Islamabad: In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Jose de Ory said that the commitment of the Spanish government to support this global drug prevention initiative is essential for civil society efforts to successfully launch the declaration.
Cristina Afridi, Chair of KKAWF, said on the occasion that worldwide support for this global initiative has raised the profile and understanding of the wisdom of drug prevention – acting before drug use begins. It shifted the focus from solving only the consequences of addiction to early information and youth education aimed at them from the pre-teen age. She emphasized that breaking tomorrow’s cycle of drug use requires youth involvement in prevention today. She must not lose any more lives, she wailed.
With more than 9 million drug users (2015 estimates) and an increase of 150 million youth under the age of 30, Pakistan faces increasing challenges to protect its youth from the devastating harms associated with drug use, she stressed. In the midst of a passionate meeting, the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation together with the Ambassador of Spain, Jose de Ory, launched a global drug prevention initiative known as the Oviedo Declaration at the Spanish Embassy to bring this global drug prevention movement to the forefront of Pakistan’s drug policy As KKAWF, the focal point for the Oviedo Declaration, Pakistan, is campaigning for the implementation of its 10 recommendations on prevention by strengthening partnerships across sectors, including government, the private sector, civil society and the media, to effectively combat drug use.
The Oviedo Declaration, named after the Spanish city of Oviedo that hosted the first expert consultations in 2023, was formally launched in March 2024 at the 67th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna to emphasize the value of investing in evidence-based prevention. . These meetings in June 2023 resulted in a declaration that encouraged 127 countries with 109 national focal points and more than 2,413 civil society organizations to prioritize drug prevention, as it has been shown to be the key to breaking the cycle of human suffering.
The consultation concluded that drugs are at the root of this immeasurable devastation and are inextricably linked to crime and the financial burden on nations. Master of ceremonies Iram Rehman read out the ten proposals of the Oviedo declaration to increase prevention in drug policy, which include calling on countries to dedicate at least 25% of their budgets to drug demand reduction strategies and policies by 2030. the declaration was followed by its official launch with all present gathered in a group holding placards in different languages and copies of the declaration.
This year’s theme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, “The evidence is clear: invest in prevention,” further underscores the need for drug policy to be rooted in scientific evidence to effectively counter the risky behaviors that attract young people to the imperfect. the glamorous life of drug use. . Founded in 2015 in memory of Cristina’s son Karim Khan Afridi, who tragically lost his life due to a drug-related incident, KKAWF leads the mission of empowering youth through effective prevention awareness and education in line with the goals of the Oviedo Declaration.
In its first decade in the field, KKAWF has led efforts to break the stigma surrounding drug use and participate in building a better future with youth. According to the World Drug Report 2024 In just one decade, drug use worldwide has increased by 20% to 292 million people – 1 in 17 people who use drugs. With an estimated 8.9 million people in Pakistan (2015) on drugs and 150 million youth under the age of 30, early drug prevention strategies need to be implemented as a priority.
KKAWF board members including Vice Chairman Mr. Nasser Jaffer, Amb Tariq Afridi, Mr. Naeem Sarfaraz, Amb Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, Prince Siraj-ul Mulk attended the launch. The event was also attended by a large number of senior government officials including Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, MFA Additional Secretary for Europe and Anti-Narcotics Force, Imran Masood, former ANF Director General Major General Khalid Jaffery and Members of Parliament including MNA Shaist. Pervez, among others, from the private sector, civil society and youth. The launch witnessed a large presence of the diplomatic community including Ambassador of Brazil Olyntho Vieira, Ambassador of France Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of Portugal, US Embassy DCM Ms. Natalie Baker, British High Consul Mr. Graham Orr.
