Civil society engagement at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and related meetings has improved dramatically over the past decade – in terms of the numbers attending, the opportunities to interact and participate, and the levels of experience and professionalism of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) themselves. These changes are very important given that  the contribution of NGOs and civil society organisations make policy making more responsive to the needs of society. Moreover, youth involvement specifically makes the voice of those who are normally excluded from policy making but are disproportionally affected by the results heard. In their efforts to promote an inclusive and evidence based debate, SSDPers have been organizing side events and have even been elected on the board of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) which advocates for and oversees civil society involvement in CND proceedings. In order to encourage these dynamics, this Advocacy Handbook gives an overview of the main UN institutions involved with the making of global drug policy, as well as about the ins and outs of youth advocacy at the CND. We hope that such an overview will help you to make valuable contribution to the work of the CND and advocate for an evidence based drug policy embedded in the protection of human rights.

Please access the handbook here.

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