67th Commission on Narcotic Drugs: CND side events on human rights challenges in drug policy

Presenting the OHCHR report on human rights challenges in drug policy at the CND

Shifting from punitive drug policy models towards policies that promote health and human rights is crucial to addressing the world drug situation.

This series of side events explores the seven key topics identified in the report on human rights challenges in addressing and countering the world drug situation released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in August 2023.

Monday, 18 March

• Addressing Human Rights Challenges Related to Drug Use in Humanitarian and other Crisis Settings: 09:10 – 10:00 CET | Hybrid (M6) | Organised by OHCHR in partnership with Skoun - Lebanese Addiction Centre

Wednesday, 20 March

• The death penalty for drug-related offences: Challenges to restrict its use and pathways towards abolition: 8:00 – 8:50 CET | Hybrid (M2) | Organised by Harm Reduction International.
• The right to a healthy environment and drug policy: 8:00 – 8:50 CET | In-person only (M3) | Organised by Dejusticia.
• Navigating tensions and contradictions: addressing human rights challenges related to the lack of, and the unequal access to, treatment and harm reduction: 13:00 – 13:50 CET | In-person only (M6) | Organised by the International Network of People who Use Drugs.

Thursday, 21 March

• Silenced no more: Amplifying the voices of populations disproportionately impacted bypunitive drug policies: 9:10 – 10:00 CET | Hybrid (M0E05) | Organised by Students for Sensible Drug Policy International.
• “The war on drugs” and the militarization of drug control: Measures to address these critical human rights challenges: 9:10 – 10:00 CET | Hybrid (M3) | Organised by Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales.

Friday, 22 March

• Ending overreliance on punishment: Decriminalization and prison decongestion as keygoals of drug policy reform: 9:10 – 10:00 CET | Hybrid (M0E05) | Organised by POS foundation.

The OHCHR report

The ground-breaking OHCHR report on human rights challenges in addressing the world drug situation was released in August 2023, at the request of Human Rights Council resolution 52/24. A booklet summarising the findings and recommendations of the report can be downloaded in this page.

Relevant links

• IDPC's 67th CND Session webpage
• Official CND web page
• OHCHR 2023 report on human rights challenges in drug policy
• IDPC analysis of the OHCHR 2023 report
• Human Rights Council intersessional panel discussion on human rights challenges in drug policy (5th February 2024)
• Special event held at CND66 reconvened: Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem