In a heartfelt and inspiring address at the third Member States briefing on the progress of the global implementation of the CHAMPS initiative, Dr. Justice Tettey, Chief of the Drugs, Laboratory, and Scientific Services Branch (DLSSB) at UNODC, highlighted the profound importance of child protection from the harms of drugs, violence, and trauma. Speaking to representatives of Permanent Missions gathered at the Vienna International Centre, Dr. Tettey shared:
"I’d like to start my words by drawing your attention to this child’s face. That smile. A child's smile is the most precious gift in the world, a reminder of the purest joys of life. Drugs, violence, conflicts, trauma—these snatch the smile and take away all the joy. We owe it to the child—one of the most vulnerable members of society—to make this smile remind us of all we used to be, and hope for."
Launched during the high-level midterm review of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in March 2024, CHAMPS has garnered immense support amongst Member States, advancing the global implementation of prevention systems globally. Officially joining the initiative, Brazil placed CHAMPS as a key prevention component in support of the country’s strategy to protect children against violence and other societal vulnerabilities. Simultaneously, Egypt integrated the CHAMPS initiative into its national drug strategy, demonstrating a comprehensive approach in addressing challenges in newly developed communities which replaced slums, in efforts to create better opportunities for human development. Such a step demonstrates the importance of breaking the silos to create a cohesive prevention system and build resilient communities, where children can grow and nurture in a safe and healthy environment.
CHAMPS continues to grow, with Algeria and Uzbekistan in the process of formalizing their commitment. Furthermore, negotiations are underway with national counterparts across Asia, Africa and Europe to join the first wave of the CHAMPS implementation. The growing interest in the initiative reflects UNODC's credible role in the field of drug prevention at the global level and the organization’s noble commitment to prioritizing early prevention and addressing the root causes of drug use and other negative social and health behavior, in line with the UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention.
The CHAMPS framework brings to the table diverse stakeholders, including UN agencies such as UN HABITAT, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, as well as governmental (various ministries) and non-governmental entities (research institutes and private sector), to build prevention systems that are not only effective but also sustainable.
Mr. Wadih Maalouf, UNODC Coordinator of Prevention, noted that the CHAMPS initiative is an opportunities for candidate countries to capitalize on their national prevention infrastructure that have not been accounted for previously, allowing the development and improvement of this infrastructure as well as the corresponding prevention workforce involved, driving sustainability in the field of prevention, which is a unique aspect of the CHAMPS initiative.
The briefing concluded with a call to action for Member States and partners to champion CHAMPS, emphasizing prevention as a cost-effective strategy with a significant return on investment for the health and well-being of communities, with a special focus on children and youth.
To watch the full briefing, visit the following link here.
For more information about CHAMPS and its implementation, visit the UNODC Prevention website.
