Growing people power:

The Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

February 2023

Authored by: Dania Putri

Edited by: Juan Fernández Ochoa
Design and layout: Rudy Tun-Sánchez
Cover photo: March organised by APROSAM in San Pedro, Ivory Coast

supportdontpunish.org
[email protected]
facebook.com/supportdontpunish
twitter.com/SDPcampaign
instagram.com/supportdontpunish
Newsletter: eepurl.com/dtxD4f

Support. Don’t Punish is a global, decentralised and grassroots-centred campaign

that mobilises communities targeted by and resisting repressive drug policies, and
their allies. Under a common banner, we promote harm reduction and drug policies
that prioritise health, human rights and well-being.
The campaign seeks to raise the profile of harm reduction and sustainable responses
to drugs by strengthening communities’ mobilisation capacity, opening dialogue with
policy-makers, and raising awareness among the media and the public.

Page 2 | Growing people power

TABLE
OF CONTENTS

04
KEY MESSAGES
+ KEY NUMBERS

05
INTRODUCTION

07
ANCHORING POLICIES
AND POLICYMAKING
PROCESSES IN REALITIES
ON THE GROUND
10 - Highlight: Nigeria
Support. Don’t Punish exhibition with highlights from activities worldwide.
Photo: Finnish Association for Humane Drug Policy (HPP)
13
SOLIDFYING PEOPLE
POWER
Campaign supporters in Argentina.
Photo: Intercambios

18 - Highlight: Philippines

20
CHALLENGING
CRIMINALISATION AT
ITS CORE
21 - Highlight: Colombia
26 - Highlight: Portugal

30
BY WAY OF CONCLUSION

31
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Page 3 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

 KEY MESSAGES KEY NUMBERS
OF THE CAMPAIGN OF THE DAY OF ACTION

The drug control system is

broken and in need of reform. 327
events worldwide
People who use drugs should
not be criminalised.

People involved in the

281
participating cities
drug trade should not face
harsh or disproportionate
punishments. 91
participating countries
The death penalty should

100+
never be imposed for
drug offences.
media items
Drug policy should focus on
health, well-being,
harm reduction and
Photo: Escola Livre de Redução de Danos

meaningful community
engagement.

Drug policy budgets need

rebalancing to ensure health
and harm reduction-based
responses are adequately
financed.

Page 4 | Growing people power

INTRODUCTION

change-making, bringing the Support. Don’t

Punish messages to parliament buildings,
public parks, radio stations, online meeting
rooms, and many more.

In addition to popular mobilisations for the

human rights of people who use drugs and
other populations affected by punitive drug
policies, a growing number of campaigners
adopted an intersectional approach to cam-
paigning, bringing into sharp focus issues re-
lated to gender and economic injustice.

This report summarises activities carried

out as part of the Support. Don’t Punish
Global Day of Action in 2022. In their own
unique ways, these activities help connect
policymaking processes with realities on the
Photo: IDCHS ground, solidify people power, and challenge
It has been two years since the Covid-19 pan- criminalisation at its core.
demic began and wreaked havoc across con-
tinents. The socioeconomic harms triggered
by the pandemic – and the unjust policies “
that come with it – have had long-lasting im-
pacts on communities. But 2022 turns out to
A growing number of
be the year of slow recovery for many peo- campaigners adopted
ple-led initiatives and movements.
an intersectional
From São Paulo to Lima to Edmonton, from
Maseru to Helsinki to New Delhi, and all the
approach to
way down to Sydney, Support. Don’t Punish campaigning, bringing
campaigners worked together to organise
activities countering the ‘war on drugs’ and into sharp focus
advancing sustainable alternatives instead. issues related to
Their areas of focus, priorities, and strate-
gies of choice differ greatly, and they may
gender and economic
even have disagreements on the way for- injustice.
”
ward. Still, united under a shared banner, they
occupied different spaces of struggle and

Page 5 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

ANCHORING POLICIES AND POLICYMAKING
PROCESSES IN REALITIES ON THE GROUND

Much of the drug policy landscape has

changed in the past decade. Drug-related de-
criminalisation – with all its different shapes
and sizes – can now be found in around 30
countries. Legal regulation schemes are
mushrooming and spreading even to areas
where the drug war was fought so violently
that even minor reform appeared unthinka-
ble.
Support for harm reduction is also increas-
ing, albeit with significant challenges in its
practice, as an increasing number of coun-
tries embrace it in policy documents and im-
plementation.
The role of people-powered initiatives in
creating the conditions to precipitate these ACRDR colleagues and representatives from the
changes cannot be overstated. Ministry of Health pose for a Support. Don’t Punish
photo in Yaoundé. Photo: ACRDR
Leveraging people power to engage with key
stakeholders in power-holding institutions, Meanwhile, in Akure (Nigeria), campaign-
campaigners took this year’s Support. Don’t ers from Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Punish Global Day of Action as an opportuni- (SSDP) and allied organisations mobilised un-
ty to engage with various policymaking and der the banner ‘Rethinking Drug Policy’, edu-
public actors, whose backgrounds, lines of cating other civil society organisations, Nige-
work and duties may be different but inter- ria’s drugs agency (NDLEA), and the public on
connected and linked with drug policy. the goals of Support. Don’t Punish; and lever-
In Kribi (Cameroon), the Association Cam- aging auspicious moves toward reform by the
erounaise pour la Réduction des Risques state’s governor. In so doing, some activists
(ACRDR) organised a conference involving proudly identified as people who use drugs,
representatives from various ministries demanding better conditions for themselves
(from health to youth to education), faith- and their communities.
based leaders, and law enforcement agen-
cies. The conference focussed on the living In Kishinev (Moldova), PULS Comunitar and
conditions and the human rights of people partners presented a manifesto at the Minis-
who use drugs. In Montserrado (Liberia), try of Justice, titled ‘Criminalisation doesn’t
activists held a workshop series on harm re- work’, and took part in a parliament-led work-
duction together with the Ministry of Health, ing group to reform legislation and improve
after which participants formed a coalition to services for people who drugs. The initiative
advance harm reduction in the country. gathered public support from a member of

