The Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union on behalf of the EU, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Aidsfonds are pleased to invite you to a panel discussion on

“Closing inequality gaps for people who inject drugs: Promoting community-led responses for rights-based and people-centered health services”

Wednesday, 30th November 2022, 14:00 – 15:45 Central European Time

, National Drug Coordinator of the Czech Republic, Office of the Government, Czech Republic

, Director for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, UNODC

, Representative of the European Commission

, Director, Division for the control of HIV, STIs, Viral Hepatitis and TB, Ministry of Health, Spain

, Head of Health and AIDS Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands

For further queries on the content of the meeting, please contact Ms. Camilla Contorni (camilla.contorni@un.org) and Ms. Everine Akello (akelloe@unaids.org).

Closing inequality gaps for people who inject drugs: Promoting community-led responses for rights-based and people-centered health services

The 66th session will tentatively take place from 13-17 March 2023.

66th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)

8th December, 13.30 to 15.30 CET at the Vienna International Centre and online

Interpretation in French, Russian and Spanish will be available

The UNODC Synthetic Drug Strategy 2021-2025 was formally launched in November 2021, centered around four “spheres of action” (multilateralism and international cooperation, early warning on emerging synthetic drug threats, science-informed health responses, and counter-narcotic interventions).

To enhance and sustain meaningful civil society engagement in the context of the UNODC Synthetic Drug Strategy, UNODC together with The Alliance and the Vienna NGO Committee (VNGOC) are organizing an initial 

consultation with relevant civil society stakeholders on 8th December 2022

, in the margins of the reconvened meeting of the 65th CND. The meeting will serve as an initial “kick-off” to develop substantiative civil society expert groups that can play a consultative role in the implementation, adaptation and evaluation of the Synthetic Drug Strategy.

The consultation will be held in a hybrid format (online and in person) on

 8th December, 1.30PM (CET) to 3.30PM (CET). Civil society representatives interested in contributing are invited to participate.


Interpretation in FR, RU and ES will be provided.

Interested civil society representatives are invited to 

Note: Kindly note that no funding will be provided for travel costs. Interested participants wishing to attend in-person are expected to cover all associated costs.

Engaging with the UNODC Synthetic Drug Strategy - Civil society consultation

The RCF is unique in its commitment to supporting network strengthening through core funding, enabling civil society and community-led networks to build their organizational and advocacy capacity. Stronger organizational structures contribute to greater accountability, sustainability, and more effective programs.

The primary purpose of Annual Report 2021 is to provide a complete quantitative picture of RCF’s 2021 progress against a set of indicators, accompanied by a selective summary of qualitative results. As this report also marks the end of the funding cycle, it additionally takes the opportunity to reflect on the cumulative results and compare final data to those collected at baseline.

Across three years of implementation (2019 - 2021), all 60 unique networks showed progress under the Network Strengthening Outcome Area, with 100% demonstrating progress under at least one of the six organizational strengthening indicators. This showed the diverse but consistent value of RCF funds in strengthening organizational capacity, particularly in terms of financial systems, governance, and strategic planning and fundraising.

This report is one of many sources of information about RCF’s 2021 journey, complementing the broader and more diverse range of information available on grantee actions, progress and achievements that can be accessed on the RCF website and our social media.

To learn more please read the full text of the 

Robert Carr Fund Annual Report 2021 - Stronger Networks. Stronger Communities

This is the eighth edition of the Global State of Harm Reduction. Every two years since 2008, Harm Reduction International (HRI) has mapped responses to drug-related health harms around the world, including HIV and viral hepatitis. The report has become a key publication for researchers, policymakers, civil society organisations, advocates and United Nations’ agencies interested in mapping harm reduction policy adoption and programme implementation globally.

The Global State of Harm Reduction has always been produced through a collaborative effort between community and civil society representatives and researchers. This year, we have expanded this collaboration, as all nine regional chapters are authored by regional experts. We hope that the involvement of these additional regional experts and harm reduction organisations has resulted in a more comprehensive, thorough analysis in the Global State of Harm Reduction 2022.

