CSOs in West Africa promote harm reduction strategies

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CSOs in West Africa promote harm reduction strategies

28 October 2015

Civil society organisations (CSOs) in West Africa have been urged to effectively strategise and work together and with their respective governments to influence better policies aimed at addressing the drug problem in the region.

Members of the West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) were invited to influence their governments to take a common position to counter the ‘war on drugs’, which is considered to be a failed approach to address the drug problem in the region.

“We have a huge task ahead. As we target UNGASS to get more of our governments to support our agenda and make political commitments at the global level but also come home to domesticate and implement them, we must bear in mind the fact that it will take more than the ordinary to get us what we want and we must be prepared”, said Nana Afadzinu, Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).

She made this call as national focal points of WADPN convened in Dakar, Senegal from October 13 to 16 to deepen their understanding of the drug problem in the region and brainstorm on a common position towards UNGASS 2016.

This convening created a forum for the capacity of participating organisations to be enhanced on emerging issues related to drug policy, drug prevention and treatment, harm reduction, security and governance and effective advocacy.

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Thumbnail: World Bank Photo Flickr CC