Page 6 | Growing people power

Parliament and made it to a television pro- people (and 30,000 online) by combining dig-
gramme. ital outreach, street-based actions engaging
the public, and direct advocacy with Leba-
Thousands of kilometres away, the Bengal
non’s newly elected parliament. The latter
Forum of People who Use Drugs (BFPUD)
took form in a joint statement by a group of
conducted a series of multi-level advocacy Lebanese nongovernmental organisations
meetings, dialogue, and gatherings in Kolk- (NGOs), demanding the parliament to prior-
ata (India). Advocating for the rights of and itise drug policy reform as a way to alleviate
harm reduction for people who use drugs, the overlapping crises facing the people of
the series linked BFPUD and its affiliated Lebanon.
network members in West Bengal with local
Back on the vibrant African continent, young
people who use drugs and allies working with
Teens Link Uganda mobilised for a commu-
nity-led demonstration at the Wakiso (Ugan-
da) district headquarters. Participants wore
Support. Don’t Punish t-shirts and brought
banners stating that ‘the harms caused by
the war on drugs can no longer be ignored’,
referring to the dire situation in which peo-
ple who use drugs live in due to stigma, poor
health and social support, and human rights
violations.
In addition to attracting the attention of
policymakers, law enforcement and media
agencies, the initiative resulted in a number
of concrete outcomes, namely the inclusion
of people who use drugs in the forthcoming
Global Fund NFM4 application, the estab-
lishment of a methadone treatment centre
Skoun’s social media campaign prompted reflection
on the human and financial cost of punitive in eastern Uganda under PEPFAR COP22, as
approaches. Photo: SKOUN well as the formation of drug policy advoca-
cy links between people who use drugs and
authorities, criminal legal actors, the Health Ugandan policymaking institutions.
Department, and the Human Rights Commis-
These examples show only some of the
sion Department in West Bengal.
many ways in which ‘policymakers’ rely on
In Beirut, Baalbeck, and Tripoli (Lebanon), people and communities to carry out their
campaigners from Skoun, MENAHRA, SIDC, work. Using a myriad of approaches, activ-
Legal Agenda, and AJEM reached over 500 ists are united in their purpose: bringing pow-

Page 7 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

 Campaigners from Teens Link Uganda pose for a Day of Action group photo. Photo: Teens Link Uganda

er-holding institutions and decision-makers ment practices have been for people who
closer to realities on the ground. use drugs as well as the wider society.

Like any war, the ‘war on drugs’ is sustained In Kisumu, Kwale, and Nairobi (Kenya),
the Western Kenya Sex Workers Alliance
through policies, laws, norms, and institu-
(WEKESWA) collaborated with the Kwale
tions tasked to uphold it, even if it means
Network of People Using Drugs (KWANPUD),
using violence.

Characterised by drug-related arrests, extor-

tion, and abuse of various kinds, the police
and other law enforcement agencies are
highly visible examples of such institutions,
causing harms and violating the human
rights of our communities.

Challenging this, some campaigners decid-

ed to incorporate engagement with police A hybrid panel on the gendered impacts of the
‘war on drugs’ and interactions with sex workers
officers in this year’s activities, highlighting justice. Photo: Western Kenya Sex Workers Alliance
how harmful their drug-related law enforce- (WEKESWA)

Page 8 | Growing people power

Women Nest, and Renaissance, holding a ry acts from either medical personnel or law
space for honest discussions between peo- enforcement agencies.
ple who use drugs, Kenya’s drugs agency,
Similar activities took place in Bamako (Mali),
and law enforcement officers.
Berhampore (India), Maputo (Mozambique),
In Abeokuta (Nigeria), activists from SSDP and across ten cities (Abomey-Calavi, Cot-
gathered with more than 60 people who onou, Porto-Novo, Lokossa, Covè, Bohicon,
use drugs to raise awareness of the failures Savalou, Natitingou, Gogounou et Parakou)
of the war on drugs, particularly related to in Benin. In the latter, a coalition of organi-
discrimination, barriers to harm reduction, sations made use of this year’s Global Day
and unwarranted arrests of people who use of Action to start conversations about hu-
drugs. Civil society organisations, medical man rights with police officers, establishing
workers, and law enforcement actors were a framework of consultation between law
invited to engage directly with local commu- enforcement and local NGOs. Addressing
nities. The initiative then resulted in the es- the high prevalence of police brutality and
tablishment of a communication channel for
people who use drugs to report discriminato- Continues on page 12

‘Support. Don’t Punish – They also have rights; let’s respect them!’ - Sample drawing from illustration contest.
Photo: SDP Consortium Benin

Page 9 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

 DELIVERING MAT
In times of g

As shown in previous years, campaigns of care come in different shapes and sizes. They can carry and of
with and for the community.
In Concepcion (Chile), campaigners from Proyecto Epicuro - Fundación Ciencias para la Cannabis held a ha
garden project was developed.
In Mexico’s Baja, Mexicali and Tijuana, women who use drugs supported by Verter A.C. and the Women and
to discuss their experiences of drug use, as well as the numerous challenges they face due to intersecting
Similar actions led by women who use drugs (often organised in collaboration with women living with HIV,
and more.
Equally energising is campaigners’ stronger-than-ever commitment to harm reduction, particularly with reg
Workshops for naloxone administration took place in Drogheda (Ireland), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Ljub
In Lisbon (Portugal), local organisations operated a mobile safe consumption site and provided drug che
hopes and expectations for future drug policies.

Photo: SSDP UniCal

VOICES ON THE STREET:

ENGAGING PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS IN
COMMUNITY-BASED HARM REDUCTION
SERVICES
2022 Global Day of Action in Nigeria
Small grants programme highlight

Like everyone else, people who use drugs at Calabar’s Bayside community. Drug use is
come from diverse backgrounds, live high- highly prevalent in this community, including
ly variant lives, and have different needs. amongst young people as well as people in
But just like everyone else, people who use difficult socioeconomic situations.
drugs deserve access to health, social, and
The town hall forum consisted of aware-
other forms of support to live flourishing
ness-raising sessions and panel discussions
lives. Surely, this includes access to harm
on community-based harm reduction, involv-
reduction – in particular harm reduction pro-
ing experts and representatives working on
grammes that put communities at the centre.
community advocacy, clinical psychiatry,
With that in mind, activists from Students for drug treatment, and youth engagement.
Sensible Drug Policy of the University of Cal- Around 30 people who use drugs were​
abar (Nigeria) dedicated this year’s Global present and actively took part in the event. To
Day of Action to organising a Town hall forum enable open interactions, organisers hired in-

