Briefings and submissions
Joint submission to the Committee Against Torture on Bangladesh
24 June 2019
Harm Reduction International and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty submitted evidence to the Committee Against Torture for its 67th session to consider Bangladesh's compliance with the Convention Against Torture. The submission highlights Bangladesh's human rights violations committed in the name of drug control, which are relevant… Read more
Joint submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights ahead of Malaysia visit
19 June 2019
Harm Reduction International - with Release and the Anti Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) - submitted evidence to the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights regarding major human rights violations of the poor committed by the Malaysian authorities in the context of drug control. This includes evidence on the death penalty… Read more
Harm Reduction International statements on drug policy and human rights to the 41st session of the UN Human Rights Council
04 June 2019
Ahead of the 41st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (24 June - 12 July 2019), Harm Reduction International submitted four statements providing updated information and analysis of human rights violations committed in the context of drug control around the world The statements are co-signed by several civil society organisations… Read more
Harm Reduction International submission to OHCHR on forms of violence on death row
18 April 2019
Individuals on death row retain their fundamental rights, and must be granted the same protection and conditions as the general prison population. Despite this, individuals on death row are at a heightened risk of physical and psychological violence. This includes: torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; sexual violence; severe… Read more
Joint submission to OHCHR on human rights in the administration of justice, in particular on violence, death and serious injury in situations of deprivation of liberty
18 April 2019
The criminalisation of drug use and drug possession for personal use, in the context of repressive drug policies, leads to the arbitrary detention of people who use drugs, and to forced detention and treatment. There are credible and systematic reports of violence and human rights violations committed in criminal and administrative detention… Read more
Harm Reduction International submission to UN Universal Periodic Review - Egypt
28 March 2019
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process of peer review of the human rights performance of States. The overall human rights situation of each of United Nations's 193 members is assessed every five years, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council. This review includes information received from civil society. This submission… Read more
Harm Reduction International submission to the UN Secretary General on the question of the death penalty
28 March 2019
This submission is made to the United Nations Secretary-General on the question of the death penalty pursuant to resolution 36/17 , adopted by the Human Rights Council in September 2017. Harm Reduction International urges the Secretary-General to continue prioritising the death penalty, and reaffirms the call for a moratorium on the death… Read more
Harm Reduction Group Submission to the UK the Health and Social Care Committee Inquiry on Drugs Policy
18 March 2019
This response to the United Kingdom's Health and Social Care Committee Inquiry on Drugs , looks at the shortfalls of the UK government's current approach to harm reduction, drug treatment and drug policy. The submission was made by the Harm Reduction Group, which is comprised of Release, Harm Reduction International, DrugScience, SMMGP, the… Read more
Harm Reduction International Submissions to UN Human Rights Committee - Viet Nam
31 January 2019
This report, co-submitted with the World Coalition against the Death Penalty , assesses the compatibility Viet Nam's drug control policies with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), in particular: its use of the death penalty for drug offences; and, the compulsory treatment of people who use… Read more
Harm Reduction International Joint Briefing on Global Fund Catalytic Investments for Harm Reduction
25 January 2019
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the largest donor for harm reduction in low and middle countries (LMICs), providing two-thirds of all international donor support. In May 2019, the Global Fund Board will approve the 2020-2022 allocation methodology and catalytic investment priorities, ahead of replenishment for the… Read more
Harm Reduction International submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Bulgaria
21 January 2019
This submission - compiled with the Centre for Humane Policy - assesses the compatibility of Bulgaria's drug policies and practices with its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). It was submitted to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ahead of the Committee’s review of… Read more
Harm Reduction International submissions to UN Universal Periodic Review - China and Malaysia
06 November 2018
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process of peer review of the human rights performance of States. The overall human rights situation of each of United Nations's 193 members is assessed every five years, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council. This review includes information received from civil society. These submissions… Read more
