The Indian Drug Users’ Forum (IDUF) established on August 9, 2010, is envisioned as a national-level forum that promotes the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs (MIPUD) in policy and program development that directly affects our lives. The core belief behind the formation of IDUF is that when people who use drugs (PUD) from various parts of the country come together with one voice, they can create a greater impact on drug-related issues and work more effectively towards building a better environment for their community.

IDUF believes that grassroots democratic organizing among drug-using communities — at the local, regional, and national levels — can serve as the foundation for a strong social movement. This movement has the potential to bring long-term, transformative changes in drug policies and programs that affect the lives of people who use drugs.

IDUF’s vision is to reclaim access to health and human rights for people who use drugs at the grassroots level in India through the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs in the sector of HIV/AIDS, health, and drug treatment-related policy-making, design, implementation, and monitoring.

IDUF’s shared mission is to enhance a process of social and political change to establish, promote, and strengthen the rights, dignity, social status, and improvement of the quality of life of all people
who use drugs. IDUF wishes to integrate the drug user movement with the broader global movement to establish the rights of all people who use drugs and meaningful involvement in policy and program development.

IDUF aims to establish and strengthen State-Level Networks (SLNs) to ensure community (PUD) representation in decision-making. It promotes meaningful involvement in policy and program development, collaborates with organizations for HIV and drug use responses, advocates for access to quality services, supports peer networks, builds capacity for current and ex-users, and engages in activities providing medical, legal, economic, and social assistance.

On June 17, 2008, in Makassar City, the Persaudaraan Korban Napza Indonesia (PKNI) was established as a National Network by representatives from 13 provinces in Indonesia, namely: Aceh, North Sumatra, Bengkulu, Lampung, Jambi, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and South Sulawesi. PKNI is a national organization created for and by drug users to advocate, organize, and build partnerships. This organization actively participates in shaping drug policies because it believes that drug users are victims of policies that criminalize drug use. PKNI fights to restore human rights lost due to their criminal status. PKNI’s vision is “The realization of the fulfillment of the rights of drug users as part of citizens.” Addiction is a disease that involves physical and mental dependence on certain substances. This illness can be treated through medical care, cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, and medical and social rehabilitation. Therefore, targeting drug users in the War on Drugs is a mistake, and the failure of this approach has been proven worldwide.

PKNI’s efforts are recognized globally. The organization received the “Red Ribbon Award” from UNAIDS in Melbourne, Australia, for “Advocacy and Human Rights.” Additionally, PKNI was awarded the “International Rolleston Award” in Kuala Lumpur for its leadership in reducing the harm of psychoactive substances at the international level. While global drug policies focus more on eradicating drug abuse, the Global Commission on Drug Policy published a report stating that the global War on Drugs has failed, with devastating consequences. In 2023, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights affirmed that punitive strategies over the decades have failed to prevent the increasing production and consumption of substances worldwide.

Recovering Nepal (RN) is the national federation of people who use drugs and drug service organizations established in 2004. Our work is underpinned by the principle of ‘meaningful involvement of people who use drugs’ and grounded on networking, evidence generation, and advocacy for evidence- and rights-based drug laws and policies. It is our mandate and commitment to serve communities in need.

Since its inception, RN has had the opportunity to work with many funding partners/mechanisms, such as the Global Fund, ViiV Healthcare, WHO, UNICEF, GIZ, UNDP-DFID, UNODC, FHI 360, Mainline, the International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD), among others. Every work RN has done in partnership with these agencies has emphasized community-led response and multi-sectoral approach to improve HIV prevention and harm reduction service delivery and advocacy through capacity building/strengthening of community-led organizations, empowering communities on/for human rights, reducing stigma and discrimination, generating evidence through community-led research, development of national guidelines by engaging with relevant ministries and government agencies (departments), technical assistance, and community mobilization.

The Thai Network of People who Use Drugs (ThaiNPUD) was established in 2019 by groups of people with a history of or living experience of drug use and human rights experts to represent the voices of people who use drugs in Thailand. The network envisions a society where people who use drugs can live their lives with respect and human dignity by promoting and advocating for basic human rights and meaningful involvement of people who use drugs at all levels.

Vietnam Network of People who Use Drugs (VNPUD) is a network supporting drug users in Vietnam, established in 2011. More than 70 member groups in 30 provinces and cities in Vietnam work with VNPUD. During 14 years of operation, the vision we have always aimed for is a society where drug users and sex workers are protected in all circumstances and can exercise their rights and control their lives. Our mission is to provide harm reduction services and improve the quality of life of drug users in Vietnam.

Ve Nha Binh Yen aims to become a professional organization that contributes to building an equal society so that drug users in Vietnam all have the opportunity to develop.