On August 13, 2025, we shared an open letter with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr António Guterres, to underscore the inclusion of the continuum of care, from prevention to recovery and reintegration, whilst ensuring the continued space for civil society in the ongoing reforms at the UN and appointment of the new Executive Director of the UNODC. The letter was endorsed by 215 signatories, including representatives of organisations, agencies, and individuals.

Our collective effort bore its fruits as we received an official response by the Executive Office of the Secretary General “appreciating our reflections on the current challenges […]” while ensuring us that they “remain strongly committed to supporting Member States in their effective implementation of a balanced, comprehensive, and evidence-based response to the world drug problem, in line with all internationally agreed legal and policy commitments”
Read the full response here. 

Our collective strength showcased that drug demand reduction is not an optional add-on to global drug policy, but a rights-based obligation rooted in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Human Rights to Health and has to be considered on the global agenda.