UNGASS 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs Thanasis - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

UNGASS 2016

Thanasis Apostolou Director “DIOGENIS” DRUG POLICY DIALOGUE

UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs

H.E. Mr. Mogens Lykketoft

UNGASS President

“This issue requires a long-term multi- disciplinary approach(…) We must also listen to civil society, parliamentarians, youth, women and affected communities(…) We must look at new approaches and reflect

• n our past policies”

• Mr. Yury Fedotov

Executive Director UNODC

“Global drug policy must put people first. We must emphasize the health and wellbeing of humankind, and this is what the drug control regulations are there for”

• Mr. Werner Sipp

INCB President

“Let me stress that the conventions never called for a war on drugs (…) There is no treaty

• bligation to

incarcerate for minor

• ffences such

as possession of small quantities for personal use (…)inhumane punishments and treatment of users is not in line with the conventions”

The International Drug Control Conventions

1.

The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961

2.

Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971

3.

Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 The aim was to: Ensure the availability of and accessibility to psychoactive substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion to illicit channels and protecting the health and welfare of mankind

UNGASS 2016 Objective

To review the progress regarding the implementation

• f the Political Declaration and Action Plan of

International Cooperation towards an integrated and balanced approach in addressing the world drug problem, including the evaluation of the existing achievements and challenges, within the framework of the three International Drug Control Conventions and other relevant tools of the United Nations

UNGASS 2016 Expectations: an opportunity for change?

OPPORTUNITY Honest and sincere assessment of the current drug policies

 Progress – Setbacks  Success– Failure  Challenges– Barriers

CHANGE Public Health and Human rights ≠ Repression and Punishment

UNGASS 2016 Outcome Document

“Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem”

UNGASS 2016 Positive points

 Given priority to people and public health

“ People should be at the core of international and national drug policies”

 Drug dependence is recognized as a health matter

“Recognize drug dependence as a complex, multifactorial health disorder characterized by a chronic and relapsing nature with social causes and consequences that can be prevented and treated through, inter alia, effective scientific evidence-based drug treatment, care and rehabilitation programmes”

 Adoption of alternative to imprisonment measures and

proportionality of sentencing

UNGASS 2016 Positive points

 Harm Reduction interventions are recognized

“Invite relevant national authorities to consider (…) effective measures aimed at minimizing the adverse public health and social consequences of drug abuse, including appropriate medication-assisted therapy programmes, injecting equipment programmes, as well as antiretroviral therapy and other relevant interventions that prevent the transmission of HIV, viral hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases associated with drug use, as well as consider ensuring access to such interventions including in treatment and outreach services, prisons and other custodial settings”

UNGASS 2016 Positive points

 Availability of and access to controlled substances for medical

and scientific purposes

 Encourage the voluntary participation of individuals with drug

use disorders in treatment programmes, with informed consent

 Promote the development of targeted intervention taking into

account the specific needs of different groups (e.g. gender, age)

 The role of Civil Society gains growing recognition  Enhance cooperation in local, national and international level

aimed at experience and best practices exchange

UNGASS 2016 Negative points

 No consensus between Member-States  No reference regarding the abolition of death penalty for

drug-related offences

 The term „Harm Reduction‟ is avoided  Grey zone on the issue of drug consumption rooms  No reference regarding the decriminalization of personal use  The outdated International Conventions are still described

as the “cornerstone” of the current drug policies

UNGASS 2016 Implications for future action

How the positive points of the UNGASS 2016 can be translated into action for drug policy reform?

 Local level  European level  UN level

“All human beings are born free and equals in dignity and rights” (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, 1948)

Show you support and use the hashtag at your social media

#PWUDcount

Persons Who Use Drugs count

Thank you!

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