Harm reduction

Publications6 October 2025

Safeguarding rights in EU drug policy - Contribution to the European Commission's call for evidence on the EU drugs strategy and action plan against drug trafficking

IDPC calls on the European Commission to ensure the next Strategy is balanced, evidence-based, and rights-centred, prioritising harm reduction, civil society participation, and policy innovation over punitive approaches.

Events

19th Annual Conference of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy (ISSDP) 2026 Conference

Perth, Australia

7 October 2025 - 2 July 2025

The ISSDP 2026 conference is set to take place from June 30 to July 2 in Perth, Australia and its call for abstracts is open until November 30, 2025.

News2 October 2025

UN expert welcomes report of Police directive supporting harm reduction programmes

South African directive to end unnecessary syringe and needle confiscation prompts support from Special Rapporteur Mofokeng, citing the importance of rights-based intervention.

Blog30 September 2025

Practicing liberatory harm reduction: From street-level care to policy reform advocacy

In Cavite, liberatory harm reduction means building care and justice from the streets up — from mutual aid to drug policy reform, survival practices grow into movements for dignity and change.

Publications25 September 2025

Development dimensions of drug policy: Assessing new challenges, uncovering opportunities, and addressing emerging issues

UNDP charts a rights- and development-centred turn in drug policy, prioritising decriminalisation, harm reduction, equity-led transitions, and practical pathways to responsibly regulate some drug markets.

News25 September 2025

As ASEAN drug policy transitions, where will the Philippines stand?

Punitive drug policies in ASEAN have failed to achieve ‘drug-free’ goals, while harm reduction offers a pragmatic, rights-based alternative already showing results in the region — albeit torpedoed by Singapore's hardline stance.

News25 September 2025

Campaign for the elimination of violence against women who use drugs (EVAWUD 2025) - Toolkit

WHRIN's global campaign around the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women calls groups worldwide to join the 16 Days of Action with activities highlighting violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs.

Publications25 September 2025

Punishment over care: The failing drug policy of Moldova - Submission to the UN CESCR

EHRA, Union for Equity and Health, and PULS urge the Committee to interrogate Moldova’s punitive drug policies, which criminalise people who use drugs, restrict health and employment outcomes, and deepen stigma.

Publications10 September 2025

Rethinking Chile’s drug policy through human rights and harm reduction – Report to the CESCR for the periodic review of Chile

HRI and LANPUD call for reform of punitive laws that fuel mass incarceration and violate rights, and for investment in health, harm reduction, and community leadership.

News5 September 2025

Urgent call for continued WHO leadership on harm reduction for people who use drugs – Open letter to the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Civil society urges WHO to sustain leadership on harm reduction, resist funding cuts, and ensure meaningful community involvement.

Publications4 September 2025

Civil society perspectives on the ASEAN Work Plan on Drugs 2016–2025 – Submission to ASEAN review process

Civil society exposes punitive harms and rights violations, while urging a shift towards health, harm reduction, decriminalisation, justice reform, and sustainable livelihoods.

News3 September 2025

RIP Louise Vincent, harm reduction hero & visionary

Louise Beale Vincent, a deeply beloved and invaluable activist, Executive Director of the National Survivors Union and the North Carolina Survivors Union, passed away.

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