As part of the activities of the “The Addict is sick and not Accused” initiative, which was launched throughout Iraq, the Public Aid Organization, in cooperation with the Independent Commission for Human Rights, organized the Erbil anti-drug forum, with the participation of representatives of the ministries of Interior, Health, Education, Higher Education, Labor and social affairs, as well as several civil society organizations.
The forum witnessed extensive discussion sessions on the situation of addicts and ways to care for them and integrate them into society, in addition to an awareness presentation on the danger of drugs and the level of their spread, highlighting the role of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in addressing this phenomenon.
The event also covered an aspect of the Nonformal Education project by highlighting the challenges facing the most vulnerable groups, and the importance of providing a safe and inclusive educational environment that contributes to the Prevention of drug abuse and enhances opportunities for rehabilitation and community integration. The Volunteers of the Erbil office contributed great efforts to the success of the event, which stressed the importance of coordination between government agencies and civil society organizations to address this problem under the principle that “the addict is sick and needs care, not criminalization”.
