Advocacy at the
international level

WHERE, HOW, WHEN AND WHY

Practical guide to improve the participation of NGOs in international decision-making bodies on drug policy, health, human rights and sustainable development.

Civil society

Play Video about RIOD_Unidos-voz

We have managed to gain space and make our voices heard in a significant way, to the point of being recognised by the UN as one of the sectors of society that can best channel sustainable development.

Civil society has an increasingly recognized and present role in public policy-making. We have managed to gain space and make our voices heard meaningfully, until being recognized by the UN as one of the sectors of society that can better channel sustainable development.

We are agents of change. Working on the ground, providing services to people and communities and also lobbying at the political level to improve regulatory frameworks. Two levels of work essential to move towards greater social progress.

Even so, there is no assured achievement: despite progress in the participation of civil society in the public policy-making process, setbacks have been experienced in some countries.

Political advocacy

Political advocacy at the international level is complex. RIOD has designed this guide as a tool to support the work of civil society organizations in this area.

It provides a map of the main international forums and organizations dealing with drug policy, health, human rights, and sustainable development issues at the international level, in Europe and in Latin America. It describes what they are, what they do, how they work and how civil society organizations can interact with them.

Some of the contents you can find in the Guide, will help you on how to work at the UN level; by thematic spaces (drugs, health, Human Rights, among others) and also in regional spaces (EU, Inter-American System, etc.)

Play Video

The guide is a tool to support the work of civil society organisations. It provides a map of the main international forums and organisations that deal with drug policy, health, human rights and sustainable development issues at the international level and in Latin America.

Practical guide to improve the participation of NGOs in international decision-making bodies on drug policy, health, human rights and sustainable development.

United Nations

To work in the UN environment, it is advisable to:

Register at the DESA

Register at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Request the consultative status of ECOSOC

United Nations Economic and Social Council coordinates the activities of the UN system.

Being in consultation with the Council provides access to the meetings they convene, as well as to many subsidiary bodies (such as the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, etc.); various United Nations human rights mechanisms; and also at special events organized by the President of the General Assembly (e.g. High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development).

There are three different types of ECOSOC status:

General: For NGOs with a wide geographical scope and scope of action.
Special: For NGOs that have an area of expertise covering only some of the areas covered by ECOSOC.
Roster: For those NGOs that do not fit into either of the two previous categories because they have a very concrete working approach. It is for organizations that have consultative status in other UN bodies.

The process of application, review and approval by ECOSOC is reflected in "Working with ECOSOC - Guide for NGOs on consultative status”

CND
UNODC
VNGOC

WHY
WHERE
WHEN
HOW

It is the main United Nations body responsible for drug control: it legislates and serves as a guide for international drug policy. Composed of 53 representatives from the 193 UN member countries elected on a rotating basis by the regional commissions for four-year terms.

Visit our map

Annual convened session (usually early spring - March)
CND reconvened, usually in early December.
Thematic intersessional events.

It is the most important meeting to consider attended by high-level representatives of member countries and UN agencies and in which NGOs have more opportunities to influence.
CND reconvened dealing with administrative, organisational and budgetary matters. It meets at the end of the year, usually in early December. It is open to NGO participation.
Thematic intersessional events.

WHY
WHERE
WHEN
HOW

It is the United Nations Agency for Combating Illicit Drugs and International Crime. It deals with drugs, organized crime, corruption, terrorism and crime prevention and criminal justice. It works on three pillars:

Empowering countries through international cooperation;
Research for evidence for policy development (publishes the World Drug Report);
Supports countries in legislative development, ratification and implementation of the treaties. Composed of civil servants.

Visit our map

If there are opportunities for participation, these will be announced by the UNODC Civil Society Unit and VNGOC. participar en grupos de trabajo concretos o en mesas redondas de expertos. At the level of participation in projects by NGOs, UNODC publishes applications for specific projects and also collaborates with NGOs in the field in implementing projects.

The best way to be informed about these opportunities is by contacting the UNODC Civil Society Unit, UNODC regional offices and NGO platforms operating at the UNODC level (such as VNGOC).

WHY
WHERE
WHEN
HOW

Platform that articulates the relationship between NGOs working in the field of drugs with international drug control bodies, as an interlocutor recognized by the UN. It is a membership platform that currently has 350 member organizations, which publishes and manages opportunities to participate as speakers in different formal sessions with UN entities as representatives of civil society; organizes informal dialogues with representatives of CND, UNODC, WHO, etc.; disseminates information and surveys, etc.

It is based in Vienna, although it has developed the "NGO Marketplace", an online platform for NGOs to present their work, exchange experiences and raise awareness of the work they do and collaborate with other organizations.

It meets once to twice a year; normally on Thursday afternoon of the week of the spring CND convened session and the second one towards the end of the year coinciding with the December session. If required, it convenes extraordinary meetings throughout the year.

Annual Members' Meetings: usually one in March-April coinciding with the annual session of the CND and another in December.

They can sponsor side events to the annual CND.
It organizes orientation sessions for NGOs.
Meetings can be held in hybrid format (in person and online).

Regional – European Union and Council of Europe

For work in the EU environment, it is advisable:

The European Union does not have exclusive competence for drug policy, but it does dictate coordinated action in the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plans. The EU serves as a sort of coordination platform.

In particular, the Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Internal Affairs is responsible for leading proposals in this area. The Strategies and Action Plans, as well as other important initiatives, will have to be validated by the European Parliament, mainly by the LIBE Committee (Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). The final approval must come from the Council of the European Union.

