UNICRI with countries of the Mediterranean Basin (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia) on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
UNICRI, 26 June 2013. On the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, UNICRI, in cooperation with the countries of the Mediterranean Basin which are part of the Project Drugs, Alcohol and Women (DAWN) Network has organized an awareness and information day. Project DAWN is implemented by UNICRI in collaboration with the Department for Antidrug Policies – Presidency of the Council of the Ministers of the Government of Italy.
Project DAWN aims to promote the development of a gender-sensitive approach to better meet the specific needs of female drug abusers and to establish a network of professionals who can promote tailored interventions to address the risks associated to drug abuse amongst women.
The initiative envisages a series of awareness and information activities organized by the partners of the Network and specifically designed for the different targets within each of the countries involved. Awareness and information activities are mostly targeting women and girls in different phases of their lives and of their relationship with drugs. The initiative also targets a secondary group comprising of public and private professionals who will gain a better insight into gender differences as a means to effectively respond to the needs of women with respect to drug prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Moreover, the initiative is addressed to parents, teachers and other stakeholders who deal with educational issues related to the prevention of substance abuse by adolescents.
Project DAWN has already achieved an important result at the international level: the adoption of a Resolution in the 55th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The resolution requires that Member States undertake the responsibility to promote “strategies and measures targeting the specific needs of women in the context of programmes and strategies that are comprehensive and integrated in the reduction in the demand for drugs”.
Partners of the initiative: Dr. Eman Sorour, Consultant Psychiatrist, Former Director of International Affairs, General Secretariat of Mental Health (Egypt); OKANA – Organisation Against Drugs (Greece); Israel Anti Drug Authority (Israel); Calabria Region and the Therapeutic Community of San Patrignano (Italy); AMED – Association pour l’Ecoute et le Dialogue (Morocco); Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality (Spain); the Pasteur Institute of Tunis (Tunisia).
For more information: Mazziniunicri.it – Tel + 39 011 6537141- http://www.unicri.it/