Monday April 15, 9:00pm ET | Tuesday April 16, 9:00am PHT

As Mayor of Davao City and then President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte orchestrated a campaign of widespread extrajudicial killings in the Philippine drug war. Now the subject of an investigation by the International Criminal Court, the Duterte drug war according to the government has claimed more than 6,000 lives, while NGOs believe the true number is upwards of 30,000. Since late during the Duterte presidency and continuing under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., drug war killings reported by media outlets in the Philippines have continued at a rate of about one per day.

Adding to the the suffering of victims/survivors, burial plots rented by the government have expiration dates, leading to cremations when families can't pay or sometimes without their knowledge. In addition to the indignity, this is also a potential evidentiary issue for the ICC. The AJ Kalinga Foundation's Program Paghilom helps families make arrangements for their loved ones' remains, with ritual to provide closure, and conducts forensic examinations, as part of a support framework that includes education, legal support and other basic needs.

International Center for Multigenerational Legacies of Trauma

, Founder and Executive Director, Rock Ed Philippines and head of its 

Fr. Flaviano Villanueva SVD is a leading human rights advocate in the Philippines. He will discuss the work of Program Paghilom, including its efforts to document and memorialize extrajudicial killings in the Duterte drug war while helping victims/survivors move forward with their lives.

Dr. Yael Danieli, a clinical psychologist, psychohistorian, victimologist and traumatologist, will discuss the challenges faced by victims/survivors of atrocities, the role of victims in relation to cases at the International Criminal Court, and the concept of reparative justice in international law. She will also discuss the impact that trauma from mass atrocities has on future generations, a phenomenon recognized by the ICC for the first time in the Uganda Dominic Ongwen prosecution.

Gang Badoy Capati is the founder of Rock Ed Philippines and Project: Steady Asia, and is a trauma therapist and trained media literacy instructor with a background in media, documentary filmmaking, education and publishing. She will discuss victims' trauma in the context of events and conditions in The Philippines.

Victims move forward from the Philippine drug war

Join us for a debrief session on the 67th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) to discuss progress, gridlocks and potential ways forward for the UN drug control regime.

Monday, 8 April (13:00 - 14:30 - London time).

, International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)

Keynote speaker: H.E. Ambassador Laura Gil

, Permanent Representative of
Colombia to the UN in Vienna

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)

Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)

, International Indigenous Peoples Drug Policy Alliance

 International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD)

Crisis unveiled: Making sense of CND67 for drug policy reform

Harm reduction services for people who inject drugs are essential interventions. There are many tools for HIV and HCV prevention amongst people who use drugs. Low dead space syringes and needles (LDSS) is one such tool.

This discussion will explore the uses and benefits of LDSS syringes for people who inject drugs.


Low dead space syringes: Analysis and benefits for people who inject drugs

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

 on human rights challenges in addressing the world drug situation was released in August 2023, at the request of 

  A booklet summarising the findings and recommendations of the report can be downloaded in this page.

OHCHR 2023 report on human rights challenges in drug policy

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

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

The 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) will take place on 14-22 March 2024 in a hybrid format.

mid-term review of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration

, where the 2024 mid-term review will be conducted, on 14-15 March 2024.

If you missed the VNGOC’s webinar on how to engage with the midterm review process, 

To register for the session, provide your organisation has ECOSOC accreditation, 

A video introduction to the Commission's functioning and mechanisms of engagement is also available.

 facilitates your engagement with the proceedings and debates at the CND. This web application will help you track, in real time, what is happening and where, receive notifications on key events, resolutions and speakers, and browse CND resolutions and UN-agreed language on specific drug policy issues

This year, the app's functionalities are available on 

Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development

 (GPDPD) project, and this year's version was made possible by UNAIDS.

Please, help us disseminate by sharing with your colleagues and networks.

A record-breaking 174 side events are taking place throughout the session, 12 of them during the high-level segment. Access links and more information should be available on the session's site.

