In accordance with resolution A/Res/70/228, the UN General Assembly will convene a high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS (HLM) from 

. The HLM will undertake a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 and 2011 Political Declarations on HIV/AIDS. It will adopt a concise and action-oriented declaration as its outcome, to be agreed upon by Member States, to guide and monitor the HIV/AIDS response beyond 2015, towards achieving the commitment of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

The high-level meeting will comprise plenary meetings and up to five thematic panel discussions, which will include opportunities for civil society participation. The opening plenary meeting will feature statements by the President of the UN General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General, the Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a person openly living with HIV and an eminent person actively engaged in the response to HIV/AIDS.

The President of the General Assembly will organize an informal interactive civil society hearing in April 2016 (date TBC), with the active participation of people living with HIV and broader civil society, attended by representatives of UN Member and Observer States and observers, NGOs, CSOs and the private sector.

I. Representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) in consultative status with ECOSOC and non-governmental members of the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS: 

You are invited to participate in the High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June and the informal interactive civil society hearing in April, but must register to attend these events using the form below.


Please visit this page to confirm the ECOSOC accreditation status of your organization:

Instructions:
(1) Type your organization's name into the search field in the top right corner of the site;
(2) Hit the "Go" button or return key on your keyboard to see if your organization is listed as "General," “Special,” or "Roster" for ECOSOC consultative status (all three qualify)

II. Representatives of NGOs, CSOs, academic institutions and the private sector that are NOT in consultative status with ECOSOC and NOT members of the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS: 

You may apply to participate in the High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June and the informal interactive civil society hearing in April by completing the form below. From among applications received, the President of the General Assembly will submit a proposed list of representatives of NGOs, CSOs, academic institutions and the private sector to UN Member States for their consideration on a non-objection basis and bring the list to the attention of the General Assembly. Approved applicants will be notified by mid-March.


III. In the last section of this form, you will have the option to apply to serve as a speaker at the informal interactive civil society hearing in April and/or the High-level Meeting in June. 

If you wish to apply for a speaking role, please read this guidance note before proceeding:

The deadline is the 12th of February 2016 - Please note that incomplete applications cannot be processed. Please be sure to provide all documents that are required below.


The UN Secretary General will issue a report

 on progress in addressing HIV. The report will be public and will inform government dialogues and negotiations on the Political Declaration. (The Report released on the 1st of April will be the advance unedited version in English, with an official report in six languages coming on 29 April).

Political Declaration Zero draft release.

 The HLM Co-Facilitators, the Swiss and Zambian Ambassadors, will share the zero draft (the “first draft”) of the Political Declaration with Member States mid April. From this time onward civil society can advocate with governments (at UN missions in New York and national capitals) for specific modifications or additions in the Declaration draft.

For more information about the High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, click here.


Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.

2016 United Nations General Assembly  High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS 

Reflections for Change is celebrating its second exhibition on June 8 when the 2015/16 cohort of health studies students at University of East London (UEL) will present an exhibition to their classmates, staff members and the internationally acclaimed author and scientist Professor Carl Hart. As part of a first year skills module, Personal and Professional Development, taught by Dr Jennifer Randall, 120 Health Studies students read 

High Price: Drugs, Neuroscience and Discovering Myself

 by Professor Carl Hart. This personal narrative, interwoven with accessible explanations of the science of drug use and critiques of contemporary drug policy, inspired students to reflect on their lives and how these connect to larger movements and agendas. Off the back of reading this book the students engaged in critical discussions on topics ranging from domestic violence, institutional racism, feminism and drug policy. When they finished the book in December 2015 they wrote to Dr Hart to tell him how much they appreciated the book and how much it had taught them.

From January to March 2016 the students were supported and assisted in reading the academic literature cited in High Price to develop the critical skills necessary to succeed in the university. In January students were invited to join a project in which students worked with the staff to use photovoice to further reflect, and then mirror back those reflections through an extra-curricular curated exhibition. This research project was intended to not only collect data but engage students in ‘learning by doing’ and teaching them research skills in their first year. They have now curated an exhibition that will be open to the public from 13:00 on Wednesday June 8. Professor Hart will be visiting the exhibition and meeting with UEL students.

On Thursday June 9 at 17:00, Professor Hart will be giving a public lecture at the opening event of the UEL Civic Engagement Festival held from June 9-11. .

