Protecting civil society space at times of COVID19 Lessons learned for advocacy

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Side event at the 64th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (#CND64), co-sponsored by Australia, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, YODA, CDPE, EuroNPUD, Frontline AIDS and IDPC. • In March 2020, the World Health Organization characterised COVID-19 as a pandemic, prompting governments around the globe to declare a state of emergency and/or implement a wide variety of policies and programmes in order to curb outbreaks, minimise mortality rates, and maintain public safety and order. • These measures have caused significant changes in public life, the provision of public services (including harm reduction services), governance, democracy, policy-making processes, and advocacy work around the world. This has pushed many civil society actors to adapt their ways of working, while remaining resilient as they face new challenges such as increased workload and pressure, uncertainty around financial and organisational sustainability, health concerns and others. • This side event will discuss the various ways in which restrictions imposed in the context of COVID-19 have impacted upon the advocacy activities of civil society, and lessons learned from experiences around the world on how civil society and policy makers have adapted to this ‘new normal’. • Speakers: • • Birgit Kainz-Labbé, Coordinator, Civic Space Unit, OHCHR • • Ann Fordham, Executive Director, International Drug Policy Consortium • • Bobby Chauhan, Manager, International Unit, Office of Drug Policy and Science, Health Canada • • Jan Stola, Executive Director, Youth Organisations on Drug Action • Moderator: H.E. Luis Javier Campuzano, Ambassador of the Mexican Mission to the United Nations in Vienna

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