Briefings and submissions
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
Women who use drugs, harm reduction and HIV
29 November 2011
The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS (GCWA), the International Network of Women who Use Drugs (INWUD), and the Women’s Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN) are pleased to present a new… Read more
Joint statement against the death penalty at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs
24 March 2011
Joint statement against the death penalty for drug offences delivered by Harm Reduction International's Eka Iakobishvili at the 54th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. It was delivered on behalf of Read more
Joint Statement Delivered to African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
25 November 2010
Harm Reduction International signed a joint statement with a group of NGOs, raising objections to the Gambian National Assembly’s introduction of the death penalty for drug offences. The statement was delivered at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights 48th Ordinary Session in Banjul. Harm Reduction International co-signed the… Read more
Thematic Briefings on Human Rights and Drug Policy (English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish)
26 October 2010
These briefing papers are intended to provide a basic overview of some of the core human rights issues related to drug control efforts and to show how they interconnect, and to spark a discussion of… Read more
Права человека и политика в области наркотиков
26 October 2010
Все чаще контролирующие правозащитные органы, механизмы и НПО обращают внимание на стратегии в области наркотиков и их влияние на гарантии защиты прав человека, но это редко происходит согласованно… Read more
Harm Reduction International releases new briefing on the death penalty for drug offences
22 October 2010
Harm Reduction International has released a new briefing written in partnership with Human Rights Watch and Penal Reform International entitled 'The Death Penalty for Drug Offences and International… Read more
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Global State of Harm Reduction 2010 - At a Glance
14 September 2010
Global State of Harm Reduction 2010 at a glance provides an overview of Harm Reduction International’s second major report in the Global State of Harm Reduction series, in a leaflet and poster… Read more
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What is harm reduction?
11 May 2010
What is Harm Reduction? Arabic What is Harm Reduction? Czech What is Harm Reduction? English What is Harm Reduction? French What is Harm Reduction? German What is Harm… Read more
Harm Reduction International Submission on Mauritius to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
29 April 2010
Harm Reduction International Submission on Mauritius to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Read more
HCV Briefing Paper
17 March 2010
Hepatitis C (HCV) is the most common blood-borne virus among people who inject drugs. In some parts of the world, over 90% of people who inject drugs are living with hepatitis C. The liver cirrhosis… Read more
Drugs, Punitive Laws, Policies, Policing Practices, and HIV/AIDS
01 December 2009
To mark World AIDS Day 2009, Harm Reduction International and Human Rights Watch have issued a joint briefing note which urges governments worldwide to to reform punitive drug laws, disproportionate… Read more