Beatrix Vas is an international drug policy specialist and advocate, focused on health, human rights and youth issues. Her professional experiences include advising legislators in over 20 countries on topics of decriminalization, harm reduction and regulation. She is active in youth organizing as a member of Youth RISE and the Paradigma Coalition. Passionate about the involvement of communities in policymaking, she serves on the Board of the Vienna and New York NGO Committees on Drugs.

Political leadership is essential to influence public discourse, shape legislation, budgets, and public policy, and drive successful implementation towards a paradigm shift in drug policies globally. Equally vital is the need for strong, trust-based partnerships amongst and between political leaders and civil society organizations, especially those led by and representing communities directly affected by punitive drug policies.
Drawing on several years of experience working closely with elected officials, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, international experts, and affected communities across regions, the speaker has been actively engaged in fostering dialogue and collaboration to support rights-based drug policy reform. This work has included facilitating local, regional and global exchanges among political leaders, organizing policy forums, supporting legislative strategy development, coordinating regional and global campaigns, and building coalitions that bridge political leadership with grassroots knowledge, scientific evidence and lived experience.
The presentation will share lessons learned from these direct engagements with political stakeholders and highlight how legislators and policymakers can learn from one another, build cross-border coalitions of leadership, and work in synergy with community advocates to overcome political and structural barriers—ultimately shifting drug policy toward health, dignity, and justice.