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

66th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs

 (CND), which will take place in Vienna from 13-17 March 2022.

This year’s session is a momentous one, convened against the backdrop of 

 resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and ongoing preparations for the mid-term review of the 2019 Ministerial declaration.

The webinar will shed light on these and other key issues that are likely to structure the debates, discuss tabled resolutions and opportunities for engagement (especially in light of the session’s hybrid format), 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.

Maria-Goretti Ane (International Drug Policy Consortium - IDPC)

Adrià Cots Fernández (International Drug Policy Consortium - IDPC)

Ruth Birgin (Women and Harm Reduction International Network - WHRIN)

CND 66: Key issues and opportunities

This report summarises the discussions and conclusions of the meeting, but does not reflect the institutional positions of the co-hosting parties.

7TH BRANDENBURG FORUM ON DRUGS AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES “TOWARDS 2024 – A KEY MILESTONE IN GLOBAL DRUG POLICY”

The 7th Brandenburg Forum on Drugs and Development Policies took place from 16th to 18th November 2022, at the Schloss Lübbenau in Brandenburg, Germany. The Forum was organised by the 

Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD)

 – commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented under political patronage of the Commissioner of the Federal Government for Drug and Addiction Policy. The meeting was co-hosted by the Government of the Netherlands, the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, the Transnational Institute (TNI), and the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC). The Forum was attended by 53 participants from around the world – including government representatives from Albania, Belgium, Colombia, Czechia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the USA. Also in attendance were officials from the European Union, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as leading civil society organisations. In order to promote open dialogue, discussions were conducted under the ‘Chatham House Rule’ whereby contents can be shared but neither the identity nor the affiliation of any participants may be revealed.

7th Brandenburg Forum on Drugs and Development Policies report

In recent years, the historical isolation between the United Nations (UN) drug policy and human rights bodies has eroded significantly, and with accelerating speed. The human rights consequences of drug policies have become an unavoidable – if fractious – topic in global drug policy debates, and human rights bodies routinely monitor the impacts of drug responses. 

The growing convergence between the UN human rights and drug policy regimes is the result of 15 years of progress across the whole UN environment, with contributions from Geneva, Vienna, and New York-based bodies reinforcing and encouraging one another. Civil society has been a constant and necessary presence, broadening the horizon of what is possible, transmitting key information across the UN system, and consistently advocating for change. 

Despite some reluctance to engage in drug-related discussions up until the 2010s, the Genevabased human rights system has become gradually more influential in pushing for this alignment. The first call for convergence between the two regimes came from Geneva, in 2008. Since then, a large number of UN human rights bodies have regarded drug policies to be under their mandate, including the Human Rights Council, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), special mandate procedures, and human rights treaty bodies. 

A parallel shift in priorities also took place in Vienna – at least initially. The first, and so far only, resolution dedicated to human rights at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) was adopted in 2008, thereby legitimising human rights within the agenda of the CND. In the following years, Member States began to incorporate human rights language into plenary statements; new resolutions on topics closely aligned with a human rights approach were adopted. In 2014, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) finally condemned the use of the death penalty for drugs offences, discarding its long-standing refusal to acknowledge human rights violations connected to drug control. 

These changes were hard fought by progressive Member States and civil society alike. The 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs provided an opportunity to accelerate the inclusion of a stronger human rights narrative in drug policy debates across the UN system. This included establishing human rights as a new pillar of the global response to drugs, and the adoption of the strongest negotiated language to date. In part, this progress was due to the unprecedented involvement of UN human rights bodies in the preparations for the Special Session following the first-ever Human Rights Council resolution on drugs in 2015. 

The 2015 Human Rights Council resolution was mobilised Geneva-based bodies to increase their attention to drug policies after the UNGASS. Since then, OHCHR has remained steadfastly engaged on the drugs issue, while there has been ever increasing attention from special mechanisms. In parallel, the recommendations provided by human rights treaty bodies have gained in systematicity and ambition. Recent developments such as the announcement of a forthcoming new General Comment on drug policies by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), show that this trend will intensify in the future. 

The constraints imposed by consensus-based drug policy making and the strong coordination of conservative Member States have blocked progress on human rights language at the CND. Human rights have nonetheless gained visibility and influence at the Commission, thanks to constant pressure from civil society, the increased presence of the OHCHR and human rights mechanisms in Vienna, and the now constant references to human rights by vocal Member States. The centrality of human rights to drug responses is also recognised within the UN System Common Position on drugs, which was adopted by the Chief Executives Board composed of the heads of 31 UN entities in November 2018. 

2022 might have marked a turning page in consensus-based policy making on drug-related matters at the UN. First-ever votes took place at both the CND (albeit on a procedural matter), and at the UN General Assembly, where a substantial majority of Member States supported new and strong human rights language in the yearly drugs resolution. Whether the international community is truly ready to finally end the long-standing consensus on UN drug policy on a regular basis remains to be seen. However, this does open the door for new possibilities in global drug policy debates, and shows that a majority of countries now unequivocally support a greater role for human rights and human rights bodies.

Converging universes: 20 years of human rights and drug policy at the United Nations

The 66th session will take place from 13-17 March 2023. For general information on the CND, check out the dedicated section of our website on 

Vienna NGO Committee's (VNGOC) Guide for Participants

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

 enables you to navigate and engage with the debates at the CND. This mobile 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

For an optimal experience, please download the app from the 

 store. Alternatively, you can access some of the app's functionalities with 

Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development

A record-breaking 155 side events are scheduled to take place during the session and most of them will be accessible online. Flyers and access links will be accessible on the 

Almost 40 side events are co-organised by members of the IDPC network! 