Page 10 | Growing people power

TERIAL SUPPORT
growing need

ffer different meanings in different contexts, but most share one vital characteristic: they are organised by,
terpreters to facilitate speakers of local lan- services need to be brought to the communi-
guages (Pidgin and Efik).
arm reduction conversation with people who use smokable ty, so it’s notafter
cocaine, just people
which awho use drugscommunity
collaborative who
have to come to the services.’
The event provided a safe space for people
d Harmwho
“
use drugs
Reduction to share their
International views
Network on exist-conducted outreach activities and held a ‘reflection circle’
(WHRIN),
g formsing and/or andpastdiscrimination,
health interventions, iden-
of stigma and gender-based
tifying valuable lessons which healthcare Services need to
violence.
, sex worker activists,could
professionals and other
learnwomen-led
be brough to the
collectives) could be found in Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Portugal,
about communi-
ty-based harm reduction, and how they could
gard tofurther
sharingsupport
practicalitsinformation
practice. In this
and regard,
access
the group talked about the types of care that
community, so it’s
to lifesaving tools like naloxone and drug checking.
bljanawork,
(Slovenia).
particularly those that are free of judg- not just people
ment and stigma, those that actively support
who use drugs
ecking services for people who use drugs. A space was also created for peers to socialise and voice their
active youth and community engagement, as
well as those that go beyond the traditional
clinical intervention.
who have to come
to the services.
Imo Uchenna, SSDP UniCal

All of this is not an easy task, as each con-

”
text requires a set of approaches tailored to
local and ever-changing needs. Moreover,
communities who use drugs, activists, and
harm reduction workers are also facing the
challenge of criminalisation and risks of ar-
rest, whilst mistrust between people who use
drugs and law enforcement agency prevails.
Photo: SSDP UniCal Years prior, Uchenna and other organisers
at SSDP UniCal primarily focussed on drug
Core to this has been the need to enhance
policy advocacy, communicating with law
community ownership and effort in the con-
enforcement and other relevant stakehold-
text of harm reduction. As explained by Imo
Uchenna of SSDP UniCal: ers to press for reform. However, as SSDP
UniCal became more engaged in campaigns
‘Community harm reduction services will be like Support. Don’t Punish, they began to ded-
more effective when the community owns icate more attention to harm reduction, con-
the process… So, it’s kind of different from necting people who use drugs with health
the traditional way of accessing healthcare in and harm reduction workers, supporting
hospitals… When they [the healthcare profes- them ‘to keep themselves safe until we have
sionals] understand that this is a community more supportive policies.’
effort, and when we let the community own
the process, we get more commitment, we After all, investing in community harm re-
get more people who use drugs coming for duction equals investing in sustainable infra-
the services… The mobilisation of people who structures, and creating harm reduction that
use drugs, and leaders in these communities, is ‘carried out in the community, and spear-
is important, so they can engage other people headed by the community members,’ assert-
who use drugs… We also talked about how the ed Uchenna.

Page 11 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

ANCHORING POLICIES AND POLICYMAKING
PROCESSES IN REALITIES ON THE GROUND
(CONTINUED)

Some campaigners also mobilised for the ed in police premises, where people who use
sake of improving public services, in par- drugs often face discrimination and arrests.
ticular harm reduction and health education Following the activity, PILS secured a meet-
regarding drug use. In Maseru (Lesotho), ing with the Ministry of Health and the advi-
SHELTER and She Hive collaborated with sor at the Prime Minister’s office, continuing
Lesotho’s drugs agency as well as the Min- their advocacy to resolve the dysfunctions
istry of Gender and Ministry of Social De- within Mauritius’ OAT programme.
velopment to push for evidence-based pro- Furthermore, motivated by similar goals, ac-
grammes for people who use drugs, such as tivists from AksionPlus held focus groups
OAT, NSP, and naloxone distribution. in nine methadone therapy centres in eight
Albanian cities (Tiranë, Shkodër, Durrës, El-
In Port Louis (Mauritius), PILS’s campaign basan, Fier, Vlorë, Korçë and Sarandë), docu-
pushed for better and stigma-free access to menting the needs of people who use drugs
harm reduction, specifically OAT, for people and their family members with regard to opi-
oid agonist therapy in particular, and harm
who use drugs. Organisers created a video
reduction in general.
and a policy brief highlighting the barriers to
accessing OAT. Besides limited support and Situations of injustice exacerbate cycles of
individual and collective trauma. Pain, anger,
distribution hours, OAT dispensation is locat-
sadness, and fear – all these emotions once
again came up and were shared and pro-
cessed during this year’s Global Day of Ac-
tion. But such emotions have not prevented
people from mobilising for the future. If any-
thing, our shared indignation has contributed
to our resolve, even when it is hard to see the
light at the end of the tunnel.
Many campaigners around the world know
that each death linked to punitive drug poli-
cies could have been prevented. And, while
acknowledging this can be a source per-
severance, it does not make the process of
grappling with loss and tragedy any simpler.
This is why, just like in previous years, the
2022 Global Day of Action served as an op-
‘The distribution of methadone must take place portunity for communities to not only grieve
somewhere else than police premises in order to fight
against the stigmatisation and prejudice suffered by and heal together, but also to organise and
patients treated with methadone who are deemed as fight for a better tomorrow. In so doing, com-
criminals’. Facebook post by PILS, Mauritius munities worked together to solidify people

Page 12 | Growing people power

SOLIDIFYING PEOPLE POWER:
DIVERSE, GENERATIVE, AND INTERCONNECTED

power – a type of power that is diverse, gen- tims of the war on drugs, those who died
erative, and interconnected. from overdose, torture, extra-judicial killings,
In Kisumu (Kenya), campaigners from Kin- HIV, and other preventable tragedies. Partic-
PUD and Picture Youth Group gathered for ipants lit candles and held a moment of si-
the tenth year anniversary of the SDP Global
lence, then sang a song together. In addition
Day of Action, to remember countless vic-
to this commemoration, a street campaign

“ If anything, our shared

and forum were also organised, along with a
space for refreshments.
indignation has contributed Similarly in Quezon City (the Philippines), ac-
to our resolve, even when tivists from Sensible Philippines lit candles
it is hard to see the light at whilst sharing stories related to the drug war,
the end of the tunnel. combining it with a bike ride and shirt print-

” ing.