IDPC network members co-organise 61 side events at the session. A list with all of them is available 

The events organised last year, in 2023, can give you a sense of the scope and contents of these side events. Revisit them 

The IDPC Secretariat co-sponsors 29 side events that we warmly invite you to join. They're available 

OHCHR - Human rights and drug policy series

IDPC also recommends a series of 7 events organised by OHCHR on human rights and drug policy, 

As in previous years, the VNGOC has organised several informal NGO dialogues with representatives from UN bodies:

 | Tuesday, 19 March, 11:00-12:00, CR-7 & 

 | Wednesday, 20 March, 9:00-10:00, CR-7 & 

 | Wednesday, 20 March, 11:00-12:00, CR-7 & 

 | Thursday, 21 March, 09:00-10:00, CR-7 & 

 | Thursday, 21 March, 11:00-12:00, M3 & 

Four resolutions have been tabled and will be negotiated by Member States. The drafts are 

Off track: IDPC Shadow report for the mid-term review of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration on drugs

Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem – OHCHR report

Historical UN summit set to reveal unprecedented division as the international community fails to address global drugs crisis

Stuck in the inertia of the past: Report of the 66th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

 – An analysis of last year's meeting that brings the 67th Session into context.

The INCB Report for 2022 - Regulated cannabis markets and international legal tensions: A missed opportunity

Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem - Report of the OHCHR

International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care Inc.

CND Chair's summaries on the thematic discussions on the implementation of all international drug policy commitments, following-up to the 2019 Ministerial Declaration: 2019 - 2023

CR by Ghana, titled 'African Stakeholder Dialogue: Strengthening Engagement in the CND’s 2024 Mid-Term Review'

CR by Germany titled 'Key results of the Expert Group Meetings on Harm Reduction in 2022 and 2023', co-hosted by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board of Thailand (ONCB), Harm Reduction International (HRI) and the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)

Vienna NGO Committee (VNGOC) Annual General Meeting & Board elections

The VNGOC's Annual General Assembly is scheduled for Wednesday, 20 March 2024 from 16:00 to 17:30 at the Vienna International Centre, (Room CR-7) and online via MS Teams (

).

The Vienna NGO Committee (VNGOC) will hold 

 for the following positions in its Board: 1) Deputy Chairperson, 2) Treasurer, 3) Secretary. For more information about this process, visit the 

.

The VNGOC Nominations Committee recommends the following slate:

Please check if your organisation has already paid the 2023 and 2024 

 as only organisations in good standing can participate of the elections.

67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)

Tuesday, 27 February 2024 / 14:00 (London) - 

This ninth edition of the IDPC webinar on the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) focuses on its 

 (including the mid-term review of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration), which will take place in Vienna from 14-22 March 2022.

The webinar will shed light the key issues that are likely to structure the debates, discuss tabled resolutions and opportunities for engagement, and showcase the experience of IDPC network members in navigating and leveraging this forum for political advocacy.

This event will be available in English, Spanish and French.

 (International Drug Policy Consortium - IDPC).

CND 67: Key issues and opportunities

 Tuesday, 13 February 2024 (15:00 - 16:30 Vienna time)

The board of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs is inviting all members and interested NGOs to participate in an

 informal membership meeting on Tuesday 13 February 2024, 3PM to 4.30PM CET

 (Vienna time, UTC+1). The meeting will be held 

updates regarding the upcoming 67th CND and the VNGOC Annual General Meeting

 No formal decisions will be made by the committee.

Q&A on the 67th CND - modalities for NGO participation (Ms. Doris Resch, UNODC Secretariat to the Governing Bodies)

UNODC Civil Society Unit & VNGOC activities during the 67th CND (Ms. Mirella Dummar-Frahi, Chief, UNODC Civil Society Unit and Matej Košir, Chair, VNGOC)

Briefing on the new UNODC C.H.A.M.P.S initiative (Ms. Giovanna Campello, Chief, UNODC Prevention, Treatment & Rehabilitation Section)

Information on the upcoming AGM including overview of the VNGOC board elections

VNGOC informal meeting - Updates on #CND67 and the VNGOC Annual General Meeting

 5 February 2024 / 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (Geneva time)

? Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

The intersessional panel discussion aims to provide space for a constructive and inclusive dialogue on human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem, informed by the findings contained in the report “

Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem

” (A/HRC/54/53) prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

enhance understanding of the specific human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem

raise the impact of human rights challenges on various community members

highlight recent positive developments towards human rights-centred drug policies

improve understanding of the key recommendations highlighted in the OHCHR report, including those related to the development of effective drug policies grounded in human rights.

