65th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)

The 65th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is expected to take place on 14-18 March 2022 via hybrid format with most participation taking place remotely.

Civil society participation

While the CND Plenary will be webcast publicly (i.e. accessible to all), ECOSOC-registered NGOs can register to join the dedicated conference platform, which allows them to: 1) follow the webcast of the Committee of the Whole, 2) deliver oral statements at the plenary, 3) apply to attend in person —please note that only 8 NGO representatives will be allowed in the room at any given time. Please use this form to register.

For more information on civil society participation at #CND65, please consider attending this VNGOC Informal Meeting on Thursday 10th March, from 15:00 to 16:30 (Vienna time). Register here.

Download the CND App

The CND App aims to facilitate navigating and engaging with the debates at the CND. This mobile application will help you track, in real time, what is happening and where, receive notifications on key events, resolutions and speakers, and access CND resolutions as well as UN-agreed language on specific drug policy issues. This will be all the more important for this virtual session.

For an optimal experience, please download the app from the Apple or Android store. Alternatively, you can access most of the app's functionalities with your browser online. The CND App was developed by IDPC, as part of the Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD) project.

Please, help us disseminate by sharing with your colleagues and networks.

Webinar: Key issues and opportunities

Streamed in English with translation into Spanish and French, this seventh edition of the IDPC webinar on the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) focuses on its 65th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which will take place in Vienna from 14-18 March 2022. The webinar will shed light on the key issues that are likely to structure the debates, discuss tabled resolutions and opportunities for engagement (especially considering this year's hybrid format), and showcase the experience of IDPC network members in navigating and leveraging this forum for political advocacy.

A video introduction to the Commission's functioning and mechanisms of engagement is also available.

Civil society written submissions

Deadline: Monday, 28 February

ECOSOC-registered NGOs can submit short written submissions to be included in the official documentation of the meeting. For more information on these submissions, which should not exceed 1,500 words, please consult these guidelines. NGO written submissions can be sent directly to the CND Secretariat at: unodc-sgb@un.org.

Side events

Side events will take place online. All side events, flyers and access/registration links will be accessible on the official CND page and IDPC's dedicated site imminently.

IDPC side events

Over 20 of these events are organised by IDPC members, check them out in the document below and watch them here.

The IDPC Secretariat co-organises a number of them that we warmly invite you to register to:

Tuesday, 15th March

• The green wave hits Europe: recent cannabis regulation initiatives in Europe | Flyer | 9:00-9:50 | Forum Droghe, Malta, IDCPC, TNI, WOLA, Transform

Wednesday, 16th March

• Drug policy in Asia: The importance of intersectional perspectives | Flyer | 9:00-9:50 | IWRAW, HON, IDPC, Persatuan Insaf Murni Malaysia

• The Global Drug Policy Index 2021: A global tool for evaluation and accountability | Flyer | 12:15-13:10 | IDPC, EHRA, ENPUD, GDPO, HRI, MENAHRA, WHRIN, Youth RISE

• Challenging the criminalization of poverty and marginalization in Africa – and beyond | Flyer | 13:10-14:00 | PRI, Ghana, APCOF, IDPC

Thursday, 17th March

• Nordic decriminalisation and criminalisation models - lessons learned | Flyer | 9:00-9:50 | FHN, Correlation, IDPC

• The shortcomings and side effects of substance scheduling | Flyer | 12:15-13:05 | HIV Legal Network, Canada, The Netherlands, CDPE, IDPC, Transform, TNI

• Practical measures for the prohibition of arbitrary detention in the context of drug control measures | Flyer | 13:10-14:00 | OHCHR, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines, Switzerland, UK, EU, HRI, ICHR, IDPC, INPUD, PRI, UNAD, UNAD, WHO

• Decriminalisation in the Americas: towards a more humane drug policy | Flyer | 13:10-14:00 | MUCD, CDPE, Elementa, HIV Legal Network, IDPC

Friday 18th March

• Mitigating the risks of corporate capture in emerging legal cannabis markets | Flyer | 12:15-13:05 | Transform, GDPO, HPA, IDPC, TNI, WOLA

• Reaching global AIDS targets through harm reduction and reform of restrictive drug policy frameworks | Flyer | 12:15-13:05 | UNAIDS, HRI, IDPC, INPUD, WHO

• Suffering in the shadows: The impact of drug-related incarceration on family members |Flyer | 13:10-14:00 | WOLA, Mexico. Church World Service, IDPC, NNAPES, Red internacional by RIMUF

• Drug Policy in Latin America – Challenges for People who Use Drugs |Flyer | 13:10-14:00 | Brazilian Harm Reduction and Human Rights Network, E de Lei, HRI, Intercambios, IDPC, WOLA

Informal NGO Dialogues

As in previous years, the VNGOC has organised several informal NGO dialogues with representatives from UN bodies:

• UNODC Executive Director | Wednesday, 16 March, 10:30 - 11:30
• CND Chair | Thursday, 17 March, 09:00 - 09:50
• INCB President | Friday, 18 March, 15:00 - 16:00

Resolutions

Six resolutions have been tabled and will be negotiated by Member States. The drafts are available here.

Vienna NGO Committee (VNGOC) Annual General Meeting & Board elections

Given the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the VNGOC will hold its AGM as two online events (on 10 March and 17 March 2022).

The Committee is also holding Board elections (Voting period: 14-17 March). Only members who have paid their fees can vote. Each organisation needs to nominate a representative that will vote on their behalf by e-mailing info@vngoc.org (Deadline to nominate voter: TODAY, 9 March). To learn more about the candidates and voting procedure, please check this page.

NGO written statements by IDPC & members

All papers are available here.