Memorial service for peers pushed into premature death.

Photo: Initiative group Soprichastnost

Page 13 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

In Kaliningrad (Russia), community-led group and non-binary people have been taking a
leading role in this arduous journey.
‘Soprichastnost’ held a memorial event for
those who passed away due to overdoses, In Recife (Brazil), the Free School of Harm
Reduction held a debate with women and
whereas in Sydney (Australia), local faith- others involved in popular feminist move-
based organisations coordinated an inter- ments. Central to their discussion was the
assurance that ending the ‘war on drugs’ is
faith prayer service to promote justice and
undoubtedly a feminist issue. In the discus-
health support for people who use drugs. sion, activists critically unpacked how racism,
misogyny, and classism dominated Brazil’s
After a moment of remembrance, activists in criminal and security systems, incarcerating
Edmonton (Canada) shared an art and writ- poor people, Black women, and many more
for drug-related charges – depriving them of
ing space where participants could pour their basic human rights and dignity.
hearts and minds into, whilst enjoying meals
and snacks together.

In Rijeka (Croatia), campaigners opted for a

more playful and dynamic approach to initi-
ating collective discussions about alterna-
tives to the ‘war on drugs’, organising sports
games, a dance event, and a quiz on drugs
and harm reduction. In addition to the above, Activists in Jakarta (Indonesia) took to the streets to
community gatherings were organised in engage with the public about drug policy, emphasising
on their disproportionate impacts on women.
dozens of cities worldwide, including in Photo: NAPUD

Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Abidjan (Cote d’Ivo- Another inspiring feminist activity took place
ire), and Maseru (Lesotho). in Mexico, regionally led by the Women’s Col-
lective against the War on Drugs (Colectiva
Always in the spirit of solidifying people pow- de Mujeres en Contra de la Guerra de las Dro-
gas), consisting of representatives from sev-
er, 2022 saw a growing number of cross-sec-
eral community-based organisations in Bra-
tor, cross-movement, and intersectional zil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States.
efforts to counter the ‘war on drugs’, which The coalition carried out a digital campaign
titled ‘Prohibition Harms Women’ (aligned
operates alongside other systems of oppres- with the global campaign coordinated by the
sion and exploitation. Importantly, women Women and Harm Reduction International

Page 14 | Growing people power

Network - WHRIN), and through a WhatsApp man rights and harm reduction approaches
group, conducted discussions to enhance that centre collective care.
the visibility and participation of women and Organisers from ReverdeSer Colectivo and
non-binary people who use drugs in harm re- allies in Mexico City joined the local Pride
duction and drug policy. march, distributing pleasure management
kits with affirming messages of human
Powerful actions also shook Montevideo rights, youth and care, and sexual diversi-
(Uruguay), where the Latin American Artic- ty. Similarly, in Warsaw (Poland) activists
ulation of Antiprohibitionist Feminists (Ar- attended the local Pride Parade, engaging
ticulación Latinoamericana de Feministas fellow attendees on the realities of punitive
Antiprohibicionistas), Imaginario 9, Mizan- drug policy, in addition to taking part in a live
debate on criminalisation and its intersec-
gas movement of Afro women and RENFA
tion with socioeconomic exclusion.
held workshops and meetings to address
the multiple horrific ways in which the war In countering the ‘war on drugs’ and the many
oppressive systems that intersect it, solidify-
on drugs harms poor people, women of Af-
ing people power also means transforming
rican descent, Indigenous women, migrants,
the way power is understood and distributed.
homeless people, and refugees. Instead of Genuine people power is not concentrated in
criminalisation and coercive approaches like the hands of the few, but it is shared amongst
forced treatment, campaigners called for hu- many. This goal of redistributing and sharing

Support. Don’t Punish campaigners join Pride events in Mexico City and Warsaw.
Photos by: ReverdeSer Colectivo (left), Polish Drug Policy Network (right)

Page 15 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

power surely materialised in campaigners’ sers-by about the impacts of the drug war on
efforts to strengthen, connect, and build the women and non-binary people. Each person
collective capacity of communities. was then offered the chance to express their
support using a heart-shaped sticker and
In San José (Costa Rica), for instance, three
campaigners managed to gather more than
community-led and harm reduction organ-
80 of them! Time and time again, campaign-
isations – ACEID, LANPUD, and FECORED
ers’ experiences show that empathy and
– provided psychosocial assistance and
compassion flourish when given the chance.
welfare support for more than 200 peers
without shelter and in situations of vulner- In addition, increasingly visible this year
ability. This was an opportunity to cultivate is the role of storytelling and gatherings to
solidarity between people who use drugs advance epistemic justice by asserting, for
and gesture to the transformative potential instance, that people’s lived experiences are
of community-led support. Two days later, valid sources of knowledge and expertise,
the same campaigners carried out political and should be of guidance to policymaking.
advocacy involving public health institutions
and civil society organisations working on No longer should people’s lived experiences
HIV advocacy in order to fight stigma and and ideas be dismissed, taken for granted,
discrimination. or reduced to mere statistics used to fuel
coercive and punitive policies. The effort to
Through their ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ make community struggles more visible has
campaign in Bogor (Indonesia), activists been an important part of this progressive
from Womxn’s Voice showed that soli- shift too. For example, the Mozambique’s
darity can be built from the very person- Network of People who Use Drugs (MozPUD)
al, including reaching out to strangers. organised a march in the centre of Maputo
To do so, campaigners gathered at a pub- (Mozambique), where people who use drugs
lic garden to start conversations with pas- were able to visibly campaign for their rights
for the very first time in the country. Across
West Africa, campaigners from SSDP Inter-
national organised focus group discussions
centring the experiences and demands of
young people, promoting greater youth par-
ticipation in civil society and policymaking
efforts.
Reaching multiple cities in Greece, PRAKSIS
created a video campaign titled ‘We tell a sto-
‘The most important thing when things are going ry’, featuring a person who faced imprison-
badly is not to stay locked up, but to seek help.’ AILES ment and other forms of suffering due to the
in Mangalkhan, Mauritius created a series of videos
Greek criminal legal system. Simply telling
following a workshop on gender-sensitive harm
reduction programmes and support for women who this story – and having around 200 people
use drugs. Photo: AILES listen it – helped give this person strength to

Page 16 | Growing people power

move forward, whilst prompting encouraging of the ‘war on drugs’, centring women and
responses from his peers. non-binary people, LGBTQ+ communities,
In Kaunas and Atylus (Lithuania), local activ- workers, migrants, and more.
ists reached nearly 6,000 people with an on-
This year, such safe spaces were created in
line event where people talked about how the
Pakistan, South Africa, and Canada, where
criminalisation of drug use impacted them
personally. women and non-binary people gathered to
share their personal experiences with drug
Safe spaces are important to exchange ex-
prohibition, reflecting on what prohibition un-
periences and develop marginalised com-
der patriarchy means to them. Similar activi-
munities’ capacity to mobilise and advocate
for themselves. This is perhaps why we wit- ties were also organised in Ukraine, Mexico,
ness more and more activities focusing on Burundi, India, and Portugal, with support
the gendered, racist, and classist dynamics from WHRIN.

