| The Asian Harm Reduction Network (AHRN)
has been selected as a lead agency to collect and collate input
and feedback from civil society in East, South East Asia and
the Pacific regions as part of the six-region global consultation
process leading to the "Beyond 2008" Forum. The process will
also involve compiling data on NGOs and civil society from a
questionnaire that has now been posted online in all six official
UN languages at www.vngoc.org.
You can fill out the questionnaire online by visiting www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=652966&rd=12162742
|
| |
| "Beyond 2008" will focus its deliberations
on three key objectives. |
- The first is to highlight tangible
NGO achievements in the field of drug control through the
consultation process and the questionnaire.
- The second objective is to review best
practices related to collaborative mechanisms among NGOs,
governments and UN agencies in various fields.The overall
goal is to develop a model for ongoing collaboration that
reaches beyond the UN's constituency of central governments
and enhances dialogue and cooperation with civil society.
- The third objective is to review international
drug Conventions, and to identify key principles within
those agree.
|
| The collective input from the regional
consultations and the online NGO questionnaire will be compiled,
analyzed and reviewed at the "Beyond 2008" Forum—the fourth
in a series of international NGO forums organized by the Vienna
NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs since 1986. At the Forum, 300
civil society representatives are expected to agree on key recommendations
to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and
the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. A Memorandum of Understanding
recently signed by UNODC and the Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic
Drugs acknowledged the key role of NGOs in effective drug control.
|
| |
| The target date of 2008 for the achievement
of "significant and measurable results" in global drug control,
set at a special session of the UN General Assembly in June
1998, presents NGOs with an opportunity to increase governments'
understanding and awareness of the valuable role of civil society
and NGOs in the drug field. |
| |
| A note from the organizers: |
| |
| Dear Colleagues, |
| |
| In 1998 the United Nations General Assembly
held a special session (UNGASS) on the global drug problem.
The UNGASS adopted a Political Declaration and two action plans
and agreed specific targets for measurable reductions in the
drug problem by 2008. A review of achievements is due to be
undertaken in 2008 followed by a high level meeting in 2009
to identify future action at the international and national
levels. |
| |
| Led by the Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic
Drugs in collaboration with its sister NGO Committee in New
York, work has been underway for some time to make a substantial
NGO contribution to the UNGASS Review and identification of
future action. Information about this work can be found at the
web site of the Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs under
"Beyond 2008 Forum ". |
| |
| To collect the experience of the NGO community
and its contribution to achieving the UNGASS targets, the questionnaire
completed by Governments and submitted to the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been adapted for NGO use.
This NGO Questionnaire is now on line in the six official languages.
It can be accessed on the Vienna NGO Committee website either
on the home page through a hyper-link in the last paragraph
of the welcome from the Chair of the Committee or by clicking
the link to "Beyond 2008 " on the side menu and then the link
to the NGO Questionnaire. |
| |
| Please complete the NGO Questionnaire as
completely as possible for your organisation and please advertise
the questionnaire and the link as widely as possible through
your own networks. The more responses we get the better will
we be able to represent the experience of the NGO community.
|
| |
| Thank you for your help and support. |
| |
David Turner
Chair, Programme Committee
"Beyond 2008 " Forum |
| |
David Turner
CeIS Roma, Via Attilio Ambrosini
129, 00147 Roma
+ 39 06 541 95 214 (ufficio/office)
+ 39 328
307 1024 (celluare/mobile) |
