Developing tools for monitoring of drug policy and practice from the view point of civil society organisations in Europe

Background:

Civil society organisations (CSO), working for and with drug users play a vital role in developing and implementing effective measures to address the negative consequences of drug use. This applies in particular to harm reduction and low-threshold services.

HR services have information and knowledge about new drug trends and developments in the field, which can contribute to more understanding and evidence-base in the field. Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (CN) currently develops a monitoring tool to collect reliable and comparable data from harm reduction services in the European Union and neighbouring countries. This information will complement existing monitoring efforts, such as the EMCDDA data monitoring system and can - on a long-term - improve the effectiveness of harm reduction responses and policies.

Objectives:

Information collected through monitoring from the viewpoint of CSO is informing reporting by national,European and international public institutions on developments in harm reduction responses and policies and provides recommendations accordingly. It complements existing data and information. The importance and specific role of civil society organisations and harm reduction services in the drugs field, which are in direct, close and daily contact with People Who Use Drugs is acknowledged. By sharing their observations and information, CSO contribute to a more complete and valid picture of the current challenges and developments in the field of drug use and harm reduction on service provider and policy level.