This ‘drug pedagogy’ event in Ibague (Colombia) created space for participatory storytelling about local experiences
with psychoactive substances, including exchanges about self-care for people who smoke substances, as well as
ancestral uses of coca. Young people and children actively participated along with older members of the community.
The mural reads: ‘You can change your leaves, but not your roots’. Photo: Corporacion Dadactica

Page 17 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

 Group photo from the ‘kumustahan’ event. Photo: IDUCARE / StreetLawPH

CARING CONVERSATIONS:
KUMUSTAHAN IN CEBU
AND CALOOCAN
2022 Global Day of Action in the Philippines
Small grants programme highlight

The ‘war on drugs’ in the Philippines has years, they have been increasingly inspired
taken and ruined the lives of dozens of thou- by other advocates in Southeast Asian coun-
sands of people. Not few of those victimised tries to collaborate with networks of wom-
by punitive policies and practices are women, en who use drugs, which has brought them
who have either been killed, jailed, or harmed to this year’s creative engagement with the
in various ways due to their drug use and/or Support. Don’t Punish Global Day of Action.
involvement in the drug market.
Titled kumustahan (‘kumusta’ meaning ‘how
Against this backdrop, both StreetLawPH are you doing?’), StreetLawPH and IDUCare
and IDUCare have long been actively sup- convened two groups of women who use
porting local communities who use drugs to drugs from two cities, Cebu and Caloocan –
collectivise, fight criminalisation, and access with whom the two organisations have col-
health, social, and legal support. In recent laborated in the last few years.

Page 18 | Growing people power

 “These women [in Caloocan] are
Panki Nadela of IDU Care added that whilst
the group of women in Cebu are more fo-
cussed on harm reduction approaches, the
Caloocan-based group is leaning more to-
wards abstinence-based approaches. The graduates of a community-based
latter is also more isolated and less exposed programme of the city government
to other organisations and communities.
Part of this is due to the fact that ‘Caloocan
(…) It was a way to ensure they
has been so violently hit by the drug war,’ said didn’t become part of the kill list.
Panki. They’re really survivors of the drug
‘These women [in Caloocan] are graduates war.
of a community-based programme of the
city government, which was an intervention Mary Catherine Alvarez, StreetLawPH

”
to prevent them from getting arrested, jailed,
or it’s a way for them to be released from jail.
And it was also a way to ensure they didn’t
become part of the kill list. They’re really and IDUCare are still planning follow-up ac-
survivors of the drug war… We are not forc- tivities that would further bridge the two
ing them to immediately accept [alternative groups, whilst promoting nuanced perspec-
approaches like harm reduction], because
tives around drugs and drug use.
of their experiences with the “war on drugs”,
which was very violent and negative… We Knowing how difficult this process is, Alvarez
cannot blame them… as they are also afraid
of the consequences if they’re found to be noted, ‘they’re at the point of being able to
using drugs again. So, there’s a lot of navigat- identify the harms of the war on drugs, such
ing…’ shared Mary Catherine Alvarez, from as talking about the harrowing experiences
StreetLaw PH.
of being in contact with the criminal justice
Given these realities, the intention of Street- system or with the police. We are still on the
LawPH and IDUCare’s action was to provide
way to discussing alternatives…’
a safe space for these two groups of wom-
en to get to know each other, exchange sto- As a new congress is taking shape in the
ries, and talk about their hopes and dreams
amidst the seemingly insurmountable chal- Philippines, both Nadela and Alvarez remain
lenges brought about by the ‘war on drugs’ hopeful that the ‘war on drugs’ will end. But
and other oppressive policies in the Philip- for now, they are concerned about the safety
pines. And indeed, despite their differences,
of local communities that they work with, as
the participants managed to have fruitful
discussions. Both groups are equally com- illustrated by Alvarez, ‘to be honest, we are a
mitted to improving the lives and livelihoods bit envious that in other countries, communi-
of their respective communities. ties can actually take a leading role on activ-
As a relatively new organisation, the Caloo- ities like Support. Don’t Punish. It is hard to
can-based group is inspired by their coun-
do it in the Philippines. Perhaps for the15th
terparts in Cebu to work towards expanding
their network and supporting other survivors anniversary of SDP this would no longer be a
of the drug war. Meanwhile, StreetLawPH problem for us.’

