Violence, policing & punishment

Publications12 February 2025

Human Rights Watch: World Report 2025

HRW denounces human rights violations, including in relation to drug policy ranging from punitive laws to extrajudicial executions, and demands truth and justice.

News10 February 2025

In Sri Lanka, the army is engaging in a new war on drugs

Militarised compulsory drug detention centres blur the line between treatment and torture, in detriment of much-needed health-based approaches.

Events

International Drug Policy Reform Conference 2025

Detroit, United States

12 November 2025 - 15 November 2025

The Reform Conference convenes the growing and dynamic drug policy reform movement.

Publications15 January 2025

Tackling intersectional stigma in healthcare access for marginalized communities in CEECA

SWAN examines the social justice impact of intersecting identities and provides recommendations for improving services, rights-based programs, and advocacy.

News19 December 2024

Bolivia: Despite progress, tackling overcrowding in prisons remains pressing

The delegation of the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture noted how private drug treatment facilities are not subject to adequate control and supervision, fueling violence and injustice against people who use drugs.

Publications11 December 2024

A world of harm: how U.S. taxpayers fund the global war on drugs over evidence-based health responses

DPA and HRI condemn the US' multibillion-dollar contribution to punitive responses, urging greater transparency and a commitment to a rights-based approach.

Publications11 December 2024

Beyond punishment: from criminal justice responses to drug policy reform

The Global Commission on Drug Policy exposes prohibitionist policies' role in fueling inequities and offers a roadmap for reform including harm reduction measures, decriminalsiation, and the legal regulation of drug markets,

Publications17 October 2024

Know your rights: On drug laws for African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) people who use drugs

The HIV Legal Network provides answers about Canadian drug laws and the criminal justice system to help ACB communities facing systemic discrimination better understand their legal rights.

News2 October 2024

Canada: 17 organisations condemn forced detention plans in BC

A comprehensive response should include community-based and voluntary programmes, and solutions to the housing, toxic drug supply, and poverty crises.

Events

Campaign for the elimination of violence against women who use drugs - EVAWUD 2024

24 November 2024 - 10 December 2024

WHRIN launches 16-day period of global advocacy to demonstrate support for action and policy that prioritise human rights, gender awareness, and harm reduction.

Publications9 July 2024

Synergistic effects of exposure to multiple types of violence on non-fatal drug overdose among women who inject drugs in Indonesia

Stoicescu et al. conclude the intersection of intimate partner violence and police sexual violence was associated with a nearly fourfold increase in non-fatal overdose.

News20 June 2024

The weight of inaction: The mothers fighting the war on drugs in Brazil

Women and mothers in Brazil are honouring the memories of their lost loved ones by advocating for justice and an end to the state-sanctioned violence of the 'war on drugs'.

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