On the 28th of June, in the framework of the project Fast-Track TB/HIV Responses for key populations in EECA (Cities) Almaty city in Kazakhstan held an important event for the community of people who use psychoactive substances – a photo exhibition “Orange morning”. The event was organized in honor of the World Campaign “Support. Don’t Punish”, which is held annually on the 26 of June, on the International Anti-drugs Day.
#SupportDontPunish is a global grassroots-centered initiative in support of harm reduction activities and drug policies that prioritize public health and human rights.
The color of this protest and the need to overcome aggressive drug policies and stereotypes against people who use psychoactive substances, with a focus on women, has become orange.
Women, the characters of the photos, shared their life stories about aggressive drug policies and systems that destroy their lives. The event organizers say that the main goal of the exhibition is not to appeal to emotions, not to cause regret, sympathy, condemnation or contempt. The goal is to call for the end of this senseless war that doesn’t bring any results. The war on drugs is beneficial only to politicians, law enforcement agencies and drug mafia.
AFEW Kazakhstan in the face of Roman Dudnik, executive director of the organization, supported the exhibition. “The greatest value of such events is that the campaign “Support. Don’t punish” is becoming more and more popular and followed in the world, and this is an excellent result,” Roman says.
A video report from the exhibition you can watch here https://youtu.be/1qS6J4gwfbw.