Page 19 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

4

CHALLENGING CRIMINALISATION AT ITS CORE

Nearly every year, the World Drug Report engagement to challenge and offer sustain-
highlights an increase in drug use, produc- able alternatives to criminalisation. This line
tion, and distribution. Not so often acknowl- of work has contributed to a shifting dis-
edged in such reports has been the role of course in relation to drugs and the ways we
prohibitionist drug policy in causing drug-re- relate to them, mainstreaming the demand
lated harms, and more importantly, the fail- and hope for drug policy that promotes, rath-
ure of these punitive policies to prevent drug er than undermine, our shared need for care
use and drug related harms. and connection.
Many campaigners know that criminalisation This year, organisers in the African continent
is a highly counterproductive response to the continue to take a leading role in collaborat-
challenges that their communities experi- ing with various types of media. In Bujum-
ence. Drugs are part of our human society, bura (Burundi), Village Health Action and
and most campaigners continue to take a partners used media leverage to talk about
pragmatic and harm-reduction-oriented ap- the failures of criminalisation and advocate
proach to this reality, saving lives along the for better health services for people who
way. use drugs, after which a prestigious media
platform published their story, attracting in-
Since its inception, the Support. Don’t Punish terests from high-level policymakers to listen
campaign has always focussed on strategic, to their message, whilst local communities
active, and participatory media and public became more inclined to reach out for sup-
port. At the same time, campaigners carried
out media broadcasts in Kaduna (Nigeria),
reaching over 1000 people.
In Freetown (Sierra Leone), campaigners
from the Institute for Drug Control and Hu-
man Security and SSDP Sierra Leone organ-
ised a jogging session whilst calling for the
adoption of Sierra Leone’s new drug law. At-
tended by people who use drugs, students,
as well as representatives from the country’s
drug and law enforcement efforts, the event
was widely covered by the media, resulting in
publication in three television stations, three
radio stations, and two newspapers.
Similarly calling for alternatives to criminali-
Campaigners in Bosnia Herzegovina distributed Sup- sation and imprisonment, campaigners from
port. Don’t Punish leaflets in the city of Tuzla, and or- VOCAL Kenya took part in radio talk shows
ganised movie screenings and talks on harm reduction. and other media engagement in three Ken-
Photo: Asocijacija Margina yan cities (Nairobi, Kisumu, and Malindi),

Page 20 | Growing people power

in addition to other actions such as commu-
nicating with public institutions, publishing
policy briefs, holding community meetings,
and distributing SDP campaign gear.
Following a roundtable with key stakehold-
ers (from the council for human rights to
health practitioners and NGOs), courageous
campaigners in Ukraine talked to local me-
dia agencies about the situation of people
who use drugs in prisons and other closed
settings – reaching an estimated total of
100,000 viewers. This action coincided with
allied campaigners’ mobilisation across
multiple cities in Ukraine. Undeterred by Another world is possible’: Campaigners from AIDES
precariousness triggered by the war, they held gatherings in several French cities, presenting
organised flash-mobs titled ‘Fighting for my collages, photos, and testimonials of people who use
rights’, presenting illustrations to highlight drugs, showcasing the life-affirming quality of harm
the experiences of people who use drugs in reduction and drug policy based on care and compas-
sion.
times of war. Photo: AIDES

Continues on page 24

Page 21 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

 DELIVERING MAT
In times of g

As shown in previous years, campaigns of care come in different shapes and sizes. They can carry and of
with and for the community.
In Concepcion (Chile), campaigners from Proyecto Epicuro - Fundación Ciencias para la Cannabis held a ha
garden project was developed.
In Mexico’s Baja, Mexicali and Tijuana, women who use drugs supported by Verter A.C. and the Women and
to discuss their experiences of drug use, as well as the numerous challenges they face due to intersecting
Similar actions led by women who use drugs (often organised in collaboration with women living with HIV,
and more.
Equally energising is campaigners’ stronger-than-ever commitment to harm reduction, particularly with reg
Workshops for naloxone administration took place in Drogheda (Ireland), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Ljub
In Lisbon (Portugal), local organisations operated a mobile safe consumption site and provided drug che
hopes and expectations for future drug policies.

Harm reduction tent organised by the project Échele Cabeza.

Photo: Acción Técnica Social

LEVERAGING MEDIA TO ADVANCE

REFORM WITH A SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS
2022 Global Day of Action in Colombia
Initiatives Programme highlight

Acción Técnica Social (ATS) is a civil society ening socioeconomic inequalities among
organisation headquartered in Bogotá (Co- people who use drugs, ATS’ Global Day of
lombia), whose drug policy work ranges from Action activities have integrated peer-to-peer
research and harm reduction interventions care components —offering health checks,
to policy and media advocacy. In advancing grooming services, harm reduction education,
these fronts, ATS collaborates with organi- and nutritious food to street-based people
sations and communities inside and outside who use smokable cocaine.
Colombia.
This direct engagement with communities af-
With the Support. Don’t Punish campaign, ATS fected by criminalisation and neglect, whether
has been fearlessly innovative. Over the past in the streets, at universities, in nightlife set-
few years, for instance, in response to deep- tings or through social media, characterises

Page 22 | Growing people power

TERIAL SUPPORT
growing need

ffer different meanings in different contexts, but most share one vital characteristic: they are organised by,
ATS’ people-centred approach to reform. In the concrete proposals for sustainable alterna-
arm reduction
words ofconversation
ATS’ Vanessawith people
Morris: ‘the who
mostuse smokable
grat- cocaine,
tives after which a collaborative community
in its stead.
ifying aspect of our work is to see how people
d Harmwho Reduction International Network (WHRIN), Indeed, with contributions from the Support.
use drugs are empowered to speak up forconducted outreach activities and held a ‘reflection circle’
g forms of stigma and discrimination, and gender-based Don’t violence.
Punish Initiatives Programme, ATS is
themselves, to stand up to authorities and de-
, sex worker activists, and other women-led collectives) accompanying
could be foundover
in Indonesia,
5 nationalItaly,
andKenya, Portugal,
local bills
mand change in failed strategies’.

“
that seek to enshrine harm reduction in law.
gard to sharing practical information and access to lifesaving tools like naloxone and drug checking.
An important part of this work will focus on
The most
bljana (Slovenia).
a public-facing campaign entitled ‘La Reduc-
gratifying aspect
ecking services for people who use drugs. A space was also created for peers to socialise and voice their
ción de Daños Será Ley’ (Harm reduction will
of our work is to be the law), which includes social media cam-
see how people paigns, live sessions, debates, and parliamen-

who use drugs tary engagement.

are empowered In concluding, Morris leaves us with discern-

to speak up for ing words of advice: ‘Just as the media have
themselves. been largely responsible for maintaining pro-
Vanessa Morris, ATS hibition, now they are the perfect forum to

In ATS’ experience, community empowerment

and policy advocacy have been potentiated
” change it’.

by their resourceful use of social networking,

media engagement, and other creative skills
to popularise discussions around drugs and
social justice, through projects like Échele
Cabeza, Cambie, Coca Regulada, Zonas de
rumba segura, and Festival de Cortos Psico-
activos.
As Morris explained: We have gone from being
among the first organisations to publicly raise
these topics, to becoming an indispensable
reference for journalists in mass media and
specialised outlets’.
And this work is paying off in spades! Sus-
tained engagement with traditional and so-
cial media has shifted the terms of the pub- Visual identity of ATS’ Initiative Programme activity
lic debate in Colombia, from discussions ‘Harm reduction will be the law’
on whether the ‘war on drugs’ has failed, to

