VIENNA, 2 December (UN Information Service) -- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will launch the "International Network of Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Resource Centres", a global initiative to address the growing demand for accessible and quality drug treatment and rehabilitation services. Participants from 20 treatment centres from around the world will meet from 5 to 9 December 2005 in Vienna, Austria, where they will embark on the process to build the Network and its capabilities.

Some 200 million people -- or five per cent of the world's population aged 15 to 64 -- use illicit drugs, according to UNODC's 2005 World Drug Report. Opiates remain the most serious problem drug worldwide in terms of the impact of drugs on health, followed by amphetamine-type stimulants and cocaine, as measured by demand for treatment services.

This project addresses the limited technical capacity of many regions to provide diversified and effective drug treatment and rehabilitation services, including support for HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Its immediate objective is to develop a network of treatment centres capable of delivering a variety of treatment and rehabilitation interventions in all regions over the next two years.

The Network has established four priority areas to tackle, including community-based treatment, drug treatment and rehabilitation in prison settings, the role of drug treatment in HIV/AIDS prevention and care, and sustainable livelihoods, rehabilitation and reintegration. The project will also strengthen capacity building by developing training materials for personnel and "training of trainers" offered by specialists.

Representatives will come from treatment centres in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States.