Reflections for change

Next month, we’re marking the end Voices from the Frontline by launching of a new exhibition that shares the ideas and perspectives of people with multiple needs and those who support them.

Over the last two years, we’ve been exploring how better policy can improve people’s lives. The project is nearly complete, but thanks to continued support from Lankelly Chase, we will be building on this work over coming years.

Designed with the help of participants in the project, the exhibition tells stories both about the challenges people are facing, and the lessons that policymakers can draw from their experiences. As part of this, it examines the importance of listening to frontline and practitioner voices, the journey towards finding and staying in work, and asks how local areas can improve their support for people experiencing multiple needs.

We invite you to join us for tea and cake in Birmingham on 7th June 2016 between 5pm and 7pm, where you can view the exhibits and hear from some of the people involved in the project, as well as guest speakers working in public health and multiple needs in the West Midlands.

Reception: 5pm – 7pm, 7th June 2016
Exhibition open 7th – 30th June 2016
BVSC, The Centre for Voluntary Action, 138 Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DR.

If you’d like to come, please register for the event online.

The exhibition has been developed in partnership with Birmingham Changing Futures Together andSoapbox, and takes place at BVSC’s Centre for Voluntary Action. We hope this setting will provide a good opportunity to discuss some of the exciting developments taking place around multiple needs part of the West Midlands’ devolution agenda.

Walking from the Frontline: An exhibition on multiple needs

Drugs and the Law Committee, Zarah Levin-Fragasso, Chair


Please join us as a panel of human rights and drug policy experts, United Nations insiders, and a government official discuss and respond to the newly released report by the Special Committee on Drugs and the Law: "Charting a Wiser Course: Human Rights and the World Drug Problem." The panel will also discuss the outcome of the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS) and what the future holds for international drug policy, followed by a Q&A with the audience. The panel discussion will begin at 6:30 pm following a reception at 6:00 pm. All are welcome to attend.

Moderator:
Hanna Liebman Dershowitz - Committee member, Senior Policy Fellow and Director of Legal Adffirs and Policy Development

Panelists:
Bruno Ríos Sánchez, Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations
Summer Walker, Drug Policy Project Manager, United Nations University
Rebecca Schleifer, International Human Rights/Drug Policy Scholar and Advocate
Kathy H. Rocklen, Former Committee Member and Partner at Proskauer Rose LLP
Luke Schram - Committee member, Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society
Heather Haase - Committee member (former Chair), NY Representative for International Drug Policy Consortium

Charting a wiser course: Human rights and the world drug problem - report launch and discussion

What impact do psychedelic drugs have on the brain? What does research show about their potential for use? Psychiatrist David Nutt examines the evidence behind some common misconceptions.




David Nutt presents his latest research on how our brains respond to psychedelics.




Can we achieve an evidence based drugs policy? What are the risks that must be considered?

The Science of Psychedelics

David Nutt was fired by the Home Secretary for comparing the harms of ecstasy and horse-riding. Hear his case for an evidence-based approach to drug policy and resurrecting the use of psychedelics as a treatment for mental illness.

"He took personal risk to his reputation in the name of sound science" Colin Blakemore

Democracy and Drugs

Four years ago the US State of Colorado voted to legalise the sale of cannabis. Since then the states of Washington, Oregon and Alaska have followed suit. This November, in all likelihood, California and Massachusetts will support legalisation ballots. Uruguay has become the first country to legally regulate cannabis. The Canadian Prime Minister has announced that his government will bring forward a legalisation White Paper. Just last month the Mexican President spoke at the UN and suggested that his country was giving serious consideration to moving to a regulated market.

These reforms, in relation to cannabis in the Americas, constitute the greatest collective wave of drug policy reform in over half a century. They have precipitated a new debate; how best to create an infrastructure that safeguards legitimate public health concerns, whilst creating incentives for business to invest, and removing the black market.

The ‘tidal effect’ of these reforms will change the debate about cannabis legalisation in the UK.

 is delighted to host ‘Regulate. But How?’, to examine how best to create a sustainable legal regulated market. 

Invited speakers: Sam Bowman, Ann Fordham, Brendan Kennedy, Mike Power, Steve Rolles

Thumbnail: Sonya Yruel/Drug Policy Alliance

Debate: ‘Regulate. But How?’

