Side event: Strengthening the International Drug Control System Through Meaningful Civil Society Engagement

Organized by the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs together with Slovenia, the UNODC Civil Society Unit, the African Civil Society Platform on Drugs, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, the American Coalition on Drug Policy (CAPD), the European Union Civil Society Forum on Drugs, the European Drug Agency and the New York NGO Committee on Drugs (NYNGOC).

09 March 2026, 4.30PM to 5.30PM CET in person in Vienna (Vienna International Centre, Room M0E79) and online.

Context: In line with the recently adopted CND resolution on Strengthening the global drug control system: a path to effective implementation, this side event will explore the role of civil society in supporting inclusive, transparent, and evidence-informed decision-making within the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, particularly in the context of the newly established multidisciplinary expert panel and the lead-up to the 2029 review of international drug policy commitments. The side event aims to foster constructive dialogue between civil society, UN entities, and other stakeholders, including academia, youth and the private sector, and to identify practical ways to operationalize inclusive consultations, as envisaged in the resolution, ensuring that no one affected by the world drug problem is left behind.