ISLAMABAD: The Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation jointly with the Ambassador of Spain Jose de Ory launched on Thursday the Global Initiative on Drug Use Prevention, known as the Declaration of Oviedo at the Spanish Embassy to bring this international drug prevention movement to the forefront of Pakistan’s drug policies.
According to a press statement, the focal point for the Declaration of Oviedo in Pakistan, the KKAWF is leading the campaign for implementation of its 10 proposals on Prevention by strengthening partnerships across sectors, including govt, private sector, civil society and media to effectively combat drug use.
The Declaration supported by 127 nations with 109 country focal points and more than 2,413 civil society organisations was the outcome of these June 2023 meetings with the purpose to prioritize Drug Prevention as it was evidenced to hold the key to breaking the cycle of human suffering.
Ambassador Jose de Ory has said that the commitment of the Government of Spain to promote this global initiative on drug use prevention has been important to the efforts of civil society to effectively launch the Declaration. This year’s UN Office on Drugs and Crimes theme “The evidence is clear: invest in prevention,” further underscores the need for drug policies to be rooted in scientific evidence to effectively counter the risky behaviours which attract youth to a flawed glamourous life of drug use.
Speaking on the occasion, Cristina Afridi, Chairperson KKAWF said that the worldwide support to this global initiative has raised the profile and understanding on the wisdom of Drug Prevention – to act before drug use may take hold.
The event also gathered a large number of senior officials from the government including Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, Additional Secretary Europe MoFA, and the Anti-Narcotics Force, Imran Masood, former DG of ANF Major General Khalid Jaffery, and members of Parliament including MNA Shaista Pervez amongst others from private sector civil society and youth.
