Regional and Municipal Government Coalition Program

CEDRO´s "Coalition with Regional Governments and Municipalities", Program, promotes the establishment of regional and municipal coalitions, as a space for inter-institutional coordination, involving a number of public and private institutions, civil society organizations, and the community in general. The purpose of this program is to involve children, adolescents, youngsters, and individuals at risk through the implementation of a culture of prevention. Municipal agents (including Serenazgo [municipal watchmen] wherever available) and other members of local governments will be in charge of implementing the programs with the different populations.

The Municipality Coalition's Approach
"As of 2006, the Municipality Coalition against Drug Abuse has been acknowledged at the district, metropolitan and national levels, as the leading municipal coordination entity in charge of providing advise on prevention programs, projects, and activities management, focused on gender and generational aspects. The purpose of this coalition is to promote healthy life-styles among citizens of different towns, aimed at preventing drug abuse and as a model to be imitated.

The Municipality Coalition's Task
"We are a Municipality Coalition against drug abuse, promoting a culture of prevention, based on the principles of community participation and positive social values. We are engaged in the education and training of Mayors, officials and community promoters. Our goal is to promote healthy-drug-free life styles, especially among children, adolescents and youngsters, based on synergic work with a profound social commitment, and an un-prominent and un-politicized attitude"

This work is based on Law No. 27972 "Organic Law of Municipalities", Article 73, Chapter I, Title V, "The Competences and Specific Functions of Local Governments" ,issued May 26th, 2003, which empowers and obliges municipal governments to promote prevention activities and drug-abuse rehabilitation programs.

The work strategy is implemented at two levels:
· Regional level:
The regional coalitions strategy is developed by the regional governments in charge of convening and coordinating the implementation of the fight against drugs with the provincial municipalities, public and private institutions, civil society, and international cooperation organizations, in each of the region's provinces.
· Municipal level:
The municipal coalitions strategy is developed in the provinces. These are formed by the district and provincial municipalities, sharing the same interests and concerns regarding drug issues, who are in charge of developing activities at the local level.
MATERIALES

1. Training Handbook on Health promotion and drug-abuse prevention . Lima - 2004
2. Regional and Municipal Coalition Management Handbook on Drug Prevention. Lima - 2003
3. Youth promoters training curricula:
Modules
¨ Drugs, basic concepts and prevention strategies
¨ Methodology for the development of prevention sessions (Walking Together Handbook ("Manual Caminando Juntos")
¨ Participatory and recreational techniques applied to prevention
¨ Design of prevention materials and recycling of materials
¨ Planning of prevention programs