening NGO capacity and promoting
public health and human rights oriented drug policy
in South Eastern Europe
Leader of the project: Association DIOGENIS Drug policy dialogue in South East Europe
Partners:




Aksion Plus Albania
Association Margina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
NGO 4life, Montenegro
Association Prevent,Serbia
Overall objectives:
1) Promote drug policies and drug legislation based on a public health and human rights
approach.
2) Improve the contacts with relevant national and regional authorities in the field of
drugs and follow closely the European Union and international drug policy
developments
Specific objective(s):
1) Strengthen the co-operation of the NGOs working in the field of drugs by the creation
of a Legal umbrella organisation.
2) Ensure the cohesion of the Drug Policy Network in SEE and undertake joint actions
3) Involve youth and organizations of drug users in drug policy
4) Improve the capacity of local NGOs in drug policy issues
Expected results:
1. The capacity of NGO’s will be improved; Relevant information on drug policy
developments in Europe and worldwide will be provided on a regular basis. Exchange of
good practices, and innovative approaches will be continued.
2. The regional co-operation of NGOs will be enhanced as well as their advocacy role
towards the relevant state authorities. Contacts and consultations with key policy
makers in national governments, regional bodies and international organizations will be
strengthened.
3. The relevant state authorities and public institutions will have to take into account the
contribution of NGOs towards a more humane drug policy and drug legislation
4. An Umbrella organization with legal status will be established.
5. The partnership and the cooperation in joint initiatives of the organizations in South
Eastern Europe will be improved
6. Organizations of young people for drug action and Drug users’ organizations will be
supported.
7. The capacity of local NGOs will be improved
Activities
1. Relevant information on policy developments at national, regional and international
level will be provided on a regular basis
2. Representatives of the SEE Policy Network will participate at the Civil Society Forum
(Brussels)
3. Delegates of the Drug Policy Network member organizations will participate at the
annual session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND, Vienna)
4. A Regional Conference as preparation of the United Nations General Assembly special
Session on Drugs (UNGASS) will be organized for policy makers, experts/researchers of
universities from the region, practitioners in the field of drugs and representatives of
NGOs.
5. Public discussions on Drug policy and drug legislation will be organized in cooperation with Universities/research institutes and the partner NGOs in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Albania and Serbia
6. Contacts with the relevant authorities and institutions will take place in close
cooperation with the project partners and the member organizations of the current
network in the countries of South East Europe.
7. A Project Management Team (PMT) of the lead organization and the partners will be
established in order to monitor and evaluate the activities and organize meetings with
the advisory board and the organizations of the current Drug Policy Network, with main
objective to formulate the legal umbrella organization in South East Europe.
8. Legal advice will be sought for the draft of the statutes of the umbrella organization.
The statutes will be approved by the member organizations.
9. A General Assembly meeting will take place for the election of the Board of the
Network in SEE. A work plan for the year(s) after 2015 will be discussed and approved
by the General assembly.
10. A meeting for young people and drug users organizations will be organized in
cooperation with the organization Young people for Drug Action (YODA)
11. Developments regarding the harm reduction services will be mapped and proposals
will be formulated in order to ensure the continuation of their work and their existence
in the future.
12. A research will be contacted in Montenegro about the situation of drug dependent
people in prisons
13. A research will also be contacted in Albania in cooperation with the probation
service
14. Four (4) Newsletters will be published with information about drug policy
developments, events and national and international news on drug issues.
15. A website for the new umbrella organization will be set up