Strategic Plan 2021-2023

In January 2021, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) agreed its Strategic Plan for 2021-2023, following a period of consultation with our membership and partners. The Strategic Plan further cements IDPC’s position as the global drug policy reform network, with over fifteen years of experience and constantly growing in reputation, size, scope, influence and reach.

The IDPC Strategic Plan 2021-2023 will guide our network as it builds on the irreversible global momentum for drug policy reform, strengthens partnerships, and deepens bonds of solidarity with like-minded movements against oppression.

The new Strategic Plan also updates the network’s vision and mission, reflecting our movement’s maturity, ambition and purpose.

As with previous Strategic Plans, the IDPC approach is based on
‘contribution’ rather than ‘attribution’, and every planned activity will be delivered alongside IDPC members and other partners – including community-led networks.

STRATEGIC PILLARS

Like its predecessors, this Strategic Plan is built around the pillars of work that have effectively defined and structured IDPC’s work for many years:

• Networking and communications
  (Including media engagement).
• Building evidence
  (Research and publications).
• International advocacy
  (Including at key UN fora on behalf of the network).
• Regional and national advocacy
  (Including campaigning and other efforts to support the work of
  members).

In addition, this Strategic Plan integrates a fifth pillar:

• Capacity strengthening, to reflect the ever-growing demand for training, technical assistance and support across a range of different audiences, regions and topics, as well as IDPC’s growing role as a principal grant recipient, project coordinator and onward grant provider to a wide range of civil society and community-led partners.

PRIORITY AREAS

For the first time, IDPC’s new Strategic plan also defines five ‘priority areas’ for 2021-2023, following consultations and discussions with the IDPC membership and partners:

• Decriminalisation and criminal justice reforms.
• Drug policy impacts on women.
• The global Support. Don’t Punish campaign.
• Cross-UN involvement and the Common Position.
• Protecting civil society space and building alliances.

BY THE END OF 2023...

The IDPC network will have been clear leaders, driving momentum and tangible reforms that have advanced social justice and human rights at all levels. The punitive, racist and ineffective responses that dominated in certain settings will have been curtailed, slowed and vociferously challenged. As the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs prepares for its next high-level meeting in 2024, the IDPC network will have meaningfully participated, highlighting both the failures and solutions in the response to drugs.

Our membership itself will have grown in diversity, expertise and capacity. Significant progress will have been made across all five of the identified ‘priority areas’: many more jurisdictions will have decriminalised drug offences; the issues facing women who use drugs will have become a central part of the response; the global Support. Don’t Punish campaign will have continued to grow in scale, recognition and impact; progressive, cross-UN action will have become an irreversible norm; and civil society will have been empowered to play its vital role as a pillar of democracy and justice.