The IDPC Secretariat co-sponsors 16 side events that we warmly invite you to join:

Ending gender-based violence against women and gender non-conforming people who use drugs

 | Organised by IWRAW Asia Pacific with the support of Australia, WHRIN, IDPC, EHRA, CELS, IDUCARE.

Ensuring human rights protection in Nordic drug policy: 

9:10 – 10:00 | In person (M0E07) | Organised by the FHN with the support of Iceland, Norway, IDPC, RIO.

The ineffectiveness of disproportionate sentencing: Towards sensible and people-centred policies

13:00 – 13:50 | Hybrid (M0E07) | Organised by Instituto RIA AC with the support of Colombia, Elementa DDHH, Dejusticia, ATS, DPA, IDPC and LEAP.

The impact of drug policy on economic, social and cultural rights: Overturning decades of neglect

 | Organised by IDPC, with the support of Colombia, Czechia, Ghana, Norway, Portugal, OHCHR, Amnesty International, Dejusticia, EHRA, HRI, HFHR, INPUD, TNI.

It all begins with health: Using a substance use health lens to achieve broad improvements in drug and government policy: 

8:00 – 8:50 | In-person (M0E05) | Organised by CCSA with the support of IDPC, Dianova International, RIO, CAPSA.

The efforts of Ghana towards placing health and human rights at the heart of national drug policy: Lessons learned and future opportunities

 | Organised by Ghana with the support of Czechia, Germany, Nigeria, South Africa, Switzerland, the AU Commission, OHCHR, ICHRDP, IDPC.

Human rights and drugs: What have we learned and where are we heading?

 | Organised by Czechia with the support of Colombia, Ghana, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, OHCHR, GCDP, IDPC.

Drug-related detention: Assessing efforts to relieve a crisis in South-East Asia

 | Organised by Amnesty International with the support of IDPC, LBHM, IDUCARE, TIJ.

Aligning drug policy with environmental protection

 | Organised by TNI with the support of Brazil, Colombia, GDPO, HPA, IDPC, OSF, Viso Mutop, WOLA.

Mitigating the risks of corporate capture for legal cannabis markets

 | In person (M0E07) | Organised by Transform with the support of IDPC, MUCD, HPA, Norwegian Association for Safer Drug Policies.

Young sex workers who use drugs: Addressing the stigma and need for change

 | Organised by Youth Rise with the support of the UNAIDS, WHRIN, HRI, INPUD, IDPC, EURONPUD, SSDP International, Dejusticia.

The right to health of people who use drugs: Harm reduction and access to voluntary treatments in a human rights perspective: 

8:00 – 8:50 | Hybrid (M7) | Organised by Forum Droghe with the support of IDPC, HRI, EURONPUD, la Società della Ragione, Associazione Luca Coscioni.

 | Organised by MUCD with the support of IDPC, LANPUD, Intercambios A.C., Elementa DDHH.

Health and HIV in prisons: Effective strategies to address urgent needs

 | Organised by PRI with the support of Belgium, Brazil, Czechia, Mexico, Sweden and IDPC.

“Nothing about us without us”: Opportunities to involve youth in drug policy

 | Organised by SSDP with the support of Australia, Canada, CSSDP, Youth RISE, SSDP Australia, IDPC.

Challenges and opportunities for drug policy reform: 

14:10 – 15:00 | Hybrid (M0E07) | Organised by the Brazilian Harm Reduction and Human Rights Network with the support of IDPC, INNPD, PBPD, Drug policy programme/Fiocruz, É de Lei Drop in Centre.

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

 | Tuesday, 14 March, 11:00-12:00, M3 & 

 | Wednesday, 15 March, 11:00-12:00, M3 & 

 | Thursday, 16 March, 09:00-10:00, CR-6 & 

 | Thursday, 16 March, 11:00-12:00, M3 & 

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

The VNGOC's Annual General Assembly is scheduled for Thursday, 16 March 2023 at 16:00 (Vienna) at the Vienna International Centre, (Room M-3, M-building 1st floor) and online 

.

The Vienna NGO Committee (VNGOC) will hold 

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

.

Please check if your organization has already paid the 2023 

 and if not please do so as soon as possible. In order to be able to vote during the General Assembly please make sure to settle outstanding fees before Wednesday, 15 March 2023.

The 2022 Drugs “Omnibus” Resolution: The first-ever United Nations vote on drugs places human rights at the centre of international drug policy

The 2022 Commission on Narcotic Drugs - Report of Proceedings

 – An analysis of last year's meeting that brings the 66th Session into context.

The spectre of article 14: The INCB Report for 2021, regulated cannabis markets and the board’s potential enforcement measures

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

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

Civil society has, rightly, long been an integral part of CND proceedings and debates – engaging alongside member states, UN officials, academics and others through interventions, side events, disseminating materials, and holding bilateral meetings. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 64th CND (12-16 April 2021) will take a “hybrid” format – with the vast majority of participants from outside of Vienna participating online.

With the precise modalities of a hybrid Commission still to be announced, the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC)1 would like to make the following practical and realistic recommendations to ensure strong and meaningful civil society participation – despite the many challenges that exist. We acknowledge the hard work of the CND Secretariat, Bureau and others towards this, but also believe that an online CND should be an opportunity to expand participation, rather than limit it. Furthermore, 2021 could be a good opportunity to implement permanent procedures to facilitate the active, online participation of NGOs from around the world in 2022 and beyond.

CND 66: Key issues and opportunities

7th Brandenburg Forum on Drugs and Development Policies report

Converging universes: 20 years of human rights and drug policy at the United Nations

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

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

VNGOC position statement: Urgent recommendations to protect civil society participation at the 64th UN Commission on Narcotics Drugs (CND)