Director General/Executive Director
My thanks to the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs for inviting me to this opening session.
And my thanks to all of you for your dedication and contributions to the preparatory process for the UNGASS 2016.
Civil society is represented at the five interactive discussions taking place during the special segment of this CND session, which provides an important opportunity for your substantive input.
The high number of side events on a diverse range of topics that have been organized by civil society during the special segment and regular CND session are further testament to this commitment.
I also take note of the decision of the Vienna NGO Committee and the New York NGO Committee to establish a task force to act as liaison between the UN and civil society in the UNGASS process.
For our part, UNODC remains committed to working with all stakeholders to support an inclusive and effective process for UNGASS 2016.
The importance of this continuing debate on the world drug problem has been widely recognized.
The need to strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse, has also been emphasized in the ongoing discussions on the post-2015 development agenda, namely in goal three identified by the Open Working Group.
Civil society remains a key partner for UNODC in our work supporting states to implement a balanced, integrated and evidence-based approach to illicit drugs and the challenges they pose to health, the rule of law and sustainable development.
This health-centred, rights-based approach, rooted in the three international drug control conventions, emphasizes prevention, rights-based treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration.
UNODC, through its global projects on drug use prevention and drug dependence treatment, has been working with several civil society organizations, both at the global policy-making level and on the level of project implementation.
Our Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section has also invited some of these organizations to participate in the side events here at the CND.
The experiences of NGOs in working on the ground to provide treatment and support to people suffering from drug use disorders as well as to their families, represent a significant resource that can help to inform responses.
NGOs play an important role in providing prevention services in schools, workplaces and communities, and supporting the healthy and safe development of children and young people.
Furthermore, the role of NGOs in raising awareness, including of key issues such as ensuring access to essential medicines for pain relief, and combating the discrimination that hinders key groups from receiving needed HIV prevention, treatment and care services, is invaluable.
Once again I would like to thank you for your dedication and hard work to ensure that these challenges get the attention they deserve.
I value our interaction, and am committed to continuing a meaningful and results-oriented dialogue as we head towards the UNGASS 2016.
In this regard I look forward to joining you on Wednesday for the informal dialogue, when we will have a chance to interact and discuss key topics of concern in more detail.
Thank you.