Is drug treatment living up to its promise?

HAYAT is honoured to be a part of a #CND67 side event, along with partners across the world, on grounding #treatment within a larger conversation about care in #drugpolicy.

We believe in person-centered care: it’s more than just treatment — it’s about being able to hold the people and entities providing treatment to the highest standards of accountability and transparency as well.

The UNODC, while supportive towards rehabilitation and treatment conversations, are still providing resources and funding to contexts with highly punitive drug policies — including those imposing the death penalty for drug offenses.

We’re here to reiterate that the UN system needs to center a human rights-based, ethical approach in their programming, especially in treatment-related ones, and be consistent in the position towards a care-based model of demand reduction.

The OHCHR’s duty to conduct human rights due diligence of UN agency programmes should be strengthened to better hold accountable programming efforts, especially in relation to drug enforcement-related programs that negatively impact one’s economic, social, and cultural rights.

Donor states, as well as development partners providing funding to local entities through the UN system need to center the UN Common Position on Drugs and other UN standards on drug policies in ensuring that funding/grants for treatment-related efforts adhere to the highest standards of health and care.

WHO in-country offices need to be included in engagements about programming, and should be taking the lead in advocating for ethical treatment approaches. In addition, WHO support to governments through provision of expertise, training etc should be explored.

The UNDP’s in-country Access to Justice programme should increase engagement with civil society actors in developing accountability and transparency measures for drug treatment efforts/facilities.

View our recorded speech here.