On International Day Against Drug Abuse, Sudanese Government Should Make Youth Protection a National Priority
By Rehab Shabo
Every year on June 26, the world observes the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, reaffirming the commitment of nations and communities to combat this cross-border scourge and stand united in the face of one of the most dangerous challenges threatening societies.
In Sudan, this catastrophe has worsened alarmingly, particularly during this cursed war, the resulting economic collapse, and the systematic assault on state institutions—all of which have thrown the doors wide open to the rampant spread, use, and trafficking of drugs on a wide and dangerous scale.
It is well-known that the rebel militia has widely disseminated drugs among youth in the areas it has attacked.
Amid this tragic reality, Sudanese youth—the backbone and future of the nation—have become easy targets for trafficking networks and victims of their crimes.
This coincides with the absence of protection programs, weak oversight, lack of rehabilitation and treatment opportunities, and the deliberate destruction of treatment centers.
Based on these alarming and saddening facts, and on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse, we issue an urgent appeal to the Sudanese government (the Government of Hope), demanding that combating drug abuse become a top national priority, leading the security, health, and social agenda—due to its direct impact on the country’s future and the wellbeing of its generations.
We also urge the government, with all its legislative, executive, and security bodies, to assume its historical responsibilities regarding this issue by taking the following steps:
1. Declare a national state of emergency to combat drug trafficking, promotion, and illicit use, recognizing it as a strategic threat to national security.
2. Form a High National Committee comprising relevant bodies (Interior, Intelligence, Health, Education, Social Affairs, Religious Affairs, Youth and Sports, Media, and Civil Society Organizations) to develop a comprehensive and sustainable strategy to combat this devastating plague.
3. Establish a Supreme Council for Drug Control, chaired by the Prime Minister, including all relevant ministries and institutions. It should have a general secretariat responsible for policy formulation and implementation monitoring.
4. Strengthen the efforts of the police and security agencies to dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks, especially those exploiting the fragile security and economic conditions.
5. Provide treatment and rehabilitation centers in all Sudanese states, ensuring the reintegration of recovered individuals into society free from stigma or negative discrimination.
6. Activate the role of media and society, including preachers, intellectuals, and teachers, in raising awareness and building a preventive culture.
7. Protect students in schools and universities, enhancing awareness and supervision within educational institutions and involving students in awareness programs.
8. Empower and prepare families to be the first line of defense against drugs, through education, support, and awareness of their preventive roles.
In conclusion, as we approach the end of the war, we reaffirm that no sustainable peace, and no just state, can be built while our youth remain victims of addiction and are left outside the system of protection, support, and care.
Fighting drug abuse is not a luxury or an option—it is a national and moral duty upon which human dignity, societal stability, and the rise of nations depend.
Our beloved Sudan deserves that we all work together for its revival and progress.
Sudan deserves a future free of drugs.
And the youth of Sudan—who have proven their patriotism, endured, and sacrificed for their homeland—deserve our protection and the provision of a safe and healthy environment worthy of their dignity.
Let drug control be an essential part of the next Sudanese state-building project, centered on human development and national recovery.
May God grant success.
Former Founder and Director of the Hayat Center for Addiction Treatment
Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=6191