Harm reduction for women in prisons

By Harm Reduction International, the South African Network of People who Use Drugs and Metzineres

Punitive drug policies disproportionately impact women, and drug use and drug offences are a significant contributor to the incarceration of women around the world. In fact, a higher proportion of women than men are imprisoned for drug-related offences.

When women who use drugs are detained, their access to harm reduction services is severely lacking.

This briefing draws on focus groups and interviews held with women in Durban, South Africa and Barcelona, Spain, and seeks to paint a picture of the barriers women face when accessing harm reduction services in prisons.