Between March 10 and 14th, 2025, the 68th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) took place in Vienna, Austria. WFAD, as well as many of our members, attended the CND in person to meet with civil society organisations in the field as well as Member States and International Organisations, presenting our work and latest initiatives.
This CND included many highlights, including the launch of the Global Youth Declaration on Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery and the Trauma and SUD Action Force Initiative (TSAFI), the adoption of the Resolution on Prevention, and the receipt of the Isabella’s List Community Care & Responsibility Award.
Side Events
During the CND, we, together with our co-sponsors the African Union, Drug Free America Foundation, Turkish Green Crescent, San Patrignano, and Nusroto, organised a side event on “The Missing Link: Trauma-Informed Guidelines to Transform Substance Use Disorder Practices”.
The Side Event reintroduced trauma as a neurobiological issue while highlighting its important correlation with substance use disorders (SUD). It emphasised the rising prevalence of lifetime trauma (70.4%) alongside the increasing number of people facing SUD, calling for immediate trauma-informed prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Despite strong awareness about its need, only 30% of providers implement such care. The WHO presented its Special Initiative on Mental Health in which they collaborate with countries improving mental health services through training and its provision through systemic changes. The UNDOC highlighted its long-standing advocacy for trauma-informed care and its inclusion in their standards. Other speakers discussed the lack of trauma-informed treatment and prevention services in their respective countries while showcasing some best-practices driving change. The Side Event concluded with the launch of the Trauma and SUD Action Force Initiative (TSAFI), which aims to bridge the gap between science and practice.
We also had the honour to co-sponsor a total of 10 side-events:
- Innovations in the Continuity of Care, Solutions over Ideologie, organised by International Federation of Non-Government Organizations for the Prevention of Substance Abuse
- Rethinking Recovery: Drug Policy Frameworks for Systemic Transformation, organised by Serbia
- Prevention and Education Targeting Youth, organised by Nusroto Al-Anashid Association
- Engaging the Next Generation in Global Drug Prevention, Recovery, and Policy, organised by Drug Free America Foundation
- Strengthening Regional and International Cooperation to Combat Drug Abuse, organised by Jordan Anti-Drugs Society
- Therapeutic Communities and Their Role in the Current Drug Use Disorder Scenario, organised by San Patrignano
- Youth Prevention Influencer, organised by Rotarian Action Group Addiction Prevention
- Shifting Perspectives: Rethinking Gender in Addiction Recovery, organised by Proslavi Oporavak
- Intergenerational Understanding of Substance Use and Prevention to Influence Youth Behavioural Health, organised by Fourth Wave Foundation
- Families as Active Actors in Drug-Related Issues: Transforming Support and Advocacy, organised by Europe for Action on Drugs (EURAD)
Luncheon
On March 13th, we co-hosted the Luncheon “Paths to Progress: Advancing Recovery, Youth Engagement, and Trauma-Informed Strategies”, together with Drug Free America Foundation and RUN. The luncheon invited Member States, International Organisations, and Civil Society Organisations and spotlighted transformative strategies in global prevention and recovery efforts. The programme featured the launch of 4 different initiatives:
- Global Youth Declaration on Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery
- Global Recovery Families Alliance
- “Women’s Recovery – Capital Pathways” (book)
- the Trauma and SUD Action Force Initiative
Exhibition
This year, an exhibition was set up by DFAF and RUN, in collaboration with WFAD and many of our members. The exhibition was titled “Strength in Unity” and highlighted actvities and best-practices of our network in the four categories:
- Youth Engagement
- Families, Women, and Children
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Recovery
The Tree symbolises the strength of collaboration and the positive growth it causes in the field of prevention, treatment, and recovery.
Informal dialogues
Various Informal Dialogues were held during the week, including the UNODC Executive Director, the CND Chair, WHO, UNAIDS, INCB President, etc. Various members, as well as WFAD, took the opportunity to present questions on trauma, youth, prevention, treatment, gender-sensitiveness, as well as on current international developments in policy, budget cuts, and surge of illicit substances.
Global Youth Declaration on Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Launch
On March 12th, the Global Youth Declaration on Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery 2025 was launched during the side-event “Engaging the Next Generation in Global Drug Prevention, Recovery, and Policy”, organised by DFAF. The Youth Declaration is based on the outcomes of the Global Youth Survey on Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery, in which over 1100 youth from 63 countries had provided their input. The Declaration presents 6 recommendations to be taken into account by governments, international organisations, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders. These recommendations call for increased inclusion of youth voices in policies and programmes that affect and/or are directed towards them. These recommendations will be used to advocate with throughout 2025, together with the outcome reports presented simultaneoulsy – showcasing current trends and risk perceptions.
The Trauma and SUD Action Force Initiative (TSAFI) Launch
On March 13th, the Trauma and SUD Action Force Initiative got launched, also known as TSAFI. TSAFI is an initiative that aims to bridge the gap between research and practice, ensuring increased implementation of trauma-informed SUD services. Its goals include:
- Shaping policy: Ensuring trauma is recognized as central to SUD prevention and treatment.
- Training the global workforce: Offering specialized, evidence-based training on trauma-informed care, combining Neuroscience and Psychology.
- Building a network: Connecting experts, providers, and organizations worldwide to exchange insights and collaborate on impactful solutions.
- Raising awareness: Elevating trauma’s role in SUD and its critical importance in recovery and prevention efforts.
For joining the initiative and for more information, click here
Isabella's List Community Care & Responsibility Award
During the CND week, our International President, Amy Ronshausen, was honoured to receive the “Isabella’s List Community Care and Responsibility Award” within the framework of the “Special Category: Global Advocate” on behalf of WFAD from Dalgarno Institute. The award was presented by Shane Varcoe:
“For their international activism in promoting best practice Primary Prevention; for global leadership in advocating for sound community minded drug policy formulation and application in the continuum of care in the illicit drug arena”
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