United Nations Training Series
An intensive training series dedicated to preparing students and young people to engage in United Nations Drug Policy development & implementation.ANNOUNCEMENT:
Our 2023 training series will take place January-March, there will be 4 sessions: 1. How the UN Makes Drug Policy, 2. Skills Building - How to Make an Impact, 3. Resolutions & Policy, 4. Networking - Find Out Who’s Who at the CND. The first training session will be on Wednesday the 18th of January at 5pm GMT/12pm EST/6pm WAT. Can’t make it? Don’t worry! All our trainings are recorded and will be shared on our youtube channel a week after they take place. Sign up for our UN Mailing List to stay up to date on our training series and all things youth drug policy at the UN. Register for the first session of the training series here.
Program Description
The UN Training Series consists of our Youth Advocacy at the United Nations Handbook and a webinar series. The program is designed on the basis of addressing 3 core competencies: 1 Knowledge, 2. Skills & 3. Stakeholder Engagement. With these 3 competencies, young people will be prepared to engage in UN decision-making regarding drugs.
Sessions:
- Mechanisms & Processes of the UN
- Networking (2 regional sessions)
- How to Make an Impact
- Resolution Analysis Workshop
SSDP International in conjunction with SSDP Foundation has represented students and young people who use drugs at the United Nations through our Special Consultative Status for almost 10 years. During this time members of SSDP have made countless statements to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs regarding the need for youth representation, better harm reduction policies and all drug decriminalisation. Alongside this SSDP was one of the founding members of the Paradigma Coalition, which consists of youth organisations from around the world dedicated to the human rights of those involved in the drug industry and harm reduction. As a result of their work, many of our members have gone on to work for some of the biggest drug policy reform organisations and continue to advocate for the rights of people who use drugs at the United Nations to this day.
2022 has been a big year for youth at the UN this year, the resolution to establish a UN Youth Office passed the General Assembly and aims to improve youth involvement across UN forums, the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs has committed to establishing a working group on youth to strengthen collaboration across youth civil society, and the UNODC has been holding thematic youth consultations to improve their involvement of youth in their work. Now is the time for young drug policy advocates to take their place at the table!
