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‘We are the Evidence’ – Community-led Responses on Decriminalisation, COVID-19 and Harm Reduction

INPUD, along with HIV Legal Network, UNAIDS and the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, are excited to be hosting a virtual side event at the 64th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on Monday, 12 April 2021 at 14:00 CEST. 

‘We Are the Evidence’: Community-Led Responses on Decriminalisation, Harm Reduction and COVID-19 will be a discussion on why and how people who use drugs should be at the centre of advancing policy towards decriminalisation of drugs. While recent moves towards the decriminalisation of drug use in some jurisdictions has been viewed as politically transformative by many, people who use drugs have criticised predominant decriminalisation models and practices as misleading. This session will launch a new, first of its kind publication by INPUD addressing this criticism, exploring different decriminalisation models and their impacts based on peer-led research and voices from the grassroots. We will also draw from examples of peer leadership on harm reduction and the COVID-19 response to discuss how the same leadership is necessary to ensure the best possible health and rights outcomes for people who use drugs when implementing decriminalisation. 

Simultaneous translation will be available in French, Russian and Spanish.

Please be sure to register here before the event to ensure you receive the link. 

Leading the discussion will be:

Annie Madden
PhD Candidate, University of New South Wales

Richard Elliott
Executive Director, HIV Legal Network

Torbjørn Brekke
Senior Drug Policy Advisor, Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services

Richard Nininahazwe
Program Coordinator, African Network of People who Use Drugs

Laurel Sprague
Special Advisor – Community Mobilisation, UNAIDS

Opening remarks will be provided by Judy Chang, Executive Director of INPUD.