27/06/2024
June 26 every year is marked world over as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
It is a day set aside to give special attention to addressing issues of drugs and other substances of abuse.
The theme for this year's celebration is quite apt.
"THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR: INVEST IN PREVENTION"
As a leadership, social development and advocacy non-governmental organisation, Right Minds Leaders Network led by our Founder and Volunteer Executive Director, John Best Uche | The Social Voice, had an awareness and sensitisation outreach to a private Secondary School in Port Harcourt - Marvel DNP Comprehensive School - on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
We spoke to the students and teachers on the dangers of drug and substance and how to not allow their (students) peers influence them negatively into taking hard drugs and substances.
According to UNODC - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, this year’s World Drug Day is a call to:
1. Raise Awareness: Increase understanding of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of evidence-based prevention strategies, emphasizing their impact on mitigating the harms of drug use.
2. Advocate for investment: Encourage greater investment in prevention efforts by governments, policymakers, and law enforcement professionals, highlighting the long-term benefits of early intervention and prevention.
3. Empower communities: Equip communities with the tools and resources to implement evidence-based prevention initiatives, fostering resilience against drug use and promoting community-led solutions.
4. Facilitate dialogue and collaboration: Promote dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders to enhance evidence-based prevention practices and policies, fostering a supportive environment for knowledge sharing and innovation.
5. Promote evidence-based policymaking: Advocate for evidence-based policymaking at the national and international levels, ensuring that drug policies are grounded in scientific research and informed by best practices.
6. Engage communities: Raise awareness about the importance of community engagement and participation in designing and implementing effective drug prevention programs, empowering communities to take ownership of prevention efforts.
7. Empower youth: Provide youth with the knowledge, skills, and resources to become agents of change in their communities, advocating for drug prevention initiatives and amplifying their voices in the conversation.
8. Promote international cooperation: Foster international cooperation and collaboration among governments, organizations, and communities to develop and implement evidence-based strategies for combating drug trafficking and organized crime, recognizing the global nature of the drug problem and the need for coordinated action.
At Right Minds Leaders Network, we are committed to contributing positively to the social development and wellbeing of our society. To achieve that, we raise our voice high by way of ADVOCACY.
Over the years, we have consistently partnered with agencies of government like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Peace Corps of Nigeria, NYSC and other NGOs and Youth bodies like Young African Leaders Initiative Network (YALI Network Rivers State Hub).
Join us in the fight against drugs and other substance abuse.
📸: Justina Anwurika Godwin of TineyzSplash Media
