The West African Drug Policy Network Sierra Leone Chapter (WADPN-SL) on Tuesday 19th July organized one-day training session for its members on ‘Policy Advocacy and Communication Skills’ at FORUT on Main Motor Road, Congo Cross, Freetown.
In his opening remarks, the Communications Officer, Saa Mathias Bendu, welcomed participants and said the session was organised to make civil society actors knowledgeable on what to talk about and also be grounded on issues they address so that they will not encounter any problems with the communities that will deter them from achieving their aims and objectives. He emphasized the importance of knowing what they intend doing as a network and how they go about it.
Head of Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and Development (FDID), Prince Bull, said the network is hoping for drastic changes in the country’s drug laws to enable them go after big time drug traffickers instead of petty drug users.
In his PowerPoint presentation, he highlighted talks on the meaning of advocacy, its goals, strategy, focus on the campaign, understanding the players and the playing field, understanding the decision-making process, definition of public policy and its categories, typologies of policy, public policy cycle and a gender setting.
Prince Bull disclosed that the network will interface with authorities concerned to see drug as a social issue and not a criminal one, which he said will be followed by a news conference and a float parade on 26th July.
By Donstance Koroma, First published on http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/