On the RISE
Youth RISE (Resource. Information. Support. Education.) is an international youth network for reducing drug-related harm. Caitlin Padgett introduces the movement.
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Many young people live in a world where illicit drugs are more readily accessible than the education, resources or treatment necessary to reduce drug-related harms. Often, drugs are available where social services are not.
Currently, there are an estimated 13.2 million people who use injecting drugs in over 155 countries worldwide. Up to 30 percent of all new HIV infections worldwide are attributed to injecting drug use, and many are young people. In addition, estimates from the UN General Secretary state that 92 percent of people who use injection drugs in low- and middle-income countries have no access to HIV prevention, and less than 5 percent have access to treatment, care or support.
In many regions, the average age of first injection is decreasing, and in some countries, it is as low as 15 and 16 years of age. Yet young people who use drugs are some of the most marginalised, stigmatised and criminalised individuals in society. They are systematically excluded from life-saving prevention services and support, and proven harm reduction strategies are deemed too controversial. Barriers such as the lack of disaggregated data, lack of youthfriendly and peer-to-peer youth services limited research on drug use and sexual behaviours, legal barriers in access and stigmatisation all contribute to the further marginalisation of young people who are affected by substance use.
Over the past three years, Youth RISE has seen an increase in interest and engagement amongst young people and youth allies within the harm reduction and HIV movement, and a small number of international policy makers are starting to take notice.
Youth RISE advocates for the rights of young people who use drugs because, when the resources and support for young people needed to reduce drug-related harms are unavailable and when sexual and reproductive health services do not address the link between substance use (including alcohol) and sexual health risks, our right to the highest attainable standard of health is being denied.
When young people who use injection drugs or are affected by drug use are excluded from global and regional HIV/AIDS and drug policy design and implementation, our right to participation is being denied. And when education fails to honestly address drug-related harm and sexual and reproductive health, our rights to education and to freely access information are not being respected.
In this fight towards equality and equal access, Youth RISE has sought to provide a voice for some of the most marginalised youth worldwide. We have participated in many conferences such as the international AIDS conferences in both Toronto and Mexico, the first global methamphetamine conference, the Harm Reduction Coalition conference and the last two international conferences on reducing drug related harms in Warsaw and Barcelona and the upcoming one in Bangkok. We have also been involved in the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS and the Beyond 2008 NGO Consultation on Drugs. We have done this to advocate for the greater inclusion of young people within harm reduction programming and planning.
We are a network of young people affected either directly or indirectly by substance use and drug policies, and of allies who believe harm reduction can be an effective approach for young people. We now have more than 200 members worldwide, representing 62 different countries!
Please check out our website if you’d like to get involved and sign up as a member, or you can just email us with questions or for further information. The Youth RISE Team looks forward to hearing from you!
- Caitlin Padgett is the International Co-cordinator for Youth RISE, www.youthrise.org.
