UNGASS: Carta del Relator Especial sobre el derecho a la salud de las Naciones Unidas

El Relator Especial sobre el derecho a la salud de la ONU, Dainius Pūras, produjo una crítica al actual régimen de control de drogas y su impacto en los derechos humanos, sugirierndo áreas para el debate y hacia el cambio durante el proceso de la UNGASS y más allá. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

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Mr. Yury Fedotov,

I have the honour to address you in my capacity as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (right to health), pursuant to General Assembly resolution 57/5 and Human Rights Council resolution 24/6.

In connection, please accept this letter in the context of the reconvened 58th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which will take place in Vienna from 9 to 11 December 2015, as part of the preparations for the UN General Assembly Special Session on the Drug Problem (UNGASS), scheduled to take place in New York in April 2016.

I welcome the UNGASS process which is an important opportunity to reflect upon the achievements and challenges of international drug control, and its impact upon the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. For two decades, the UN General Assembly has consistently called for drug control to be carried out “in full conformity” with the UN Charter and international law and standards, specifically, human rights. While such language is welcome, it becomes meaningless unless underpinned by clear and explicit human rights standards and principles. Right now, this pledge only represents a consensus based commitment repeated in different fora that remains far from being realized.

As Special Rapporteur on the right to health, I am concerned about the lack of explicit and clear human rights standards and commitments in the current negotiations for the UNGASS outcome document. While human rights is included as a theme, it has played a very minor role in the negotiations to date, and risks becoming a hollow opening paragraph with no meaningful debate, development or follow up.

Recalling the commitment made by the 2005 World Summit ‘to support further mainstreaming of human rights throughout the United Nations system’, Member States must ensure this commitment is upheld as they develop the substantive elements of the UNGASS discussions. Human rights must be a cross-cutting issue informing all discussions at the high-level general debate, and thematic workshops.

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