The initiative titled “The Addict is a Patient… Not a Criminal” emerged in response to the urgent need to address the phenomenon of drug addiction through a rights-based perspective, a humanitarian approach, and civil tools that promote comprehensive handling of the issue away from criminalization and punishment. The initiative adopted a new vision in approaching the issue of addiction, grounded in the daily realities of affected families, aiming to generate serious public dialogue around the nature of the problem, appropriate responses, and the roles and responsibilities of all relevant actors.
Eighteen dialogue sessions and two conferences were implemented across seventeen Iraqi governorates through a series of interactive events carried out in cooperation with the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights and the Independent Human Rights Commission in the Kurdistan Region. The initiative witnessed wide participation, with 649 individuals from various governmental ministries and institutions, as well as civil society organizations, volunteers from the Public Aid Organization, and youth activists.
The initiative sought to reshape public perception of drug addicts by breaking the stigma surrounding addiction and promoting a civil and humanitarian discourse that frames addiction as a medical condition requiring treatment rather than a crime warranting punishment. It also emphasized the importance of activating a comprehensive national response that includes prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration into society, thereby enhancing opportunities for recovery and social stability.