In this year’s report, dedicated chapters pay special attention to viral hepatitis and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we now report on Eastern and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa separately, reflecting the growth of harm reduction across Africa. We have also expanded our attention to include harm reduction for non-injected drugs and stimulants, for the first time collecting quantitative data on the availability of safer smoking kits and stimulant pharmacotherapy

In all our work, Harm Reduction International defers to and respects local and regional terminology preferences, and is committed to the use of nonstigmatising, accurate language. In this regard, we take our lead from the INPUD and ANPUD Language Statement and Reference Guide.a Furthermore, we are committed to being inclusive and anti-racist. We capitalise Black when used in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense, and Indigenous when referring to the original inhabitants of a place.

The Global State of Harm Reduction 2022

On International Drug Users’ Day, UNAIDS calls for action against the criminalization of people who use drugs and for community-led harm reduction programmes

On International Drug Users’ Day, UNAIDS is calling for urgent action against the criminalization of people who use drugs, for the redress of criminalization’s negative effects on HIV, viral hepatitis and other health issues, for the respect of human rights and for more funding for community-led harm reduction programmes.

“UNAIDS is committed to supporting countries in their journey towards the decriminalization of drug possession and to full-scale implementation of harm reduction programmes,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “UNAIDS calls for the full involvement of communities of people who use drugs in achieving legal reform aimed at decriminalization and in the organization of harm reduction programmes at the country level. This will help us to end inequalities and end AIDS.”

People who use and inject drugs are among the groups at highest risk of acquiring HIV but remain marginalized and often blocked from accessing health and social services. In 2020, 9% of all new HIV infections were among people who inject drugs. Outside of sub-Saharan Africa this rises to 20%. Although women represent less than 30% of the number of people who use drugs, women who use drugs are more likely to be living with HIV than their male counterparts.

Timely introduction and full-scale implementation of accessible harm reduction programmes can prevent HIV infections, as well as many cases of viral hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and drug overdose. The United Nations system is united in promoting harm reduction services and decriminalization of personal possession of drugs, based on the evidence that harm reduction and decriminalization provide substantial public and personal health benefits and do not increase the number of people with drug dependency. Despite this position, reflected in the 

United Nations system common position supporting the implementation of the international drug control policy through effective inter-agency collaboration

, in reality less than 1% of people who inject drugs live in countries with the United Nations-recommended levels of coverage of needles, syringes and opioid substitution therapy, and the funding gap for harm reduction in low- and middle-income countries sits at a dismal 95%.

Even where harm reduction services are available, they are not necessarily accessible. Punitive drug control laws, policies and law enforcement practices have been shown to be among the largest obstacles to health care in many countries. Criminalization of drug use and harsh punishments (such as incarceration, high fines or removal of children from their parents) discourage the uptake of HIV services, drive people underground and lead to unsafe injecting practices, and increase the risk of overdose. Women who use drugs face higher rates of conviction and incarceration than men who use drugs, contributing to the increased levels of stigma and discrimination they face in health-care settings. In effect, criminalization of drug use and possession for personal use significantly and negatively impact the realization of the right to health.

Earlier this year, United Nations Member States set bold global targets on decriminalization of drug possession for personal use and on elimination of stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs and other key populations. To reach these targets by 2025, strategic actions at the country level need to start today.

GLOBAL AIDS SOCIETAL ENABLER TARGETS 2025

Less than 10% of countries criminalize drug use and possession of small amounts of drugs.

Less than 10% of people who use drugs report experiencing stigma and discrimination.

Less than 10% of people who use drugs lack mechanisms for people living with HIV and key populations to report abuse and discrimination and seek redress.

Less than 10% of people who use drugs lack access to legal services.

Less than 10% of health workers and law enforcement officers report negative attitudes towards people who use drugs.

Less than 10% of people who use drugs experience physical or sexual violence.

90% of people who inject drugs have access to comprehensive harm reduction services integrating or linked to hepatitis C, HIV and mental health services

80% of service delivery for HIV prevention programmes for people who use drugs to be delivered by organizations led by people who use drugs

1 November is International Drug Users’ Day, when the global community of people who use drugs comes together to celebrate its history and affirm the rights of people who use drugs. The 

International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD) marks this day

 with a celebration of its diverse, vibrant communities’ accomplishments, while also acknowledging their work is more critical than ever.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at 

On International Drug Users’ Day, UNAIDS calls for action against the criminalisation of people who use drugs and for community-led harm reduction programmes

 The words we choose when we talk about people who use drugs can serve to shame and blame, and frequently reinforce negative stereotypes.

