IDPC Briefing paper: ECOSOC side event‘From Vienna to Geneva to New York – Reconciling UN Mandates with Regard to the Response to Illicit Drugs’ Geneva, 7th July 2009

This briefing paper provides an overview of the remarks and discussions at the side event organised by IDPC on Tuesday 7th July 2009 in the margins of the High-level Segment of the annual meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva. The event drew attention to the lack of coherence within the UN system on the issue of drug policy, with particular reference to HIV prevention for people who inject drugs. IDPC was very fortunate to have three excellent panellists in Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund, and Damon Barett, Human Rights Analyst at IHRA. Mike Trace, Chair of IDPC, chaired the discussion. The event was co-sponsored by Human Rights Watch and IHRA.