The road to UNGASS 2016: Process and policy asks from IDPC

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The road to UNGASS 2016: Process and policy asks from IDPC

9 October 2014

In the summer of 2016, there will be a United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) held in New York, dedicated to the issue of drug policy. The General Assembly is the highest policy making and representative organ of the United Nations (UN), and its infrequent Special Sessions focus on pertinent topics at the request of member states. The UNGASS on drugs has the potential to be a ground-breaking, open debate about the international drug control system – but there is much work to be done to ensure that it fulfils that potential.

The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of more than 120 civil society organisations that come together to promote objective and open debates on national and international drug policies. This document outlines the five main “asks” that the Consortium members will collectively call for between now and 2016. These “asks” have been developed through detailed consultations across the IDPC membership, and will each be the subject of more detailed briefing papers in the coming months:

  • ASK 1: Ensure an open and inclusive debate
  • ASK 2: Re-set the objectives of drug policies
  • ASK 3: Support policy experimentation and innovation
  • ASK 4: End the criminalisation of the most affected populations
  • ASK 5: Commit to the harm reduction approach

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