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

EMCDDA aims to provide objective information and evidence on the European drug phenomenon, addictions and their consequences, which can serve as a support in policy-making, as well as a research resource. It has a portal of good practices, resources and reports that can be useful and interesting for NGO representatives.

EMCDDA
COPOLAD III
Pompidou Group - Council of Europe

WHY
WHERE
HOW AND WHEN

EMCDDA aims to provide objective information and evidence on the European drug phenomenon, addictions and their consequences, which can serve as a support in policy-making, as well as a research resource. It has a portal of good practices, resources and reports that can be useful and interesting for NGO representatives.

The EMCDDA is based in Lisbon.

See map

The European Commission regularly publishes public calls for funding available to civil society organizations. Information is available on the European Commission’s funding & tender portal.

WHY
WHERE
HOW AND WHEN

COPOLAD is the EU’s cooperation programme to support Latin American and Caribbean countries in improving their drug policies. It is based on the promotion and defense of human rights, gender equity, public health, citizen security and other dimensions of sustainable development. It is led by the Fundación Internacional y Para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas Públicas-FIIAPP, in consortium with the Italo-Latin American International Organization. Also contributing as implementers are the EMMCDA and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). It provides for more than 500 activities to improve public drug policies in actions ranging from training courses, technical assistance, research, public campaigns, communities of practice, etc.

Based in Madrid but acting in all Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Civil society can:

Participate in working groups..
Provide information on the ground.
Tender for the assistance they take out (preparation of guides and other technical assistance) through the contracting platform of FIAPP (More info) Upon invitation of government delegations can participate in implementation actions, monitoring and evaluation of policies and initiatives in collaboration with COPOLAD.

WHY
WHERE
HOW AND
WHEN

The Pompidou Group is the Council of Europe’s platform for cooperation on drug policy. It provides knowledge, support and solutions for developing drug policies that are effective, evidence-based and respect human rights. It therefore links policy, research and field cases. It consists of 41 member countries, mostly from the European continent, but also has countries and regions such as Mexico or French Guiana in the Americas. It focuses on human rights and the gender perspective. It works mainly in the areas of law enforcement, cooperation in the Mediterranean, cooperation in the south-eastern area of Europe, criminal justice and prison programs as well as cross-cutting and emerging issues.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE (Strasbourg). See map.

The Pompidou Group publishes reports, guides and material that can be very useful for civil society.
In addition, civil society can collaborate with the Pompidou Group in the preparation of studies and reports, organizing joint events.
They also organize executive trainings on specific topics related to drug policies and invites representatives of civil society organizations.
More information.

Regional – OAS

For work in the OAS environment, it is advisable:

It is the hemispheric political forum of the OAS and addresses the drug phenomenon in general at its high-level political meetings.

It is based in Washington. See map.

At the international level, it is worth mentioning the possibility of participating in high-level meetings of the OAS:

OAS General Assemblies: the supreme organ of the organization with representation of delegations from all countries. It meets at least once a year.
Summit of the Americas: Meeting of the Heads of State/Government of the Hemisphere. It meets regularly to discuss common concerns, seek solutions and develop a shared vision for the future development of the region. Its decisions govern the mandates of the OAS.
There are spaces dedicated to interaction with civil society in both forums and thematic commissions have been created to facilitate and organize the participation of civil society in them.
It is recommended to register civil society organizations at the OAS to be able to give opinions on the subject of the meetings, submit statements for consideration by Member States and request funding for the participation of civil society organizations in OAS activities.
More information

CICAD – OAS
CAPD

WHY
WHERE
WHEN
HOW

CICAD is a consultative and advisory body of the OAS on the subject of drugs. Established in 1986, it serves as a forum for OAS Member States and provides technical assistance to enhance their capacity to counter the drug phenomenon and offers specialized training. It also conducts research and evaluations through the Inter-American Observatory on Drugs.

Headquarters in Washington. See map.

CICAD normally meets twice a year (spring and winter). There are sessions that allow virtual and face-to-face participation.

NGOs can participate:

Participar en las sesiones regulares de la CICAD, donde hay siempre un espacio al final para intervenciones de sociedad civil.
Through spaces/panels dedicated to civil society within the thematic agenda and calendar of activities.
Through webinars, where different CICAD units request civil society interventions.
Through concrete actions and projects where requests are made, or directly to civil society actors with competence in different areas, or through national drugs commissions.
More information.

WHY
HOW AND
WHEN

The OAS coalitions are constituted as platforms for NGOs that associate voluntarily around a thematic core. These platforms are the spokespersons for civil society organizations at meetings such as the OAS General Assembly and the Summits of the Americas. Through the coalitions, oral interventions can be made in front of OAS member states’ representatives of the member countries of the OAS and the General Secretariat of the OAS.
It currently consists of some 20 NGOs and networks of NGOs and people affected by the policies implemented to respond to drug-related problems.

By becoming members of the platform, organizations can shape the content of the coalition’s interventions, and becoming spokespersons for it.

National representatives can be contacted at meetings.

Contact person: pablocymerman@intercambios.org.ar
More information.

Other interesting enetities

To work in the environment of other entities, it is advisable:

There are numerous NGO platforms working with a thematic and/or regional focus, such as RIOD. From platforms of therapeutic communities, harm reduction networks to organisms that bring together the action of organizations working in the area of prevention in different parts of the world. See the guide for full information..