High-Level Expert Group Meeting on "Preventing Drug Abuse in Educational Settings: Fostering Regional Cooperation and Partnership"
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Islamabad, February 2019- building on and contributing to the implementation of Resolution 61/2 "strengthening efforts to prevent drug abuse in educational settings" adopted during the sixty-first session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in March 2018, a high-level Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on "Prevention Drug Abuse in Educational Settings: Fostering Regional Cooperation and Partnership" was convened jointly by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Narcotics Control of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the UNODC Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries. The Expert Group Meeting was followed by a one-day training session on "Preventing Drug Abuse in Educational Settings".
The main objective of the event was to bring together policy makers and senior officials in charge of drug use prevention and health promotion to formulate a regional response to drug abuse in educational settings.
During the Expert Group Meeting, senior officials and policy makers of the eight participating countries discussed and reviewed existing programmes in educational settings; capacity building needs and efforts, advocacy and messaging including the use of social media; research and evaluation; as well as related laws and policies. The EGM concluded with the adoption of a list of recommendations to be shared during the sixty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in March 2019.
The Expert Group Meeting was followed by a training session, held in the academy of the Anti-Narcotics Force in Islamabad on 13 February 2019. In total, 117 school teachers, university lecturers, drug prevention professionals and practitioners as well as law enforcement officials participated in the training session. The participants were updated on the value and positive impact of evidence-based drug prevention programmes on the health and well-being of children, youth and families. Additionally, they were presented with the UNODC-WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention and the modalities of implementing evidence-based interventions and strategies.
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For additional information please contact:
Roya Soltanian (Ms.)
Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries
Email: roya.soltanian@un.org