Harm Reduction International Submission to UN Universal Periodic Review - Viet Nam
05 July 2018
The report was co-submitted with the International Drug Policy Consortium ( IDPC ) and the Asian Network of People who Use Drugs ( ANPUD ). It focuses specifically on the alignment of Viet Nam's drug policy with its human rights obligations. Information is provided on: the death penalty for drug-related offences; the availability of quality,… Read more
Harm Reduction International Submissions to UN Human Rights Committee - Lao PDR
14 June 2018
This report, co-submitted with the World Coalition against the Death Penalty , assesses the compatibility of key drug control policies and practices pursued by Lao PDR with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), in particular: the death penalty for drug offences; and, arbitrary arrest and… Read more
Harm Reduction International makes submissions on human rights and drug control to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
23 May 2018
On May 18th Harm Reduction International submitted information to the OHCHR, feeding into a report that the human rights body will present at the next session of the Human Rights Council, on the implementation of the 2016 UNGASS Outcome Document (entitled "joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem with… Read more
HRI calls for human rights of people who use drugs and 10 by 20 at UNAIDS PCB
28 June 2017
This statement was delivered by HRI’s Campaigns and Advocacy Manager, Olga Szubert, at the 40th meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board in Geneva. The statement was delivered under agenda point four: Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF). UNAIDS/PCB 40th Meeting Agenda item 4: Unified Budget, Results and… Read more
WHO Forum on Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours statement on behalf of HRI, IDPC and INPUD
26 June 2017
The World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse organized, for the first time, the global Forum on alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviours (FADAB) with the primary goal of enhancing public health actions in these areas by strengthening partnerships and collaboration among public health oriented organizations,… Read more
HRI's Intervention at the Sixtieth Session of the Committee on Narcotic Drugs
15 March 2017
The following intervention was made by Harm Reduction International at the Sixtieth Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna. "Thank you to the Chair for the opportunity to make this intervention on behalf of Harm Reduction International. Paragraph 1 of the UNGASS outcomes document commits to minimising the adverse health and… Read more
UN agencies must use CND to push for post-UNGASS harm reduction targets
07 October 2016
Harm Reduction International is urging governments and UN agencies attending the upcoming intersessional meetings at CND, called to discuss the implementation of the UNGASS on Drugs outcome document, to push for targets which will turn the outcomes into real progress on harm reduction and the human rights of people who use drugs. Our short… Read more
Left behind? A call to fund harm reduction and end AIDS among people who use drugs - HRI at the International AIDS Conference 2016
08 July 2016
Harm Reduction International is at the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, 18th-22nd July 2016. The message we bring to the conference is simple: in spite of the commitment to 'leave no-one behind' in the global response to HIV/AIDS, people who use drugs are at serious risk of being left behind. This is thanks to a deadly… Read more
HRI makes three submissions to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
21 May 2015
HRI makes three submissions to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to feed into a report on the impact of drugs and drug control on human rights which will feed into the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs, due to be held in 2016. The first submission was on behalf of a coalition of harm reduction… Read more
Women who use drugs, domestic violence and access to shelters
19 March 2013
HRI launched a new briefing paper on the issues of ‘Women who inject drugs and experience domestic violence and access to shelters’ at the side event on ‘preventing and eliminating the violence against women: drug policy reform as a way of violence elimination’ organised by Eurasian Harm Reduction Network on 12 March 2013 during the UN Commission… Read more
Harm Reduction: A low cost, high-impact set of interventions
02 October 2012
Harm reduction is one of the most rigorously evaluated and best proven public health interventions. A growing body of literature demonstrates the cost of the failure to act and attests to the cost… Read more
Harm Reduction International Statement on Women at the 17th Plenary Meeting - 20th session of the UN Human Rights Council
28 June 2012
(Agenda item 2 & 3 – General Discussion on the rights of women) Thank you Mr President, June 26 is the UN day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. If previous years are anything to go by it would be marked by death sentences being passed in some of the thirty-two countries that retain the death penalty for drug offences. The… Read more
Advocating for Needle and Syringe Exchange Programmes in Prisons briefing
09 May 2012
Harm Reduction International is pleased to present the first of a new series of Evidence and Advocacy briefings entitled ‘Advocating for Needle and Syringe Exchange Programmes in Prisons’. This… Read more