The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), is raising international awareness of interventions related to prevention and treatment of drug addiction that take gender differences into account. The UN has announced the establishment of a network of international experts who can advocate and assist in the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions, policies and best practices tailored to the needs of women.
“The importance of mainstreaming gender within professional and policy practice is recognized by the United Nations as an essential and powerful tool at the root of all development efforts. In this context, the achievement of gender equality is considered as part of a global approach and is applied in every field of the political and social development agenda.”
Prof. Richard Isralowitz, Director of BGU's Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research (RADAR) Center and Dr. Alexander Reznik, RADAR Center Senior Research Associate have been named by the United Nations to contribute to this effort.
The BGU researchers will address “Former Soviet Union Immigrant Needs: Drug Use Profiles and Special Needs” in a book soon to be published by United Nations. They point out that illicit drug, alcohol and other addictive substances including those medically prescribed are all drugs. “The use of such drugs is not a new phenomenon but one that takes on meaning and importance to its social context that varies over time and location – for immigrants meaning country of origin and place of current residence.” Professor Isralowitz and Dr. Reznik focus their attention on immigrant female drug users from the former Soviet Union – their profiles and special needs about drug use, health conditions, immigration patterns, acculturation and comparative research are provided contributing to thoughts about prevention and treatment for this underserved population.