The Symposium is an important networking event for the presentation of new developments in the fight against HIV & Emerging infectious diseases. The goals of the Symposium are to increase the scientific understanding of the virus, and to gain insights applicable to future efforts for controlling its spread. The Scientific Committee will design an outstanding program. Each day will offer a variety of sessions leading by renowned key opinin leaders, enriched by oral presentations with high quality abstracts. Additional abstracts will be scheduled as poster presentations with dedicated poster viewing times.

ISHEID: International symposium HIV and emerging infectious diseases

By Distraction Pieces Podcast Network - in association with LEAP UK

’ – the new drug policy podcast in association with LEAP UK and under the Scroobius Pip Distraction Pieces network. Come join for some rousing conversation and drug law debate!

Norman Lamb MP - Norman is a former minister in the coalition government and is a senior Lib Dem MP who has long championed evidence-based policy making - and consequently drug law reform

Joe Wells – Joe is a comedian and left-leaning social commentator. Joe is firmly on the fence with regards to our drug laws and will provide the voice of the contemplative layman. Hosting his own political podcast called Think Tank, Joe is a regular in the political comedy scene

Dale Beaumont-Brown – Dale is a film producer and director who has taken a longitudinal look at cannabis in his upcoming documentary, Grassroots: The Cannabis Revolution

And of course from LEAP UK, the regular host Jason Reed and regular pundit and former undercover drugs cop Neil Woods.

So what’s on the search warrant this month?

Well, the Liberal Democrats have firmly put the nailed their colours to the mast and have been the first UK political party to manifesto the issue of a regulated cannabis market under the guidance and recommendation of an expert panel. It’s about time we delved into this and strip back what this means for the UK, and take a peek behind the Westminster curtain while we're at it.

Stop and search: cannabis reform and grassroot revolutions

25th Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Monday 23 May, 1.10 – 2.00pm, Conference Room M6

This side-event will focus on the treatment of women offenders and women prisoners in different regions and reflect on the importance of the UN Bangkok Rules. The expert panel will share good practices on the implementation of the UN Bangkok Rules, through gender-sensitive approaches.

 - Dr. Kittipong Kittayarak Executive Director, Thailand Institute of Justice.

Research and implementation of gender-specific community service and probation orders in Kenya

 - Andrea Huber, Penal Reform International.

Responses to cases where women kill their abusers

 - Verity Doyle, Linklaters LLP, London.

Gender-specific drug policy reform in Argentina

 - Luciana Pol, Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (member of the International Drug Policy Consortium)

Good practice on women offenders‏

The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) was established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolution 1992/1, upon request of General Assembly (GA) resolution 46/152, as one of its functional commissions. The Commission acts as the principal policymaking body of the United Nations in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. ECOSOC provided for the CCPCJ's mandates and priorities in resolution 1992/22, which include improving international action to combat national and transnational crime and the efficiency and fairness of criminal justice administration systems. The CCPCJ also offers Member States a forum for exchanging expertise, experience and information in order to develop national and international strategies, and to identify priorities for combating crime.

More information will be made available in the next few weeks.

Please, find here further documentation and the expert groups.

25th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) 

The Conference, hosted by the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association, will include workshops, presentations and forums dedicated to sharing skills and understanding in the treatment of all addictive disorders, including alcohol and other drugs, behavioural addictions, and the emerging field of online compulsive behaviour in both adults and children.

A priority aim of this Conference will also be to deepen our understanding around the interrelationship of addictive disorders between each other, as well as with mental health, family, community, and culture.

The Conference promotes and encourages participation from all parts of the sector towards a shared appreciation of what medical, psycho-social and peer-based approaches can offer, through the experiences of service users, clinicians, and researchers alike.

 DPsych MAPS, Matthew Berry Consulting – Conference Chair

 National Policy Manager, Australian Drug Foundation

CEO’s, Managers and Leaders of Addiction Treatment Centres

Lecturers, Researchers and Policy Advocates

A special thank you to our 2015 Keynote Speakers:

 Brain & Mind Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney

 Professor of Criminology, Department of Law and Criminology, Sheffield Hallam University, UK and visiting Research Fellow at Turning Point and Monash University

 Senior Lecturer, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales

 Nurse Practitioner (NP), Drug and Alcohol Consultation Liaison Service, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District and Conjoint Teacher, University of Newcastle

 Lecturer, Flinders University and Ms Maria Maver, Consumer

 MD, PhD, FRANZCP, A/Professor of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School – Nepean, The University of Sydney and Department of Psychiatry Nepean Hospital

Click here to view the original event post.

Past Events

2016 United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS