HLPF side event: “Strengthening Civil Society Voices in Drug Policy for Sustainable Development”

In person and online on Thursday, 17July 2025 10 a.m to 12noon EST (New York time)
Venue: John Jay College, 524 West 59th Street, Room L.61

All in person participants will need to register before 15 July and will need to show a government ID for access.

Context: 

Hosted during the 2025 UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York, the side event “Strengthening Civil Society Voices in Drug Policy for Sustainable Development” will spotlight the essential contributions of civil society in shaping inclusive drug policies that advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While SDG 3 explicitly addresses drug-related issues under its health targets, effective and equitable drug policies are also vital to achieving broader goals such as reducing inequality (SDG 10) and promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16) and many others. The event will underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships, recognizing that meaningful engagement of civil society enhances accountability, ensures community-centered approaches, and strengthens efforts across sectors to address the complex interlinkages between drug policy and sustainable development. 

Co-organized by: 

• Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC)
• African Civil Society Forum on Drugs
• Americas Coalition on Drug Policy
• Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) 
• New York NGO Committee on Drugs (NYNGOC)
• National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria
• National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), Kenya