Róisín Downes
Youth (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)
Róisín Downes is the Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy International. In her role, she supports chapters in over 30 countries to advocate for drug policies based on human rights & harm reduction from the campus level to both national & international levels. Róisín began her involvement in drug policy in 2015 as a chapter leader, and upon graduation became the Global Program Coordinator of SSDP. In 2020 she founded SSDP International in Vienna, Austria in order to create distributed decision-making processes & to access better funding sources. During the last two years, SSDP International has developed small grants programs & countless training programs to build capacity. Róisín has led 2 delegations of young people to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, giving members from over 13 countries access to high-level decision making. She has also played a key role in the Paradigma Coalition, organising joint side events at the CND and coordinating the Decentralised E-Conference for Support. Don't Punish. Róisín has just begun a level 8 certificate in Global Youth Work & Development Education.