Page 23 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

CHALLENGING CRIMINALISATION AT ITS CORE
(CONTINUED)

Surely, the process of challenging criminal- In Sydney and Melbourne (Australia), around
isation would not be complete without ac- 1000 participants attended an event organ-
tions that practically put harm reduction at ised by Drug Policy Australia, where organis-
the forefront, emphasising its limitless pos- ers screened movies, held discussions, and
sibility, fluidity, and diversity. These include
carried out demonstrations of naloxone use
various initiatives like drug checking, train-
ings and workshops for naloxone adminis- for overdose reversal. In addition to publi-
tration and related programmes, education, cations and merchandise, fentanyl testing
and information exchange on harm reduction strips and reagent drug testing kits were also
techniques, and more. made available at the venue. Meanwhile in
For example, in Morelia (México), sever- Perth, activists from Peer Based Harm Re-
al organisations held a workshop on drug duction WA distributed 100 harm reduction
checking, sharing scientific-experimental care packs to people who use drugs, includ-
techniques necessary to identify the degree ing a rain poncho, disposable tourniquet,
of purity of a substance. The workshop went sterile water, and snacks.
smoothly with all the needed supplies, yet it
was carried out with minimum publicity for For many campaigners, harm reduction goes
security reasons. Another key purpose of the beyond specific interventions, like the distri-
workshop was to equip those who cannot ac- bution of hygienic paraphernalia or access to
cess public spaces like festivals, where drug naloxone. Harm reduction also serves as a
checking services could mainly be found in philosophy and approach of care that coun-
the region. ters the injustice of marginalising and dis-
empowering systems and institutions that
create obstacles to self and collective care.
With that in mind, activists from Elementa in
Bogota (Colombia) dedicated their time and
energy to people deprived of liberty, organis-
ing informative workshops to help people in
prison access care, harm reduction services
and legal support.

Another concrete expression of harm reduc-

tion is the facilitation of access to education
and information on drug, acknowledging the
importance of people making informed deci-
sions about their bodies and lives. Through
Informative leaflets at a Support. Don’t Punish stand such efforts, numerous campaigners also
in Podgorica, Montenegro. Photo: Montenegrin harm discuss the long history and societal benefits
reduction network LINK and NGO Juventas
of psychoactive substances.

Page 24 | Growing people power

 UISCE organised a naloxone training session for staff and peers from the Condlakin area, Dublin, Ireland.
Photo: Clondalkin Tus Nua

Advocates in Montpellier (France), for in- the use of cannabis, smokeable stimulants
stance, organised an educational event to and sniffable substances such as cocaine,
discuss traditional and contemporary uses as well as HIV tests.
of psychedelic substances for healing.
Similarly, inspired by the deep relationships
that humans have with drugs, activists or-
ganised around the 5th Support. Don’t Pun-
ish Festival in Mexico created their second
edition of a fanzine on pleasure and risk man-
agement. The fanzine was made distributed
free-of-charge in Tijuana, Querétaro, and
Mexico City, alongside many other activities,
including music festivals, talks, workshops,
E de Lei distributed water and harm reduction
analysis of psychoactive substances, deliv- supplies for 100 people (many of whom have no
ery of hygienic and safe paraphernalia for shelter) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photos: E de Lei

Page 25 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

 DELIVERING MAT
In times of g

As shown in previous years, campaigns of care come in different shapes and sizes. They can carry and of
with and for the community.
In Concepcion (Chile), campaigners from Proyecto Epicuro - Fundación Ciencias para la Cannabis held a ha
garden project was developed.
In Mexico’s Baja, Mexicali and Tijuana, women who use drugs supported by Verter A.C. and the Women and
to discuss their experiences of drug use, as well as the numerous challenges they face due to intersecting
Similar actions led by women who use drugs (often organised in collaboration with women living with HIV,
and more.
Equally energising is campaigners’ stronger-than-ever commitment to harm reduction, particularly with reg
Workshops for naloxone administration took place in Drogheda (Ireland), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Ljub
In Lisbon (Portugal), local organisations operated a mobile safe consumption site and provided drug che
hopes and expectations for future drug policies.

The mobile drug checking van attracted dozens of people eager to test this harm reduction facility.
Photo: Kosmicare

DRUG CHECKING FOR THE PEOPLE

2022 Global Day of Action in Portugal
Small grants programme highlight

For the first time in history, on 26th June event also involved local harm reduction teams
2022, residents of Porto (Portugal) were able and was covered by a local newspaper.
to test their substances – thanks to the mo-
bile drug checking promoted by Kosmicare, The moment the van arrived in Porto, people
in an initiative of the R3 Harn Reduction Net- were already waiting in line. As recalled by
work, in collaboration with APDES, ARRIMO, Kosmicare organiser Inês Pedro Nobre Diniz,
CASO, Médicos do Mundo, SAOM, and Norte ‘people were excited to see us, saying, “we’ve
Vida. been waiting for you to test [our substances].
We never did this in Porto before.”’
The drug checking van travelled to four dis-
tricts of Porto: Aleixo, Pinheiro Torres, Cerco, For years, Portugal has been known for its
and Zona Histórica. Nineteen samples were ground-breaking decriminalisation policy and
analysed, and a peer assembly was held with its success in significantly curbing drug-re-
around 15 people who use drugs, though doz- lated harms as well as in supporting public
ens more were present throughout the day. The health as a whole. But people who use drugs

Page 26 | Growing people power

TERIAL SUPPORT
growing need

ffer different meanings in different contexts, but most share one vital characteristic: they are organised by,

“ The moment the

arm reduction conversation with people who use smokable
At the peer assembly coordinated by organis-
ers, cocaine,
local people
afterwho
whichuse drugs sharedcommunity
a collaborative
core needs when it comes to drug checking.
their

drug checking
d Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN), conducted
Ideally, both fixed and mobile services should
outreachand
be available, activities and held a ‘reflection
more investment should be circle’
van arrived in
g forms of stigma and discrimination, and gender-based made
violence.
to enhance technological capacities of

Porto, people were

, sex worker activists, and other women-led collectives) the services.
could be found Local peers alsoItaly,
in Indonesia, demand quick-
Kenya,
er results, and the opportunity to have their
Portugal,

already waiting in substances returned to them, as opposed to

gard to sharing practical information and access to lifesaving tools like naloxone and drug checking.
line. being destroyed. Certainly, drug checking ser-