: President/Vice-President of the Human Rights Council (TBC)

, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights


, Chair of the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (video message)

, Deputy Executive Director of the Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge Branch and Assistant Secretary General of The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

, Director of the Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

, Executive Director of The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)

, Commissioner of the Global Commission on Drug Policy (GCDP)

Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem - Human Rights Council intersessional panel

Where? Conference Room 3 - Vienna International Centre / 

The Chair of the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is convening an intersessional meeting of the Commission 2 February 2024, at 2PM CET (Vienna, UTC+1) in Conference Room 3, Vienna International Centre and online. The meeting will be held in English only.

NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC are invited to participate as observers.

CND intersessional meeting

Together with many cities in the world, the beautiful city of Amsterdam struggles with the effects of drug-related crime. Therefore, as mayor of Amsterdam, I organise the international conference 

‘Dealing with Drugs – Cities and the quest for regulation’. 

The objective of this conference is to explore how -and not if- further regulation of the drug market can provide a solution, and which steps can be taken towards a more realistic approach of drug policy. This conference will take place on January 26, 2024, at the Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Illegal drug trafficking poses a significant threat to cities all over the world. In Amsterdam it threatens our rule of law. The city grapples with daylight assassinations, explosions, cases of mistaken identity murders and fatal attacks on lawyers and journalists. The ruthlessness in which these crimes occur is shocking.

Cities worldwide face similar challenges. For decades, a global war on drugs has been waged. Unfortunately, the path we tread has proven insufficient: drug production and consumption continue to rise, illegal financial flows persist, violence remains unchecked, human rights are violated, and successive generations of youth are drawn into criminality, while the safety net wears thin.

Although victories are achieved in the war on drugs through the diligent investigative work of our partners, the battle is never fully won. This recognition extends beyond academic circles to include former politicians, policymakers and law enforcement.

I advocate a realistic drug policy. This conference represents our first step in that direction. By engaging in candid conversations with international experts, experienced individuals, NGOs and scholars, we aim to move beyond the question of whether regulation can be a solution and focus on 

 it can be achieved. I invite you to join us to and explore alternative approaches, learn from international experiences, overcome challenges and consider the role that cities can play.

I am looking forward to welcoming you at this conference.

Dealing with drugs - Cities and the quest for regulation

 Wednesday, 24th January, 2024 - 12:00 (New York) / 17:00 (GMT)

 GIMPA Green Hill Campus, School of Law, Accra - Ghana / 

 (Room will be open in advance to start on time).

Join this very special workshop where students come together to learn and share ideas about substance use and prevention. We'll be comparing how each country approaches their drug policies. It's a unique opportunity for cross-cultural understanding and collaborative learning.

Drug policy reform: A comparative dialogue between Ghana and the USA

The Reconvened 65th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) took place 7-8 December in Vienna, at the Vienna International Centre.

Special event: Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem

13:00-13:50 Room. C-CR2, Building-C, Vienna International Centre

Organised by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and co-sponsored by Australia, Albania, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Czechia, Greece, Guatemala, Mexico, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, Uruguay, Switzerland, the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, UNAIDS, World Health Organization, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the International Drug Policy Consortium, the International Network of People Who Use Drugs and the the Open Society Foundations.

This special event will contextualise and discuss the findings and recommendations of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report entitled ‘

’ (A/HRC/54/53); and explore ways forward to implement them.


Peggy Hicks, Director, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedure, and the Right to Development Division, OHCHR

H.E Ambassador Raphael Nägeli, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OSCE, the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna

H.E Ambassador Laura Gil, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations in Vienna

Hon. Seth Kwame Acheampong, Minister of State, Ghana

Jindřich Vobořil, National Drug Coordinator of Czechia
Ruth Dreifuss, Commissioner, Global Commission on Drug Policy

Christine Stegling, Deputy Executive Director, UNAIDS —Video message

Ann Fordham, Executive Director, International Drug Policy Consortium

Mandeep Dhaliwal, Director, HIV & Health Group, Bureau for Policy & Programme Support, UNDP —Video message

Past Events