Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network

📢 If you would like to provide information on the examples of policies and initiatives addressing the various aspects of the world drug problem, with a special focus on the rights of women and girls, you can submit it by the 31st of March here: buff.ly/BONMd13

🇺🇳 The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is requesting submissions for their upcoming report “Human rights challenges in addressing all aspects of the world drug problem, in particular on the impact of drug policies on the rights of women and girls”.

- "Even where HR has been consolidated as a service rather than an experimental project, a high degree of uncertainty around money and support remains, and funds only meet a small quota of the needs of the targeted population.”

👉 Read more about the project in this article: buff.ly/09XDGJu

- "Operators who are also people that use drugs are an essential part of Harm Reduction teams and increase their efficacy in interacting with their target communities."

- "The level of integration of these services with the public sector varies considerably between regions and even neighbourhoods of the same city, regardless of the political colour of local governments."

👇 Here are the main findings, quoted from their article:

- “In almost all the cases surveyed, HR programs could not access European funding schemes for not meeting the requirements or because they lack the knowledge on how to apply."

📢 New project “Funding Gaps Undermining Drug Harm Reduction in Italy and Spain”

🇪🇸🇮🇹 Last year, Journalismfund Europe (@journalismfund.bsky.social), the non-profit organisation advocating for independent journalism, supported an investigative project about harm reduction services in Spain and Italy.

🇮🇸 Matthildur is a non-profit, volunteer-led organisation in Iceland that provides harm reduction and mental health services for people across the country.

To learn more about the organisation’s philosophy, we spoke with chairman Svala Jóhannesdóttir.

🔗 Read the interview here: buff.ly/ovjowQc

@metzineres.bsky.social

This week, we’re bringing together the ENDCR in Amsterdam for 2 days of exchange, learning & strategic discussion, including joint sessions with the EUDA. From monitoring & evaluation to community building & thematic working groups, we focus on strengthening DCR practice & cooperation across Europe.

Ten years after the #UNGASS2016, global drug policy is at a crossroads.

@idpc.net's new report: 'The UNGASS decade in review: Gaps, achievements and paths for reform' shows where progress stalled, harms persist, and why reform can’t wait.

📘Read & share: bit.ly/idpc-ungass-...

🌍 Non-profits should be able to operate across borders. 250+ civil society organisations from across Europe are calling on the Commission to allow cross-border collaboration in the EU.
Learn more below and read our open letter: bit.ly/4radFEw
#SaveECBA #EUCivilSociety
@eucivilsociety.bsky.social

Fact #1: There is no evidence of increased criminality after the establishment of DCRs

Fact #2: DCRs can reduce street disorder by decreasing public injecting and open drug scenes

Fact #3: DCRs are regulated spaces that have strict guidelines and ensure safety

Read more: buff.ly/sOCP7pI

🔍 In the first article of our debunking harm reduction myths series, we set out to address this negative myth around drug consumption rooms: do drug consumption rooms (DCRs) increase crime in neighbourhoods?

Here are the facts 👇

Venezuela: No to the 'war on drugs' as a pretext for U.S. intervention Civil society groups from around the world reject the 'war on drugs' narrative being used to justify pressure, interference, and intervention in Venezuela—warning of militarisation, human rights violations, and dangerous regional precedents.

Using the '#WarOnDrugs' to justify intervention only fuels violence and impunity. Latin America knows this script — and its costs.

We join partners worldwide to demand that sovereignty, human rights, and international law are not collateral damage.

Read & share:

In 2025, De Regenboog Groep launched the Trauma-Informed Care Project, which was aimed at improving the trauma-sensitivity of the organisation.

💡 To learn more about the project, we interviewed the project coordinator, Mariana Matos.

Read the full interview here: buff.ly/mmiyW2y

🎥 The Recording of the European City Initiative for Drug Policy Webinar is Published!

Last week, C-EHRN hosted a webinar, where three European cities (Athens, Zurich, and Berlin) delivered presentations on their strategies for urban drug policy.

🔗 Watch the recording here: buff.ly/V2lrh4x

For those who missed the webinar, the recording is now available here: correlation-net.org/2025/11/20/w...

🇲🇩 The Union for Equity and Health is an organisation that provides services focused on health and human rights, including harm reduction, for people in Moldova.

💬 We interviewed the director of the organisation, Ala Iatco, to talk about their activities.

🔗 Read the interview here: buff.ly/yJZXJzg

📢 Abstract submissions and scholarships for the International Conference on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users 2026 are now open!

👉 Find out more information and apply here: buff.ly/LT5lBwo

Photo: Drugreporter

✊ The Dance for Freedom Protesters Respond to Hungarian Government's War on Drugs

On the 6th of December, two-three thousand people came together in front of the Hungarian Parliament to protest the increasingly harsh drug enforcement.

🎥 Watch Drugreporter’s video to learn more: buff.ly/6NJ07Ii

This Thursday, we bring together experts from Athens, Berlin and Zurich to share concrete practices, real-world challenges and transferable solutions for cities across Europe. The session is designed to spark peer learning & strengthen local responses to drug-related challenges. 🔗 buff.ly/KKrErKq

Civil society is the backbone of EU health. We urge Member States: restore #EU4Health operating grants & secure a strong #MFF budget for health in 2028–2034.

👉 Read the full statement here: buff.ly/cUNCaY2
#EU4Health #MFF #EUHealthPolicy #CivilSociety #EUCivilSociety #CivicSpace #PublicHealth

🤝 C-EHRN signed a joint letter coordinated by the International Drug Policy Consortium (@idpc.net), together with 83 civil society organisations, which urges EU Member States to reprioritise harm reduction and integrate a human-rights-based approach.

🔗 Read our reflections here: buff.ly/A6emT1I

The Strategy sparked a discussion among civil society organisations. C-EHRN expressed concerns about the Strategy, particularly its focus on supply reduction, security, and crime prevention, potentially sidelining health- and human-rights-based approaches.

❗Statement on the New EU Drugs Strategy❗

🇪🇺 On 8–9 December, C-EHRN and its director, Katrin Schiffer, participated in the EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs meeting. Among the discussion topics was the new EU Drugs Strategy, which was published on the 4th of December.

Prior to joining the administration, she worked in drug counselling and drug dependence prevention services.

Insa Holl works at the Berlin Senate Department for Science, Health and Care. With a B.Sc. in Health Sciences and a Master’s degree in Public Health, Insa now works on coordinating responses to drug use and drug dependence in Berlin.

💡We are honoured to welcome Insa Holl (Senate Department for Science, Health and Care Berlin) as our speaker for the city of Berlin at the European City Initiative for Drug Policy (ECIDP) Webinar on December 18th!

📅Thursday, December 18th, 15:00-16:00 CET
🔗Register now: buff.ly/3ebbogn