Read the latest updates from Harm Reduction International
News and Announcements
Overdose, HIV and hepatitis C crises surge as global harm reduction response stalls
10 December 2018
Major new report finds less than half of countries with injecting drug use implement services to prevent blood-borne viruses and drug-related death Use of amphetamine-type stimulants reportedly increasing, yet countries failing to adapt harm reduction services LONDON (11 DECEMBER 2018) – The number of countries providing harm reduction… Read more
Singapore becomes one of world’s top executioners for drug offences
29 October 2018
On Friday 26th October, Singapore executed two men for drug trafficking, bringing the total number of executions this year to nine. Our research indicates that all are for drug-related crimes, making Singapore one of the world’s top executioners for non-violent drug offences, along with Saudi Arabia and China. Compared with the international… Read more
Harm Reduction International Condemns New Bangladesh Law Expanding Use of the Death Penalty for Drugs
29 October 2018
Parliament passes bills that bucks global trend toward abolition of the death penalty LONDON (29 OCTOBER) – Bangladesh’s parliament passed a bill on 27 October that expands use of the death penalty for drug offenses in the country. The Narcotics Control Act 2018, an update to the 1990 Act, now makes the manufacture and distribution of… Read more
Harm Reduction International appoints Naomi Burke-Shyne as executive director
30 July 2018
(LONDON 30 July) – Harm Reduction International (HRI) announced today the appointment of Naomi Burke-Shyne as its new executive director. She will take the position on 1 September 2018, replacing Dr Rick Lines who has served as executive director since 2010. Naomi joined Harm Reduction International in October 2017 as deputy director and has… Read more
Donor funding for harm reduction drops one quarter in a decade, placing global HIV response under threat
23 July 2018
New research finds annual funding for harm reduction in low- and middle-income countries is 13% of the required amount to prevent HIV among people who inject drugs LONDON (23 July 2018) – Funding for harm reduction services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is in crisis, according to a new report from Harm Reduction International… Read more
Harm Reduction International Executive Director announces his departure
29 May 2018
After eleven years at Harm Reduction International, eight of them as Executive Director, I will be stepping down at the end of August. This year marks my 25th anniversary working in harm reduction.… Read more
HR19 Venue Announcement
11 April 2018
HR19 – 28 April - 1 May 2019 – Porto HRI is pleased to announce that the Harm Reduction International Conference 2019 (HR19) will be held at the Alfândega Porto Congress Centre. “Oporto, Portugal” by Jose A. is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Located in the historic centre of the city of Porto, along the bank of the Douro River, it was… Read more
Harm Reduction International at the 61st Commission on Narcotic Drugs 2018
01 March 2018
The Commission for Narcotic Drugs presents an important opportunity to increase support for harm reduction and human rights in the international drug policy system. This year, Harm Reduction International will be using this opportunity to shape preparations for the 2019 High Level Segment and to begin planning with key governments and allies on… Read more
HR19 Host City Announced as Porto, Portugal
22 February 2018
Abaixo para a versão portuguesa Harm Reduction International (HRI) and Agência Piaget para o Desenvolvimento (APDES) are delighted to announce that the 26th Harm Reduction International Conference – HR19 – will be held in Porto, Portugal from 28 April to 1 May 2019. For international visitors, this conference will be a unique opportunity to… Read more
69 years later, we’re still arguing for the right to life
17 December 2017
This article was originally published on Medium. The original can be found here. Gen Sander, Human Rights Analyst, Harm Reduction International Alireza Madadpur, a young man with no criminal record from a poor family, was executed for drug offences in Iran last summer. Scraping to make ends meet, Alireza agreed to a cleaning job offered… Read more