7 August 2023 - Beirut, Lebanon
"Can you imagine the impact of a word on a person who is in the process of rebuilding their life and seeking a second chance?"
Rami*, a young man, shared the story of a robbery in a supermarket where his friend, who had previously struggled with drug dependence, faced stigma at his work and was wrongly accused of theft. A proper investigation was not done, and he lost his job. “Can you imagine the impact of a word on a person who is in the process of rebuilding their life and seeking a second chance?” Rami stated. This incident highlights how a word confines an individual through labeling and stigmatization, which could have devasting consequences.
Rami shared this true story during a discussion on stigmatization and discrimination led by the UNODC team with groups of youth (girls and boys) in detention and communities to mark World Drug Day (WDD). The discussion revolved around a game called “words matter” or “ بتِفرُق عَ كِلمَة”. The game was developed by UNODC in Lebanon with the participation of young people, inspired by the #WDD2023 theme for this year: “People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention”. The game aims to increase empathy and promote non-stigmatizing attitudes and address discrimination against people in vulnerable situations including those affected by psychoactive substance use and dependence.
By encouraging youth to reflect on the issue of stigmatization and its destructive effects, the game players realized the importance of refocusing on “humanity, on the person behind the labels we often attach to them, rediscovering the empathy that is inherent in all of us,” as one of them noted.
Youth were able to empathize with the person who is being labeled and is experiencing an injustice that adds to their suffering, some of the players said that “the person who uses drugs is a human being just like us, regardless of the circumstances they may be going through”; “It is important not to judge others without understanding their stories and the factors that contributed to drug dependence and to respect others as they are”; “This game has challenged my prejudices, and it has improved my perception of others”; “From now on, I’ll speak to others with more humanity.”
Youth expressed their emotions and shared the psychological pain they experience when they are stigmatized and subjected to hurtful words. They also reminded themselves “that they are not these ‘words’, these words that kill…”
The world unites every year on the 26th of June to observe the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day (WDD), to strengthen drug prevention and treatment. Let us join efforts to treat people who use drugs with respect and empathy, thereby combatting stigma, and all forms of discrimination. Because Words Matter…
This initiative is part of the regional project “Youth4Impact” implemented in 6 MENA countries; namely Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Sudan, and Palestine. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and aims at supporting young men and women, boys and girls, including the most vulnerable and at-risk youth, to gain resilience against the risks of drugs, crime and violence and to be empowered to face life’s challenges.
*Rami is a pseudonym used to maintain anonymity of the speaker.
