Preventing Alcohol and Drug Use among Children at Risk in Nepal CWIN Experience

1. Preventing Alcohol and Drug Use among Children at Riskin NepalCWIN Experience Sumnima Tuladhar

2. Integration of ADD in CWIN In Nepal, FORUT collaborated with CWIN from June 1995, to address children's rights with focus on protection of girls’ rights and self reliance of young people at risk. Local Action (now ADD) was introduced in CWIN in 1999 as knowledge based project aiming at prevention of the use of alcohol and drugs through social action. Since then CWIN has integrated the issues of alcohol, tobacco and drug use among children into all of its programmes of action, including policy advocacy.

3. Working with Children at Risk Children working and living in risk situations are often exposed to highly destructive life conditions. The consumption of tobacco, drugs and alcohol is a well known phenomenon to these children. Most of them without responsible adult guidance end up in situations from where it becomes difficult for them to exit. To most of them substance use is a factor that contributes to worsening their situation. Thus it’s a challenge to work with children at risk to prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco and drug use.

4. Factors Influencing Children • Individual psychology/ circumstances which encourage compulsion • Values attached to the image of happiness, socialisation and substances considered as anti-depressants Use within family: • Members of family using tobacco / parents sending children to buy cigarettes/ consent from parents to use tobacco/ becomes learned behaviour Peer Pressure: • Pressure/ increasing competition among peers/ group cultures/ bullying Psychological factors • Individual psycho-social problems/ circumstances which encourage compulsion • Image of smoking attached to happiness, success, socialisation and also anti-depressant

5. Environment • Open use of tobacco in society, neighbourhood/ use of tobacco in socio-cultural events and celebrations normalising its use Availability • Open sale of tobacco in communities, local shops/ No restriction in sale of tobacco to children • Lack of Effective Laws • Lack of effective laws and regulations • Lack of adequate laws and monitoring in restriction of selling and advertisement encourage children to use tobacco.

6. Socio-Psychological Factors • Advertisements/ Promotions • Glamorous portrayal of tobacco in mass media and cinema as a synonymous for success or as anti-depressant • Open advertisements of various tobacco products mostly targeting on youth. Sponsorship of public events and sports, music and entertainment events by tobacco companies • Use by role models • Smoking in public or in mass media by role models of children such as the film or sports stars, politicians, teachers, parents, doctors or lawyers, etc

7. CWIN’s Intervention

8. CWIN Prevention Strategy • CWIN takes a comprehensive approach to prevention of alcohol, tobacco and drug use among at risk children in Nepal. • Since CWIN runs both broad based and specific programmes to support survival and empowerment of children, it has been possible to have such comprehensive approach. • CWIN’s strategy for preventing children at risk from substance use is a combination of: • Creating and strengthening Information and knowledge base • National level policy advocacy and awareness campaigns • Orientations and Trainings for both social workers and children • Empowerment of children/children’s participation/peer education • Support for socialisation, social reintegration and self-reliance CWIN has integrated the ADD issue into all of its programmes of action and also has been running specific department to focus on the issue with specific attention

9. Research and Advocacy Initiation of Researches • Alcohol and Drug Use in Nepal with reference to Children - 1999-2001 • Alcohol and Drug Use among Children at Risk in Nepal - 2001 • Glue Sniffing Among Street Children in the Kathmandu Valley- 2003 • Impact of Alcohol and Tobacco Advertisements on Children – 2004 Policy advocacy/Lobbying Organised National Debate/discussions on the issue to bring attention of policy makers / Organised delegations to concerned authorities and Ministry of health for implementation of laws and regulations Organised pressure groups for formulation of progressive law Organised interactions with business community/ advertising agencies, celebrities and the alcohol/tobacco industry to draw their attention on minimising harm against children

10. Orientation and Training Training / Orientation • Training/orientation for Community conscientisers of CWIN • Members of Child Rights Forums • Street Theatre Groups • Field workers/social workers from CR organizations Integration of orientation discussion session within the empowerment interventions • Every year CWIN organises a month long training course for children at risk 9including the street children) and a separate training on adolescent education. In both these trainings alcohol, drugs and development is integrated as one of the main topics for discussion which encourage children/adolescents to • Be informed about hazards and stay away from it • Be smart and learn to say NO to peer pressure • Share their experience • Get help when needed • Get associated with child clubs or groups for support

11. Awareness Publications / IEC materials • Publication and dissemination of fact-sheets/pictorial • Production and dissemination of posters/ stickers /leaflets Street Drama Campaign • Regular Street Drama performed in the streets, and work places • Performed in the market place • Performed in the bus park/ public parks • Performed in the school premises (Govt. and private) Picnics/Hiking • Organise picnics with children as an entry point to initiate dialogue with street children and working children about the issue of alcohol, tobacco and drugs • Organise various recreational activities with messages to stop use of substances

12. Children’s Participation Role of Child Rights Forums • CWIN works with more than 300 child rights forums or child clubs in Nepal actively engaged in child rights work • Many such clubs have started their own initiations to minimise use of alcohol and tobacco in their communities. They are raising awareness among their peers and other children around and the community people about substance hazards. • Children are gradually emerging as effective counter forces against tobacco use • Influence peers, parents, teachers and other adults to quit drinking and smoking • Put pressure on local governments to create alcohol and tobacco-free society for children

13. Social Mobilisation Mobilisation of Peer Educators • Since peer pressure is found to be one of the push factors for at risk children to do drugs and alcohol, CWIN started involving peer educators in the field to bring awareness and support children needing help to get rid of their habits and raising awareness on HIV to minimise risk Using Celebrities/Social Activists as Role Models Invite celebrities/ role models for children to interact with them, learning, sharing their expereinces to motivate children to stay away from drugs, alcohol and tobacco

14. Self-reliance and Social Reintegration • Provide platform for former drug users and young people living with HIV to bring change in their lives, to integrate in society • Provide vocational and skill trainings • Assist in job placements • Provide support for group entrepreneurship/ small business toolkit training • Support for family contacts/ citizenship • Put in contact with relevant organisations for further support

15. Challenges • Rapid increase in substance use by children and adolescents (increasing number of girls), particularly smoking and drinking at increasingly early ages • Improper environment leading children working and living in risk situations such as child workers and street children to the habit and addiction to tobacco and alcohol use • Working environment for these children contribute to children falling into addictions • Use of tobacco and alcohol also resulting in such children’s use of mild drugs including glue sniffing and up to hard core drugs • Smoking and alcohol use among young people living with HIV, worsening their health status

16. Challenges • Children living in risk situations tend to resort to alcohol, drug use to escape from adverse life they live • Lack of drugs rehabs for at risk children, no family support, disintegrated families pose as a great challenge for social reintegration • Lack of awareness among families of children about harms of passive smoking and impact of alcohol use to children • Lack of broader understanding on the issue that use of tobacco and alcohol leads to further poverty in poor families which results in deprivation of children’s rights from fundamental rights like health and education. • Weak implementation of existing laws and no governmental intervention for social reintegration of young people at risk with addictions

17. Thank You