speeches
Remarks by Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker at a Seminar on the Role of Women in Drug Abuse Prevention, Islamabad, Pakistan
02/16/2005
ANF Director General Nadeem, ANF Force Commander Brigadier Tahir Saleem, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen…Asalam Alaikum. It is a pleasure to be with you today.
Drug abuse, particularly among women, is a topic that often gets swept under the rug. There is still a stigma attached to the problem that makes people feel ashamed to admit it even exists. Many think: “drugs don’t concern me” or
”it’s a problem that afflicts only the poor or the uneducated.”
But I’m sure you have learned over the past two days, that this issue does concern you. Drugs can tear at the fabric of any society. They don’t respect social, economic or gender boundaries. They kill the rich and the poor, the literate and the illiterate. They kill our children. They empower criminals who undermine security and stability. They destroy the economy by triggering other social problems such AIDs and violence.
So, what appears to be someone else’s problem is actually a global menace that needs concerted action at all levels - in the home, community and government.
I commend the Anti-Narcotics Force for its efforts to raise awareness of the issue and combat it. The U.S. Government has been working in partnership with the Pakistan government for the last 20 years to fight drugs, and we intend to continue our cooperation.
Our counter-narcotics programs aim to reduce inhibit the flow of opiates illegal drugs through Pakistan, eliminate Pakistan as a source country of poppy and heroin, and reduce the demand for illegal drugs within the country.
This strategy addresses both the supply and demand sides. On the supply side, drug criminals will always try to find a door to push through their illegal activities. We need to keep those doors shut by staying one step ahead of them. This takes strong public institutions, strategic vision and community vigilance. It takes citizens, like yourselves, to ensure that drugs will not be tolerated by anyone, anytime or anywhere.
On the demand side, we are pleased to be able to support this seminar, as a way to involve women in drug abuse prevention. We are also supporting workshops for raising awareness among district officials. And next month, we will sponsor drug treatment training of personnel in provincial hospitals and rehabilitation centers through the Malaysian NGO Pengasih [PEN-GAH-SAY].
When the proposal for this seminar first came to the Embassy, it noted that within families of drug abusers, women in Pakistan have become the most afflicted – suffering from violence and emotional problems, among other ills. But it also highlighted the point that there is a hidden and rising number of drug abusers among women.
Indeed, a study in the U.S. showed that girls and young women can be more vulnerable to drug abuse and addiction. They get hooked faster and suffer the consequences sooner than boys and young men. Women addicts often suffer from other serious health problems associated with drug abuse, including infectious diseases, physical abuse, low self-esteem, depression, and if pregnant, pre-term labor.
So how do we make sure that women don’t get trapped in this menace? First through education, such as the seminar you just went through. I was struck by a UNODC study on female drug abuse in Pakistan that found 84 percent of female respondents were unaware of the harmful effects of drugs before initial use. So it heartens me to see all of you here today, engaged in this issue.
The next step is for you to take knowledge gained and spread it. It’s my understanding that you discussed some innovative ideas about the types of roles women can play in drug prevention. Whenever you feel that you alone cannot make a difference, remember this quote by an anonymous, but wise, author: “To the world, you might be one person, but to one person, you might be the world.”
If you are a mother, you are the only mother that child has and your influence in that child’s life is unrivaled. You can instill values in your sons or daughters that steer them away from drugs.
If you are a professor, you can teach your students about the dangers of drugs and help keep schools drug-free.
If you happen to know a drug user, you can help the person recognize their addiction and get treatment. You can also provide them a welcome environment to return to after treatment, thereby decreasing the risk of relapse.
If you are a doctor or nurse, you can provide treatment tailored to a women’s needs.
And if you are a government bureaucrat, like myself, you have the power to build demand reduction policies and networks that motivate change.
One of our leading spokespeople on drugs in the U.S. was a woman - former First Lady Nancy Reagan. Her mantra “Just Say No” has resonated with millions of Americans and been a force in turning youth away from drugs.
If we can prevent children from trying drugs in their teenage years, we dramatically reduce the likelihood that they will go on to have problems with drugs later in life. Less drug use means better school performance, stronger families and fewer young people lost to a life of addiction.
That’s why the U.S. has made “Stopping Use Before It Starts” one of the pillars of our drug control strategy. And we have just begun to see results of programs, such as school drug testing and a national anti-drug media campaign targeting the youth. There are now 600,000 fewer teens using drugs in the U.S. today than in 2001. This is progress, but we still have a lot of work to do.
We are still trying to heal drug users in our own country…to create widespread access to treatment and programs that take into account individual circumstances. We have found that women addicts, in particular, need specialized services that meet their physical, psychological and social needs.
By understanding why people turn to drugs and breaking down the stigma associated with recovery, communities and families can provide needed support to addicts in their battle against substance abuse.
I know that it is not easy to take time out of your schedules to attend a two-day seminar. I commend you all for finding the time to learn about the problem of drug abuse, and for developing the will and means to combat it within your communities. I am confident that you will now go out and take the next step of implementing your plans and widening Pakistan’s horizons.