Message from the Chair

We exist to represent the broad spectrum of civil society stakeholders in the drug policy debate: our members come from all around the world, and are engaged in service delivery, advocacy, research, evaluation and much more – at the international, regional and national levels.

Jamie Bridge

The Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) was established in 1983 to provide a link between non governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Vienna-based agencies involved in setting drug policy: the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). We also work closely with our sister New York NGO Committee on Drugs (NYNGOC) when working with other UN bodies such as the General Assembly (GA) and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The VNGOC’s purpose is to:

  • Support the activities of NGOs, and promoting contacts and collaboration with the relevant international agencies, offices and fora.
  • Promote activities that lead to enhanced communication, cooperation and scientific, cultural and social exchanges between NGOs, UN agencies and member states.
  • Promote increased awareness about issues relating to controlled substances through the dissemination of news and information.
  • Facilitate the representation of NGOs reflecting the broadest possible range of perspectives and groups involved, including affected populations.

Our work is guided by the VNGOC Statutes and Rules of Procedure, which were revised and adopted by the membership in 2017. We exist to represent the broad spectrum of civil society stakeholders in the drug policy debate: our members come from all around the world, and are engaged in service delivery, advocacy, research, evaluation and much more – at the international, regional and national levels.

Throughout 2018 and 2019, the bulk of our work was delivered in collaboration with NYNGOC through a new Civil Society Task Force which has been established to feed into the next landmark UN drug policy fora – the Ministerial Segment of the 62nd CND in Vienna, in March 2019. Through this Task Force, 28 civil society representatives have been chosen to represent NGOs from every region of the world, as well as the key populations and constituencies.

We have achieved so much in recent years in terms of the acceptance of, and spaces for, civil society to meaningfully participate in the international drug policy discussions – culminating in the vibrant civil society presence at the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs in April 2016. The VNGOC Board considers it our responsibility to maintain and further expand these opportunities, and to support civil society organisations from all around the world to have their voices heard.

I invite you to learn more about the VNGOC and our work by exploring this website. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at info@vngoc.org if we can help in any way.

Yours faithfully, on behalf of the VNGOC Board,

Jamie Bridge
Chairperson
Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC)

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