The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Efforts to Strengthen a Culture of Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

This article discusses how decision-makers can be supported to strengthen a culture of prevention. This article presents an example of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) work to engage with decision-makers to create readiness, demand, and capacity for evidence-based prevention programming among them, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. First, we utilized two of the UNODC’s data sources to describe the context where the UNODC’s prevention efforts take place. Analysis of the first dataset on prevention activities implemented globally revealed a gap in translating evidence into practice on a global scale. The second dataset consisted of UNODC policy documents mandating and guiding global action to address substance use. The analysis showed that at the level of political frameworks, prevention is gradually gaining more attention but is still frequently left in the shadow of health- and law enforcement-related issues. In addition, these guiding documents did not reflect fully the current scientific understanding of what constitutes an effective prevention response. Against this background, the feasibility of the UNODC’s efforts to bridge the science–practice gap in the field of prevention was discussed by presenting the results from the UNODC’s regional capacity-building seminars focused on the role of monitoring and evaluation in prevention programming. The results showed potential of this capacity building to affect the attitudes and knowledge of targeted decision-makers. Such efforts to increase decision-makers’ readiness and ultimately their endorsement, adoption, and ongoing support of evidence-based preventive interventions should be continued and intensified.

COVID-19 and the marginalized: an opinion piece on further measures to address COVID-19 in prisons in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…These include political instabilities, high incidences of poverty, low gross domestic product per capita, high indebtedness and a low level of advancement in the area of technology, among others. This work does not in any way attempt to expound on all the recommendations or measures indicated in the United Nations' Helsinki Conclusion document (Heikkila ¨et al, 2020) policy formulation, advocacy, or the WHO's Health in Prisons Programme guidelines for COVID-19 prevention in prisons personal protection measures, physical distancing measures and environmental measures, among others (Mhlanga-Gunda et al, 2020b). Rather, the work attempts to probe into the physical distancing as well as the environmental measures as means to curtail the virus and the broad applicability of physical distancing, specifically in prisons in Sub-Saharan Africa.…”

Commentary on the Culture of Prevention

“…To build a culture of prevention warrants efforts to educate at all levels. In their paper, Heikkilä et al (2020) provide the results of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime efforts to provide information on evidence-based prevention to governmental decision-makers through regional seminars targeting low-and middle-income countries. The aims of these seminars were to "…create readiness, demand, and capacity for evidence-based prevention programming."…”

“…Having a culture of prevention helps to establish a place for evidence-based prevention services and activities to be adopted and sustained (Sentell et al 2018). Without such a "culture," funds are misspent on "easy" and ineffective prevention strategies that may have iatrogenic effects (Heikkilä et al 2020;Moos 2005;Werch and Owen 2002). Furthermore, fostering a "culture of prevention" should be supported across the board and permeate the everyday lives of broad populations.…”

Introduction to the Special Issue on “Promoting a Culture of Prevention: an International Perspective”

“…Strengthening the regulatory processes and the infrastructures supporting prevention work is essential to building a culture of prevention. For example, Heikkilä et al (2020) discuss the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) efforts to engage with the decision-makers to strengthen a culture of prevention, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. Heikkila and colleagues further suggest several additional necessary components of the intervention process, such as addressing the needs, beliefs, values, priorities, and skills of decision-makers, a national/international champion, and professionalization of the working team.…”