Oral statement to Human Rights Council on the disproportionate effects of the drug war on women

Delivered by Mr. Paulo de Tarso Lugon Arantes on behalf of Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS), Conectas Human Rights, and Corporación Humanas

Mr. President, This Council has debated throughout last year the effects of drug policies on human rights, which led to a resolution contributing to the UNGASS on Drug Policies, this year in New York, by requesting a landmark report from the High Commissioner and a Panel that gathered diverse views.

Distinguished Delegates, Violence against women and disproportionate gender impact form the noxious of the noxious effects of the failed “war on drugs”. Besides these several effects highlighted by the High Commissioner’s1 report, like high incarceration rates, this is especially serious when considering that most women who live in poverty have been subjected to physical, sexual and psychological violence through their lives. Most of them are involved in non-violent crimes, with small amounts of drugs and have no real responsibility within the criminal organization. This phenomenon has led to the label of feminization of drug trafficking, which is in turn, related to the feminization of poverty.

The impact of imprisonment of mothers and caregivers, in particular, can be devastating, not only for them, but also for their families and communities.

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