SKILLS FOR ADVOCACY WORKSHOP FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy, university of Calabar chapter, Nigeria with support from the Support don\’t punish Initiative Programme organized a workshop to promote harm reduction for people who use Drugs (PWUDS).

Mr. Imo Uchenna, F Ex-president of SSDP UNICAL and Project lead gave an overview of SSDP, about its presence around the world both locally and international with emphasizing on its growth in Nigeria,

Mr. Imo commened the UNICAL Chapter as the most active chapters in the country as recognized by the international body.
With funding from SSDP International, the workshop aimed to improve access to healthcare services as well as community-based harm reduction services by ensuring stakeholders within the state are aware of these services to enhance uptake.

Mr Imo explained the cross-cutting issues of drug use across diverse groups and young population which would require not just the attention of SSDP but collectives of CSOs to channel their focus also on addressing the drug component among individuals rather than leaving it in exclusion.

Mr. Prince Ita Ekpenyong from Health Action Support Initiative (HASI) deliver a lecture on the topic Advocacy Strategies and Activities. In his presentation defined Advocacy as any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends or pleads on behalf of others.By engaging in an interactive session with representatives of 15 CSOs, he highlighted advocacy as a process and not a one a way thing. He went further to explain that advocacy arises as a result of an issue in a community, hence there must be a cause before advocacy takes place. He had an interactive session with his audience sighting points such as “advocacy is a process, not a one way thing. It arises as a result of an issue. There must be a cause, before advocacy takes place.” He spoke about the various types of advocacy and advocacy strategies which included defining issues, setting goals and objectives identifying the target audience, engaging needed partners, creating effective advocacy communication, planning, accessing resources, developing good monitoring and evaluation plans and drafting implementation strategy.

Mr Ita also spoke about advocacy activities which included mobilization, lobbying, media campaigns and public speaking. He highlighted that the purpose of advocacy is to promote equality, social justice social inclusion and human rights through skills such as communication, collaboration and partnerships and this is driven by passion, information, knowing your style, getting involved and using your voice.

On behalf of Mr Isaac Olushola in absentia, Imo Uchenna facilitated a session on Youth engagement for safeguarding community harm reduction services. In his session, he began by stating that young people aged 14-39 are mostly affected by drug use in Nigeria and about 65% of the country\’s population falls within this age group.

Contributions to his lecture was given by Mr. Edem Ekpenyong, who noted that advocacy began with changing ones mindset, and advocacy should be driven by passion and not financial gain. He noted that advocacy for harm reduction should begin from oneself, as it would always come back to us if we ignore it. He noted that harm reduction is not about promoting drug use, but rather promoting the health of PWUDs and the population in general.

The second lecture was given by Mr. Imo Uchenna on behalf of Mr. Isaac who was absent due to unforeseen issues. He spoke about Youth engagement for Safe guarding Community Harm reduction Services: Skills needed. He began by stating that young people within the population from 14-39/40 are most affected by drug use, and with about 65% of the country’s population within this age bracket, it is important to hold such sessions to improve skills towards harm reduction for PWUDs.

Mr Uchenna spoke about the stigma associated to people who use drugs. He emphasized the need for safe spaces for such people from all CSOs even though drug-related issues may not be its major goal or objectives. This is due to the fact that drug users cut across all categories as they could be persons with disability, women, children or people living with HIV/AIDS, etc. he concluded by having a directory of all CSOs present in a communiqué that would provide referral service for the future in case of a drug related issue by a client they may come across. This would enable them provide the most benefit they can to all future clients especially if it is a person who uses drugs.

Finally, Pst Victoria Emah-Emah the E.D of Neighborhood Carewell Foundation working with women, children and youths who use drugs in Cross River state. The organisation provides psychosocial and counseling services to underserved communities and is a registered drop-in centre by the Federal Neuropsychiatric hospital for PWUDs to access all kind of service there are in need of.

Furthermore, the cost of treatment at the Psychiatric hospital in calabar is unaffordable for the common man and limits uptake of prompt services that may be needed. In her final statements she established a relationship between increased drug use in calabar and poor economy & unavailability of basic needs.

The closing remark was given by Mr. Emereze. In his remark he thanked everyone for taking out time to be present for the event.