Asbury Park’s Help Not Handcuffs Granted United Nations Consultative Status
Thompson: Having this kind of access is critical, as our organization fills a key deficit in public policy discourse
The City’s own Help Not Handcuffs has been granted special consultative status with the UN’s Economic and Social Council [ECOSOC], CEO and founder Randy Thompson announced.
Thompson with former U.N. President of the General Assembly, H.E. Mogens Lykketoft in February 2016
Help Not Handcuffs works to help reform drug policy from a recovery and human rights perspective. They have participated in UN policy discussions as a guest member of delegations from the Harm Reduction Coalition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy but the approval now gives them a voice in global drug policy discussions moving forward.
And while Thompson will not be attending next week’s 72nd Regular Session of the United Nation’s General Assembly, the nonprofit will participate in UN’s Commission on Narcotic Drugs meetings and political forums to develop the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
“Very central to our efforts is the high level Political Forum in 2019 when the U.N. will rewrite its political declaration on how its member states will implement drug policy,” Thompson said.
Thompson before the United Nations Informal Interactive Stakeholder Consultation in February 2016
Help in obtaining the global participation nod came with support from Asbury Park’s City Manager, Mayor and Council, who “helped us with the application by verifying in a letter our charitable work within the city,” Thompson said.
The approval allows Help Not Handcuffs to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as well as with the United Nations Secretariat, programs, funds and agencies in a number of ways, Thompson said. This includes designating representatives at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and offices in Geneva and Vienna, and presenting testimony and written statements at hearings.
“Having this kind of access is critical, as our organization fills a key deficit in public policy discourse – the voice of recovering persons and their supporters, who recognize the value of advocating against the attendant harms and human rights violations caused by drug prohibition and traditional recovery culture” Thompson said.
Help Not Handcuffs is comprised of Thompson and Trustees: Jeana Sager, Eleanor Sabin, MA, Grace Rotundo, and Jesse Thomson, MA. Advisory Board Members include: Brian D. Powers, Leah Lazzaro, LCSW, Laura Jannone, Ph.D., Michael B. Cooke, Esq., Dan Ulloa and Melissa Tomlinson. Advocates include: Christie Rhodes, MSW, Deirdre Metcalf, MSW Candidate and Christy Caraballo.
For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.
[Photos courtesy of Help Not Handcuffs]
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