On April 27, 2018 the kick-off meeting of the project “Exploiting the potentialities of CSOs and LAs for development of holistic prevention of drug and alcohol abuse among girls and women in lagging regions of Russia” was held in the Aglaya Kortyard Hotel (St. Petersburg, Razezjaya Street, 38).

The meeting was attended by Galina Korchagina,, Deputy. Director for Science of the NSC of Narcology of the Ministry of Health of Russia, expert of the International Narcotics Control Board; Leena Harake, General Manager of the Committee of Women's Organizations on Alcohol and Drug Problems (Sweden); Elvira Stepanova, chief narcologist FSIN, Nevsky AS, project coordinator. The participants emphasized the importance of broad introduction of gender-specific approaches and involvement of civil society in countering the spread of drug addiction and alcoholism. Kick-off meeting has been arranged to officially start up the projects, energize the project team, communicate project goals and expectations, provide information of processes, methodology, key milestones. The project is implemented with the support of the European Union.