EVAWUD22 Summary Report

Coinciding with the United Nations international day to eliminate violence against women, and the subsequent 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign (25 November to 10 December), women who use drugs and their allies around the world, unified in their determination to stop systemic and gender-based violence against women who use drugs, again unleashed a diverse and dynamic series of actions.

Women who use drugs are exposed to higher rates of violence than women in the general public. This violence includes, (but is not limited to) rape, sexual harassment, extortion, loss of child custody, imprisonment for mere personal possession, extra judicial killing, capital punishment, obstetric violence and penalisation for drug use in pregnancy. Prohibition either directly causes or greatly exacerbates conditions for all of these violations. Gender-based violence cannot be eliminated if those most affected are not directly and meaningfully involved at all levels in relevant policy and programming.

Women who use drugs are boldly stepping out to take their place in the women’s movement and efforts to stop gender-based violence. Collectively we and our allies call for governments to end the gendered, failed and murderous policy of drug prohibition.

A growing number of consortia actions and engagement with partners has further amplified engagement in 2022. The following summary (with hyperlinks) features some of the actions performed by women who use drugs and our allies around the world, in Portugal, Uganda, Greece, Ukraine, France, Serbia, Kenya, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Malawi, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Estonia, Georgia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Moldova.Coinciding with the United Nations international day to eliminate violence against women, and the subsequent 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign (25 November to 10 December), women who use drugs and their allies around the world, unified in their determination to stop systemic and gender-based violence against women who use drugs, again unleashed a diverse and dynamic series of actions. Women who use drugs are exposed to higher rates of violence than women in the general public. This violence includes, (but is not limited to) rape, sexual harassment, extortion, loss of child custody, imprisonment for mere personal possession, extra judicial killing, capital punishment, obstetric violence and penalisation for drug use in pregnancy. Prohibition either directly causes or greatly exacerbates conditions for all of these violations. Gender-based violence cannot be eliminated if those most affected are not directly and meaningfully involved at all levels in relevant policy and programming. Women who use drugs are boldly stepping out to take their place in the women’s movement and efforts to stop gender-based violence. Collectively we and our allies call for governments to end the gendered, failed and murderous policy of drug prohibition. A growing number of consortia actions and engagement with partners has further amplified engagement in 2022. The following summary (with hyperlinks) features some of the actions performed by women who use drugs and our allies around the world, in Portugal, Uganda, Greece, Ukraine, France, Serbia, Kenya, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Malawi, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Estonia, Georgia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Moldova.