Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (UNODC)

Piloting the Strengthening Families Programme in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

29 September - 02 October 2019, Islamabad.

The UNODC Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries continues to scale- up the Strengthening Families Programme (SFP 10-14) as a renowned family skills programme in the region. In fact, constructive and positive feedback from the other seven regional programme countries now implementing the SFP (10-14), encouraged the UNODC Regional Programme to pilot the programme in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This also supports a new drive underway in Pakistan to strengthen prevention in education settings. 

With this pilot training workshop on SFP (10-14), which ran from 29 September- 02 October 2019 in Islamabad, Pakistan, SFP (10-14) has now been launched in all eight countries covered by the Regional Programme, Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The work is supported by UNODC at both the national and regional level.  

During the 4-day workshop, 16 teachers from 4 schools in Islamabad were trained to introduce seven-weekly sessions of SFP (10-14) to 52 Pakistani families in Islamabad. The programme is going to bring together youth and parents together through games and activities promoting the characteristic and development of strong families, given the fact that, drug use prevention among adolescents has a clear evidence-based association with "Strong Families".

Thanks to the Government of Finland for supporting this activity.