Prisons & incarceration

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.

Publications17 April 2026

Forbidden voices: Torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under drug policy in Bolivia

Acción Andina and the Programa Libertas outline how punitive practices and prohibitionist logics persist in Bolivia, highlighting the voices of surviving victims.

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.

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.

News2 March 2026

‘Worrying’ war on drugs rhetoric comes with human, financial costs

The renewed 'war on drugs” narrative is driving repression and rights abuses, despite clear evidence that punitive policies have failed.

News12 February 2026

Mexico: UN torture prevention experts recognise progress, but urge strengthening of torture prevention measures

UN experts raised serious concerns about implementation gaps, including conditions and coercive practices in drug rehabilitation centres operating without adequate oversight.

Blog5 February 2026

Thailand meets new drug policy challenges in light of the upcoming national election

Thailand’s February election could reshape drug policy, provided the next government advances evidence- and human rights–based approaches, expands harm reduction, and moves beyond policing-led responses.

Events

Drug policy and people deprived of liberty: Connecting movement and international advocacy strategies

Online

27 January 2026

This event will examine key human rights standards on access to health and harm reduction in prisons, while sharing lessons learned from regional and international advocacy experiences.

News15 January 2026

Maldives: Parliament approves death penalty for major drug trafficking cases

Maldives’ parliament has unanimously approved a landmark amendment allowing the death penalty for major drug trafficking cases.

News3 November 2025

Facts to inform the debate about the U.S. government’s anti-drug offensive in the Americas

WOLA unpicks the human cost of militarised drug control, and calls for an evidence-based, humane alternative.

News14 October 2025

Women are paying the price for the war on drugs - Women Beyond Walls podcast with Marie Nougier

Marie Nougier exposes how punitive drug laws devastate women’s lives, fueling mass incarceration and inequality — and calls for feminist, humane, evidence-based drug policies rooted in care, not punishment.

Blog8 October 2025

The Human Rights Council asserts its role in drug policy at a time of global change

The Human Rights Council’s latest resolution on drug policy marks a turning point, reaffirming that drug control is a human-rights issue, and calling for person-centred, inclusive, and accountable approaches.

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