From the roots up: The Support. Don’t Punish campaign’s lifetime evaluation 2013-2023

Despite glimmers of progress and hope, the world remains dominated by punitive drug policies and their profiling of entire communities. In this context, Support. Don’t Punish campaigners swim countercurrent, organising their communities for change, challenging deeply ingrained stigmatising narratives, and reminding policy-makers that rights should serve the wellbeing of everyone — and not just an elite. After more than a decade of mobilisation, with thanks to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, we were able to take a step back and look inward.

The lifetime evaluation of the campaign was born out of a need to better understand and honour the journey of thousands of campaigners who have shaped our transnational effort since 2013. Using a contribution analysis approach, Myriad Research triangulated data from interviews, feedback forms, online metrics, a multilingual survey, and a mapping of activities from 126 countries. Five case studies —from Argentina, Colombia, Lebanon, the Philippines, and Zimbabwe— grounded the findings in the real-world experiences of people who lead with courage, creativity and care.

The result is a fascinating read punctuated by coalition-building, healing circles, street protests and a long ‘menu’ of powerful examples of resourceful and impactful mobilisation that take us closer to a freer and fairer world.

We are so grateful to the thousands of people who have contributed to this collective story with their insights, critiques and dreams — including loved ones who have left us prematurely in heart-rending testimony of the crushing nature of the ‘war on drugs’.

So, what did we learn?

Key findings

• Massive global reach: the campaign has grown from 29 local partners in 2013 to at least 178 in 2023 — spanning over 300 cities in 126 countries throughout its history.
• Powerful mobilisation vehicle: A majority of campaigners felt that their involvement had not only helped them grow in confidence, but also develop bigger networks of solidarity and influence in their localities.
• Influencing policies and practices: 73% of respondents noted contributions towards policy change and shifting practices, with many providing examples in the shape of bills and policy documents at the local and national level.
• Reducing stigma: Almost 80% of campaigners noted successes in shifting public perceptions, crucially humanising people who use drugs in counterpoint to vilifying narratives.
• Media and narrative change: 69% agreed their campaigning had led to improvements in coverage and public opinion, but many noted challenges in ‘piercing through the noise’.
• Engagement with officials: 72% had established direct dialogue with decision-makers through the campaign, from police authorities to ministers — and indeed a smaller number had become members of advisory bodies that formalised collaboration with governments towards reform.
• Shared identity: A striking 97% of campaigners shared that their involvement in the campaign made them feel less isolated and part of a global effort with shared goals.

Despite these achievements, challenges persist for our movement. Chronic underfunding, recently intensified by funding cuts in the Global North, limit campaigners’ ability to scale up efforts and sustain long-term planning. While demand for the campaign’s Small grants and Initiatives programmes continue to grow —a testament of our people’s dedication— resources have plummeted.

In the face of this ongoing blow for the harm reduction movement, we are not standing still. Following evaluation recommendations in relation to resource mobilisation, leadership and strategic focus, we have we have established a Leadership Network —representing campaigners from across the globe, enhanced fundraising capacity —including through an upcoming piece on broadening our movement’s funding base, developed a soon-to-be-launched communications strategy and guide, and devised a twinning programme favouring the exchange of skills and resources between campaign ‘nodes’.

As we continue developing these efforts to ensure the vibrancy of the campaign, please join the 2025 Global Day of Action (26 June) to reaffirm the need and urgency of fairer, solution-oriented, and community-led reform.

Support. Don’t Punish!

Resources

• Lifetime evaluation report
• Video presentation at the HR25 conference
• Slideshow presentation at the HR25 conference
• Poster presentation at the AIDS2024 conference

Cover image: Photo from 'La Esquina Redonda' — a project of memory and community resistance located in Los Martires — Bogotá, Colombia.