Gender

Publications13 May 2026

Women, drug policy and the death penalty - Submission to OHCHR for report on the impact of drug policies on women and girls

HRI, ESOHR, KHRC and WHRIN call for the abolition of the death penalty for drug offences, highlighting its disproportionate impact on women and girls .

Publications13 May 2026

Hi-fun, homepas and incidental sex with drugs: a qualitative study developing a locally grounded definition of hi-fun (chemsex) compared to other sexualised drug use types practiced by gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Thailand

Witzel et al. highlight the need for harm reduction, legal support and drug policy reform responses tailored to the realities of this specific sexualised drug use practice in Thailand.

Publications12 May 2026

Contributions from the Working Group on Women, Drug Policy and Incarceration

The Working Group on Women, Drug Policy and Incarceration analyses how punitive drug policies have driven the incarceration of women in Latin America and proposes gender-sensitive and intersectional responses.

News12 April 2026

‘Groundbreaking’ UN agreement on justice for women to include those in prison for first time

In a first for the Commission on the Status of Women, the text explicitly recognises women in prison, opening possibilities for justice for nearly one million women incarcerated globally.

News1 April 2026

APCOM joins IDPC to strengthen regional advocacy for harm reduction, HIV prevention, and rights-based drug policies for MSM engaging in chemsex across Asia and the Pacific.

APCOM joins IDPC to advance harm reduction and rights-based HIV prevention for MSM engaging in chemsex in Asia and the Pacific.

News31 March 2026

UN experts urge urgent action to protect women in prisons and curb over-criminalisation ahead of CSW70

UN experts warn that the growing number of women imprisoned globally is driven largely by punitive drug policies and socio-economic inequalities, urging States to prioritise alternatives to detention and gender-responsive justice reforms ahead of CSW70.

Publications17 March 2026

10th Brandenburg Forum on Drugs and Development Policies report - 'From Crisis to Coherence: Next Steps in Aligning Drug Policy with Development, Human Rights and the UN Reform'

This report summarises major topics from the meeting, such as the current geopolitical climate and the importance of rights-based policy for vulnerable communities.

Publications3 March 2026

The Human Rights Council asserts its role in drug policy

IDPC welcomes Resolution 60/26 as a landmark affirmation of the Council's authority to address the human rights implications of drug policy, strengthening the UN human rights system and reinforcing calls for health-, rights- and evidence-based drug policies globally.

Publications24 February 2026

Shrinking civic space and marginalized populations in Eastern Europe & Central Asia

EHRA and partners analyse how shrinking civic space and punitive legal frameworks are undermining community-led HIV and TB responses in the region, directly impacting LGBTQI+ people, people who use drugs, sex workers, and people living with HIV.

News16 February 2026

Call for inputs: OHCHR report on the impact of drug policies on the rights of women and girls

The report will address human rights challenges and gender-responsive approaches in law and practice, and contributions are received by 31 March.

Events

International Chemsex Conference: Optimising support and care for people engaging in chemsex

Antwerp, Belgium

3 March 2026 - 5 March 2026

A transdisciplinary conference examining the complex realities of chemsex and advancing evidence-based, harm reduction and gender-responsive approaches to support and care, grounded in community expertise and human rights.

News10 December 2025

INHSU Fellowship Program supporting women who use drugs — Applications open

This nine-month fellowship programme aims to build capacity among early and mid-career US-based researchers working to improve gender-based health outcomes.

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