IHRA's HR2 programme has authored a submission to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights www.ohchr.org. The submission - entitled 'Harm Reduction and Human Rights: The Global Response to Injection-Driven HIV Epidemics' - was prepared following a call by the High Commissioner's office for input in preparing a biennial report on HIV and human rights for the UN Human Rights Committee meeting in March 2009.
Michel Perron and David Turner had meetings with the Chair of the 52nd Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the Executive Director of UNODC and the President of the International Narcotics Control Board.
Ann Fordham has now joined the IDPC as full-time Coordinator. Her initial priority will be to review the Consortium's governance structure and membership criteria in consultation with members. Attached is a consultation paper which includes two proposals.
The second negotiating meeting to debate the political declaration to be presented at the High Level Meeting (scheduled for March 2009) took place last week (24/25/26 November).
Drugscope has now produced the second pilot issue of Druglink International and all IDPC member organisations have been sent 10 copies. There are more copies available, but postage may have to be charged.
On 16th October 2008 Members of the European Parliament and national Parliamentarians met through an initiative of the Transnational Institute and the Andreas Papandreou Foundation at the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss the ongoing review of the goals and targets adopted at the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on Drugs in 1998.
On 16th October 2008 Members of the European Parliament and national Parliamentarians met through an initiative of the Transnational Institute and the Andreas Papandreou Foundation at the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss the ongoing review of the goals and targets adopted at the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on Drugs in 1998.
'Decertifying Bolivia: Bush Administration 'Fails Demonstrably' to Make its Case' has been published by the Andean Information Network and the Washington Office on Latin America in response to the Bush administration's announcement on September 16, 2008 that Bolivia had "failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months” to adhere to its "obligations under international counternarcotics agreements.\
The Access and Control Newsletter is sent by the World Health Organization, Department of Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies, Quality and Safety: Medicines Unit. The Newsletter provides the latest news from WHO on access to medicines controlled under the international drug treaties and evaluation of substances for their dependence producing properties.
Across Latin America, frustration with the failed and protracted "war on drugs" is leading countries to experiment with new policies, from Bolivia's "coca yes, cocaine no" strategy, to the pardoning of small-time offenders in Ecuador, to efforts to decriminalize consumption in countries as diverse as Argentina and Mexico. The incoming Obama administration should take advantage of these new trends in Latin America to seek more effective and more humane drug control policies, at home and abroad.
This is the report of Jangkar, the National Action Network for Drug Harm Reduction in Indonesia, and the Open Society Institute. The report is one of the first attempts to assess and depict the extent of the complicated nature of drug use and human rights violations in Indonesia.
The cost-effectiveness of Canada’s only supervised injection facility has not been rigorously evaluated. The authors estimated the impact of the facility on survival, rates of HIV and hepatitis C virus infection, referral to methadone maintenance treatment and associated costs.