Human Rights Council – 58^th Session
General Debate Item 3

Joint Statement. Drug Policies and Human Rights

Mr. President: 

I deliver this joint statement on behalf of Albania, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and my own country Colombia.

According to UN experts and special rapporteurs, “the war on drugs” may be understood to a significant extent as a war on people.

The High Commissioner’s report A/HRC/54/53 revealed persistent human rights violations and abuses due to ongoing punitive drug policies.

The special Rapporteur on the right to health, noted that drug policies could represent structural barriers to the enjoyment of human rights, and obstruct access to harm reduction services.

Marginalized groups, communities, and key populations, particularly those in situations of vulnerability, are disproportionately affected by punitive focused drug policy responses.

The current drug controlframework must be aligned with applicable human rights obligations to promote protection of and respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the dignity of all individuals in the context of drug programs, strategies, andpolicies.Punitive policiesobstructaccess to harm reduction servicesand fuelstigma, discrimination, and the spread of HIV.”

The Human Rights Council plays a key role in guiding the entire UN system, as well as its member states, in applying a human rights and public health-based approach in the design and implementation of drug policies.

Evidence-based harm reduction measures should be implemented as a conducive measure to realize the right to health as well as other human rights, contributing to the realization of the Agenda 2030, in particular its SDG 3.

Drug users should not be treated as criminals but as individuals with inherent dignity entitled to exercise their rights, including the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

The use of pain relief medications should be appropriately regulated, and barriers that restrict access to it should be addressed and solved. 

 We are profoundly concerned by the liquidity crisis and the recent defunding decisions that affect the among others, the UN Human Rights system, WHO and UNAIDS. But regardless of how challenging the circumstances are, we remain committed to finding a way to continue promoting, advocating, and joining efforts to support a human rights approach to drug policies

Thank you.