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UNODC in collaboration with the Anti Narcotics Force, Government of Pakistan has launched a project "District Level Drug Abuse Prevention' in the seven selected districts of Pakistan. Sindh: Malir, Khiarpur, Baluchistan: Quetta, Gawadar, Punjab: Muzaffargrah,, NWFP: Kohat Charssada. The project aims at reducing the demand of illicit drugs through initiating drug abuse prevention campaigns targeting young people between the ages of 12 and 24. One of the major activity under the project will be to support the community-based drug abuse prevention activities for youth.

a) As a first step District Drug Abuse Prevention Committees (DDACs) have been established. These multi-sectoral Committees are comprised of representatives of several government departments (including Health, Education, Labour, Social Welfare), NGOs working in drug abuse prevention and treatment, and law enforcement agencies. The mandate of these Committees is to facilitate and monitor drug abuse prevention and treatment activities within their respective districts.

b) As a second step the DDACs have identified the areas of drug abuse prevention interventions for youth required in their respective districts, as well as local active NGOs, CBOs and other institutions (such as academic institutions).

c) As a third step various activities that been under taken by the NGOs/CBOs include the following:

· Establishment of Drug Abuse Prevention Clubs in schools

· Peer education activities aimed at out-of-school youth, including workplace interventions (for example, in mechanic workshops)

· Essay and debate competitions · Sports competitions, with built-in educational components

A workshop of Social Welfare Officer and Secretaries, District Drug Abuse Prevention Committees (DDAPC) was held in Hotel Mehran, Karachi on 03 - 04 February 2005. In the workshop UNODC/ANF and the participants from the Districts discussed and finalize a work-plan for year 2005. The secretaries DDAPC therefore be able to provide guidance to youth of the area to develop locally suitable proposals and projects against drugs abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention for year 2005