”
bljana (Slovenia). vices should operate alongside other harm
reduction programmes.
ecking services for people who use drugs. A space was also created for peers to socialise and voice their
Despite the overwhelming success of the
continue to face stigma, harassment, coer- event, Diniz and her colleagues remain wary
cion, and social exclusion. They also remain of the future of drug checking in Portugal:
vulnerable to health and other risks associ- ‘Portugal has lots of experience with harm
ated with the unregulated drug markets, for reduction, but some – not all – policymakers
example through drug contamination. In fact, still have a drug-war – or a drug prohibition-
the availability of drug checking (and other ist – mindset. They know drug checking and
lifesaving programmes like drug consumption harm reduction are important, but [essential-
rooms) in Portugal is very limited. Only Lisbon ly] they still want to stop drug use. This is why
has regular drug checking services, operated there’s still stigma around this service.’
by Kosmicare with limited funding.
Notwithstanding these challenges, Kosmi-
But compared to the capital, cities like Porto care and other local organisations remain
have even fewer resources to provide drug committed to the work they are doing for
checking services. Local authorities are also local communities. In this regard, Diniz ac-
less inclined to listen to people who use drugs, knowledges the role of Support. Don’t Pun-
who, despite the stigma they face, are still ac- ish as an annual opportunity ‘to reflect what
tively engaged in harm reduction and policy we need to do this year, what people need
advocacy, as well as in sparking social change. this year.’
Surely, this is largely thanks to the work of peer
networks like CASO, who play an integral role
in designing and promoting lifesaving pro-
grammes in a participatory manner.
“ Sometimes people think that
‘Sometimes people think that people who use people who use drugs don’t
drugs don’t care about their health. And this
stigma is even stronger towards people in care about their health. But we
more vulnerable conditions. But we have all have all these people asking
these people who are very interested in this when’s the next time they could
[drug checking] work, and asking questions
about when the next time they could come,’ come [check their substances].
explained Diniz as she described how eager Inês Diniz, Kosmicare
people were to engage with the mobile drug

”
checking initiative.

Page 27 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

 Photos by: CSAPA Kaz’oté, Reunion Island

Photo sent by: Sahara Aalhad, India

Photo sent by: IDCHS Sierra Leone

Photo sent by: SSDP Ghana Photo sent by: Spiritek, France

Page 28 | Growing people power

 Photo sent by: Free School of Harm Reduction, Brazil

Photo sent by: Streetworks, Canada

Photo sent by: Finnish Association for

Humane Drug Policy (HPP)

Photo sent by: BRIDGE, Afghanistan

Photo sent by: SDP Consortium Benin Photo sent by: VOLNA, Ukraine

Page 29 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action

BY WAY OF CONCLUSION

As asserted by many campaigners this year, Furthermore, this year’s Global Day of Ac-
the Support. Don’t Punish Global Day of Ac- tion reminds us that the Support. Don’t Pun-
tion remains an invigorating high point in the ish campaign is also a learning community.
harm reduction calendar, offering a counter- This year we have witnessed even more
point to the outdated annual commemoration cross-movement and intersectional actions
of the status quo. Indeed, the immense scale inspired by feminist, queer, and anti-racist ac-
and variety of this year’s activities shows how
tivism. As we celebrate these powerful con-
Support. Don’t Punish has become an iconic
nections, we also reflect on how to extend
and meaningful symbol of our global struggle
against criminalisation and repression – in fa- our networks of solidarity and support to rural
vour of care and community. communities and people involved in the culti-
vation of crops deemed illicit, whose lives and
As always, harm reduction related action and health are also imperilled by the punitive edi-
advocacy makes up a huge part of this year’s
fice of the ‘war on drugs’.
activities. United against the ‘war on drugs’,
campaigners continue to champion harm re- Ten years on from the campaign’s first
duction as an essential component of drug
policy, even if each community has different
steps, the 2022 Global Day of Action
views of how it should look like in their own illustrates how increasingly powerful
contexts. Moreover, these hundreds of expe- we have all become – together – as
riences prioritising bottom-up advocacy and
a transnational collective united in
community empowerment speak volumes of
our vision for the future: one where drug poli- struggle for a bright and caring future
cy puts people at the centre. beyond the ‘war on drugs’.

Page 30 | Growing people power

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A DECENTRALISED EFFORT People Who Use Drugs (ENPUD), the Euro-

The campaign’s modus operandi pean Network of People who Use Drugs (Eu-
The Support. Don’t Punish is an international roNPUD), the Middle East and North Africa
decentralised networked effort, contributed
Harm Reduction Association (MENAHRA),
to by thousands of campaigners and hun-
dreds of local partner organisations world- the Women and Harm Reduction Internation-
wide. al Network (WHRIN) and YouthRISE.
The International Drug Policy Consortium
hosts the Support. Don’t Punish campaign CAMPAIGN DONORS
and acts as its main hub. As such, IDPC leads Resourcing people power for harm reduction
on global fundraising, capacity development
and communication efforts, and provides Last, but by no means least, IDPC is incred-
material and in-kind support to campaigners
across the globe. ibly grateful to the campaign’s donors, who
provide absolutely essential means for cam-
paigners to challenge criminalisation and
promote harm reduction.
THE CAMPAIGN’S SISTER HUBS
Championing our common cause worldwide IDPC has received dedicated campaign
IDPC is in regular dialogue with organisa- funds from the Elton John AIDS Foundation
tions that actively promote the campaign and and the Robert Carr Fund. Important core
contribute to the mobilisation of grassroots
groups, including through their own fundrais- support has also been received from the
ing efforts. Open Society Foundations.
These sister hubs often have a regional or
thematic focus. Their commitment has been
crucial for the campaign’s growth and many
of the activities that have been mentioned
above owe themselves to their unwavering
dedication.
For this reason, an account of the 2021Sup-
port. Don’t Punish Global Day of Action would
not be complete without acknowledging
the fantastic work of sister hubs such as:
the Drug Policy Network South East Europe
(DPNSEE), the Eurasian Harm Reduction As-
sociation (EHRA), the Eurasian Network of

Page 31 | Support. Don’t Punish 2022 Global Day of Action