Words such as ‘druggie’, ‘crackhead’, and ‘junkie’ overlook a person’s humanity and strip people of their dignity. 

But labels are just one of the many ways people who use drugs experience stigma.

Stigma around drug use and the people who use them – which can result from, and be a driver of, the criminalisation of drug use – leads to discriminatory treatment in healthcare settings, including the denial of basic services that can protect someone from HIV.

People who use drugs also receive unfair treatment when it comes to housing, employment, and the criminal justice system. 

This further marginalises people who use drugs and discourages people from seeking support when they need it.

As a result of the stigma and barriers that people who use drugs experience, 1 in 10 new HIV transmissions occur among people who inject drugs, and this figure rises to 20% outside of Africa.

Around the world people who use drugs – particularly those who inject, who are 35 times more likely to be living with HIV than someone from the general population – are being left behind. People who use drugs lack services that can keep them safe from HIV, with just 1% of people who inject drugs worldwide having access to appropriate harm reduction services.

At the Elton John AIDS Foundation, we are committed to ensuring that people who use drugs are free from violence and criminalization, have access to relevant and effective harm reduction strategies and can rely on continued political commitment, funding, and investment to meet their health needs.

We must change damaging narratives around drug use – away from punishment and towards a public health and rights approach, reinforced with love and compassion. – Tom Brigden, People Who Use Drugs Portfolio Lead

'Change how you see people who use drugs' - A short film to end stigma

In March 2019, UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) adopted the ‘Ministerial declaration on strengthening our actions at the national, regional and international levels to accelerate the implementation of our joint commitments to address and counter the world drug problem’, in which they agreed that the CND would conduct a mid-term review of progress made ‘in implementing all our international drug policy commitments’ in 2024, with a final review planned in 2029. In support for this review, a multi-year work plan for the period 2019 to 20232 was established to enable member states to discuss progress made and remaining challenges in drug policy, focusing on the ‘persistent and emerging challenges related to the world drug problem’ identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration.

As the 2024 mid-term review is fast approaching, and a resolution will likely be adopted on its modalities at the 66th session of the CND in March 2023, this background paper aims to provide recommendations on the possible format and outcomes for the review. In doing so, we draw from lessons learned and past experiences from the 2014 mid-term review of the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on drugs, the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs, and the 2019 high-level segment which marked the 10 year review of the 2009 Political Declaration and that led to the adoption of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration.

Preparations for an inclusive and meaningful mid-term review of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration in 2024

Yong-an Zhang - International Center for Drug Policy Studies ICDPS, Shanghai University (Chair)

Khalid Tinasti CCDP, Geneva Graduate Institute (Switzerland) ICDPS, Shanghai University (Moderator)

Gloria Lai, International Drug Policy Consortium Asia (Thailand)

Luciana Pol, Centro de Estudos Legales y Sociales (Argentina)

Deborah Alimi, Paris University Panthéon-Sorbonne (France)

Adeolu Adebiyi, West Africa Commission on Drugs (Nigeria)

Nazlee Maghsoudi, University of Toronto (Canada)

2009-2019: Capturing a decade of international drug policy advocacy

Key topics: LEARNINGS FROM COVID, INTERNATIONAL NIGHT ADVOCACY MEETING, DRUG CHECKING, SEXUAL HEALTH & SEXUAL VIOLENCE, STRUCTURAL PREVENTION, SPACES OF THE FUTURE, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, DRUG POLICY, CULTURE, PARTICIPATION & INTEGRATION, TECHNICAL SOUNDPROOFING, SUSTAINABILITY, DEALING WITH MEDITERRANIZATION, ALCOHOL, OPEN SPACES, META & NFT …

The NIGHTS – the most important international conference on urban leisure culture – offers the ideal platform during 2 ½ days to combine expertise from the fields of culture, urban development, health & safety and economics. The objective is to jointly develop possible development paths for the nocturnal city of tomorrow, regardless of thematic and structural boundaries. In this way, the city will offer conditions that are as lovable and livable as possible, as well as being conflict-free and future-oriented.

