Drug awareness and prevention of violence and exploitation in Lebanon

The Bekaa region of Lebanon has hosted an awareness-raising campaign on drugs, violence, exploitation and terrorism, targeting more than 500 young people aged 16-17 at risk of drug addiction and exploitation. The campaign was organised by the European ACT project, Combating Terrorism, in partnership with UNICEF.

The campaign consisted of ten workshops with more than 50 participants from private and public schools and the correctional centre of Nusroto in each session to raise awareness on drug use, with the aim of improving the responsiveness of these young people and their understanding of good practices to prevent and combat risky behaviours arising from drug use.

Nusroto is a United Nations Economic and Social Council accredited organisation that rehabilitates drug addicts in its inpatient and outpatient centres, runs restorative programmes in prisons and re-educates juveniles in its correctional centre, in coordination with the Ministry of Justice.

The workshops provided legal and socio-political knowledge on the risks of drug use and juvenile delinquency and its relation to organised crime and terrorism, with an overview of criminal legislation in Lebanon. Participants were also able to learn about the psychological aspects and side effects of drug abuse on individuals and their community, and how to prevent and correct it by making informed decisions and seeking expert help. They also had the opportunity to access real testimonies of rehabilitated young people in Nusroto.

During the ten sessions, young participants actively contributed to the discussions, shared personal experiences and were able to ask questions. The interaction with the resource persons and the exchange fostered an inclusive and safe space for dialogue and meaningful engagement.

The closing event, organised at the Nusroto Al-Anashid Association in Zahle, was attended by the ACT project team leader and Chief Inspector of the National Police, Jesús Arias, the project coordinator, María Oset-Serra, and the project’s human rights expert, Carine El Hage, who coordinated this activity in the framework of the project’s support to civil society organisations in Lebanon to prevent and combat violence, exploitation and terrorism, and to enhance the participation of young people in their communities with the aim of building resilient and peaceful societies.