A Platform Rooted in Purpose
ADD Resources began as a response to a pressing gap: the need for accessible, evidence-based information on the intersection between alcohol, public health, and sustainable development. While alcohol has long been discussed in policy and healthcare circles, the conversation often lacked coordination and clarity.
The platform was established to address this fragmentation. Built on the premise that knowledge should support change, ADD Resources connects data, research, and practical insights with communities and professionals around the world.
It followed. Not quickly — but firmly.
The initiative’s foundation rests on a straightforward idea: making information useful, relevant, and free of ideological framing. This neutrality has helped ADD Resources gain traction across sectors and regions, especially among civil society actors, development professionals, and public health institutions.
How ADD Resources Works
The scope of ADD Resources spans several core areas. First and foremost, it serves as a digital library for those seeking up-to-date reports, policy briefs, and educational materials. These resources cover topics such as alcohol and development, prevention strategies, and national policy frameworks.
Global health awareness remains central. By presenting content in plain language, the platform lowers the barrier to entry for organizations that may not have formal research capacity but still need reliable information.
Another key focus is civil society. ADD Resources highlights campaigns and local actions from NGOs worldwide, showcasing how communities address alcohol-related harm within broader development contexts.
Policy shifted. A little.
Beyond documentation, ADD Resources also supports dialogue. Through webinars, expert interviews, and cross-border case studies, the site functions as a meeting point for knowledge exchange. It doesn’t dictate approaches — it presents them.
The Global Relevance of Local Knowledge
One of the platform’s strengths lies in how it connects local insights with global trends. Alcohol, as a subject, touches on multiple development goals — from health and education to economic productivity and gender equality.
By mapping these intersections, ADD Resources helps users see alcohol not in isolation but as part of systemic development challenges. This framing encourages integrated thinking, where alcohol policy isn’t siloed but connected to labor, housing, education, and human rights.
Not everywhere. But often.
This broader perspective aligns with international priorities such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Several of the platform’s reports and briefs directly support SDG implementation by identifying how alcohol hinders or complicates progress.
Importantly, ADD Resources doesn’t prescribe solutions. It offers tools. Governments, researchers, NGOs, and citizens can interpret and apply the material as relevant to their context.
What You’ll Find on the Platform
Here are the main types of content and activity featured on ADD Resources:
- Research briefs — summaries of current evidence on alcohol and development
- Case studies — real-world examples of local action and policy response
- Educational guides — downloadable materials for training and community engagement
- Policy trackers — comparative overviews of national approaches to alcohol regulation
- Partner projects — links to aligned civil society and research initiatives
- Multilingual content — selected material available in multiple languages
The collection is continuously updated, with contributions from independent researchers, advocacy groups, and multilateral institutions. The site remains open-access, ensuring no paywall stands between users and information.
The Role of Knowledge Platforms Today
Platforms like ADD Resources are becoming increasingly important in a time of digital fragmentation and information overload. By focusing on accuracy, neutrality, and usability, the project serves as a model for how issue-specific platforms can influence broader development practice.
It’s not a campaign. It’s a resource.
And the shift it offers is subtle — a redirection from isolated facts toward shared understanding. In the field of alcohol and development, that shift can determine whether evidence becomes policy — or remains unread.
The change came slowly — and stayed.