VNGOC Side event Invitation: Strengthening Civil Society Voices in Drug Policy for Sustainable Development

The VNGOC welcomes you to attend their Side Event “Strengthening Civil Society Voices in Drug Policy for Sustainable Development” on July 17th at 10am EST, organised in the margins of the HIgh-Level Political Forum 2025. The Side Event can be attended in person, for those already traveling to New York, and online.

The VNGOC is organizing a side event in the margins of the High-Level Political Forum 2025 (24-23 July 2025) together with the African Civil Society Forum on Drugs, the American Coalition on Drug Policy, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse Kenya (NACADA), the New York NGO Committee on Drugs and UNODC Civil Society Unit.

The event titled “Strengthening Civil Society Voices in Drug Policy for Sustainable Development” will take place on Thursday, 17 July at 10AM EST in person in New York (John Jay College, 524 West 59th Street, Room L.61) and online. The side event will spotlight the essential contributions of civil society in shaping inclusive drug policies that advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While SDG 3 explicitly addresses drug-related issues under its health targets, effective and equitable drug policies are also vital to achieving broader goals such as reducing inequality (SDG 10) and promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16) and many others. The event will underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships, recognizing that meaningful engagement of civil society enhances accountability, ensures community-centred approaches, and strengthens efforts across sectors to address the complex interlinkages between drug policy and sustainable development

Panelists will include: