Plenary Session IV

Role of Youth in Prevention of Drug Use.

Prevented by :
Mr. Anoop Hurpaul, Pro National Youth Task Force, Mauritius and Dr. Hameed K. Al- Shaygi, WAMY Saudi Arabia.

Prevention of Drug Abuse among Youth:

• Youth is an important part of society in the fight against drug abuse in the world. Although youth are vulnerable, it has been proved that youth are the best educators for their peers. Hence, empowerment and peer education programme for youth are very important, to advise their peer on the ill-effects of drugs.
• The need for training and empowerment and peer education of youth has been stress regularly during the speech of Mr. Anoop Hurpaul and Dr. Hameed Khalid Al- Shaygi. Mr Anoop Hurpaul also pointed out the ‘patronage’ of the President of the Republic who meet the Regional Youth Task Force (RYTF) annually. The activates and posters of the regional youth talk force of Mauritius were also depicted and shown.

Dr. Hameed Khalid Al-Shaygi briefed on the prevalence of drug-talking among youth in the world which has increased. He says that gateway drugs have made people think that they are permitted, and that a true hero is not someone who has stopped taking drugs but rather one who abstains from talking drug. The resource from Saudi Arabia laid emphasis on the importance of prevention so that there is a safe environment for every one to live in. “ We need to put our effort in curing and need the show the rest of the world the youth population of the ill-effects of drug abuse. We need to catch then before they lose” he said. The basic thin of these youth programmes is that we need the youth and their input.

Due to the globalization era things have become different so we need the youth to advise the other youth from talking drugs. Both resource person agreed that peer education programme is crucial, and that youth’s advice is crucial from the setting up of youth activities/ programmes. .they also encouraged recreational activates as well as other alternative activities in the fight against drugs-abuse.

Recommendation

1. To adopt a comprehensive programme that ensures the involvement and active participation of young people al all levels.
2. More peer education programme by positive youth role models.
3. Media involvement in substance prevention in dissemination of information among the youth.
4. Involvement of the youth in decision-making in the setting up of youth programme-for the prevention of substance abuse.

Role of NGO’s in Drug Demand Reduction

presented by Mrs. Audrey d’Hotman

Miss Audrey d’Hotman presented the various rehabilitation centers operating in Mauritius under the aegis of NATReSA. The four resident centers: CATR, Center de Soildarite La Chrysalide and Etoile d’ Esperance which is a center for rehabilitation of women alcoholic and the other five day-care center as women as the correctional facilities.

She also recalled the history of the drug relation NGOs in Mauritius which started in the early’80s with various religious and ethnic groups trying to cope with the emergence of drug addiction as new phenomenon.

We were also made acquainted with the services offered by the various NGOs in the field of:

1. education and awareness;
2. prevention in places like public and private school-workplace, the community out reach comprising of working with families and establishing presence and trust in the rehabilitation institution;
3. detoxification which are prerequisite;
4. rehabilitation which itself as prerequisite therapies for:
(a) out patients; and
(b) residents in an atmosphere of bio-psychosocial as well as spiritual intervention.
5. relapse prevention and after which are an integral part of every worthy programme’
6. family programme and assistance that reactivated the family nucleus and tends to involve every member in the recuperation process around the addict.
Mrs d’Hotman also spoke of the contributive element of NGOs which are:

1.closer to substance accuser; and
2.leave grassroot expertise with adaptability to change environment (NGOs are the first to know about the least drugs, type of addicts, if drug barons etc.);
3. less institutionalized
4. dedicated social workers and volunteers;
5. strong advocacy role with government and public sector;
6. cheaper services;
7. Generate own funds (fund raising activates, although barely
sufficient to run the current year);
8 .Censures continuity in programme v/s changing
policies; and
9. Allows personalized services under various
philosophies.

She stress on the fact that NGOs collaborate with the Government and other bodies on various projects (statistical, pilot, awareness, community, etc)

She concluded by saying that NGOs promote free living, enhance responsibility in the community