NIGHTS 2022: International Nightlife Conference

 21 October 2022 / 9:00 am - 11:00 am EDT

On the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and following the presentation of 

, to UNGA, the Lancet Medical Journal and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health at Georgetown University will be announcing their 

Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination and Global Health

. This three-year commission will bring together experts from across the globe to uncover and promote anti-racist strategies and actions to reduce barriers to health and wellbeing facing communities on the basis of race, ethnicity, tribe, caste, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or religion.

We invite you to join us Friday, October 21, 2022 from 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST for a panel discussion on accurately diagnosing the problem of racism in global health.

The work of the commission is rooted in the recognition that racism, rather than race, creates and maintains unjust and avoidable health inequities in countries around the world. Racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes are increasingly recognized worldwide, and the commission starts from the premise that the impact of racism inside and outside the health sector is a driver of health inequity that has not been sufficiently understood and addressed as a phenomenon that spans borders.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically highlighted the urgency of addressing racism directly when it comes to health,” said Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, co-chair of the commission. “It has also raised critical questions about the continuing colonial relationships undergirding global health efforts. Now is the time to confront this reality and accept that too little progress has been achieved to reduce discrimination in health.”

To attend this event virtually or in-person at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice in New York City (320 E 43rd St, New York, NY 10017), please register 

Advancing health equity: Time to address racism and structural discrimination in global health

Prison population data reveal a much faster growth in female than male prisoner numbers since the year 2000. While the number of women and girls in prison has grown by almost 60%, the male prison population increased by around 22%.

This fifth edition of the World Female Imprisonment List, by 

, shows that more than 740,000 women and girls are in prison globally.

The List is published by the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London. The List provides information on the number and percentage of female prisoners in almost all countries across world. It also includes information about trends in female imprisonment in countries and regions and by continent.

More than 200,000 female prisoners are in the United States of America (about 211,375). The countries with the next highest totals are China (145,000 plus an unknown number of women and girls in pre-trial detention and ‘administrative detention’), Brazil (42,694), Russia (39,120) and Thailand (32,952).

The countries with the highest female prison population rate – that is, the number of female prisoners per 100,000 of the national population – are the USA (64), Thailand (47), El Salvador (42), Turkmenistan (38), and Brunei Darussalam (36). In both Asia and Oceania, the total number of female prisoners has more than doubled since 2000. Europe, in contrast, has seen a fall (of 13%) in the female prison population.

The number of women and girls in prison has risen particularly sharply in some countries since around 2000; notably in:

Cambodia – there are more than nine times as many female prisoners today than in 2000

Indonesia – more than seven and a half times

Women and girls make up 6.9% of the global prison population. In African countries, the proportion of female prisoners is 3.3%, compared to 5.9% in Europe, 6.7% in Oceania, 7.2% in Asia, and 8.0% in the Americas. In 17 jurisdictions around the world, women and girls make up more than 10% of the prison population. Those with the highest proportions of female prisoners (excluding some very small jurisdictions) are Hong Kong-China (19.7%), Qatar (14.7%), Macau-China (14.1%), Laos (13.7%), Myanmar (12.3%), Vietnam (12.1%), Brunei Darussalam (11.9%), and the United Arab Emirates (11.7%).

Compiler of the World Female Imprisonment List, Helen Fair, comments:

The sustained and substantial rise in the numbers of women and girls in prison across much of the world is a cause of profound concern. It has long been recognised that most female prisoners are extremely vulnerable – with histories of poverty, mental illness and sexual and physical victimisation. Their incarceration makes little contribution to public safety, while imposing high financial and social costs. It is our hope that the data starkly presented in this World Female Imprisonment List will support and strengthen reformers’ calls to bring an end to unnecessary, damaging imprisonment of women and girls.

, Director of ICPR’s World Prison Research Programme, comments:

It is deeply troubling that the number of women and girls imprisoned worldwide has risen so dramatically in just two decades, far outstripping the rate of increase in male prisoner numbers. Huge increases have been seen in developed and less developed countries alike, with poverty, structural inequality, and the failed war on drugs the key underlying factors. Incarcerating more women for longer does nothing to address social injustice, simply causing further harm to those incarcerated, their families and communities.