I am a drug user. An illicit drug user. Admitting it takes courage, even to myself. You see, I live in a predominantly Catholic country, a very conservative one at that. To openly talk about my drug use is an act of great personal bravery. If given a choice, I would rather keep it to myself to prevent judgement from… Read More »Don’t Panic! We’re All Just Looking for Something to Fill the Void.
Being a woman who uses drugs is tough, it does not matter which country you come from or the colour of your skin or even how well spoken you may be society has made us out to be an evil bunch that does not deserve to live amongst the rest of humanity. In my opinion, this is all due to… Read More »STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION HAVE NO PLACE IN MY LIFE
The International Network of Women who Use Drugs (INWUD) is excited to announce the top three winners of the Narcofeminism Blog Competition “Our bodies, Our choice, Our rights, Our voice” 1st Prize Emily Arnold, Junkies, sluts and feminists: where are we in the witch legacy? 2nd Prize Jessica Spratt, Owning My Pleasure 3rd Prize Violet Maodi, Stigma and discrimination have… Read More »Women assert their voices in conversations about drug use.
Meaningful community engagement is essential for people who use drugs to influence funding request – Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 Guide The Global Fund Strategy 2023-2028 places community leadership at its front and centre. To achieve this, it promotes investments in community-led responses including community-led monitoring. It also highlights the need to increase funding for community-led organisations, particularly those led… Read More »Community engagement – Global Fund Grant Cycle 7
For World Aids Day 2022, INPUD created the Equalize – Decriminalise drug use and possession campaigns that amplified the voice, issues, priorities, and perspectives of people who use drugs in the world’s response to HIV. Our Executive Director, Judy Chang presented at the UNODC Equalize World Aids Day 2022 event on the community perspective: Barriers to service access for women… Read More »December Newsletter
Our regional drug user networks are actively working to realise the human rights of people who use drug. From November 25-28 the Latin American and Caribbean Network of People who Use Drugs (LANPUD) held its 1st meeting of women and dissidents in the city of Olinda, Recife in Brazil. Participants valued each other’s contexts and realities in order to denounce… Read More »Promotion of self determination
More funding for organisations and initiatives led by people who use drugs is required to eradicate societal barriers keeping us from accessing harm reduction services. Actions that need to be taken both in the long term and short term for women who use drugs include: Disparities between need and funding for key populations The most recent finding from the Funders… Read More »Change narrative on funding
The Portuguese model of (partial) decriminalisation is an important first step, but it is not the end point. In conclusion, ‘decriminalisation’ must mean just that: not partial decriminalisation, no compulsory drug dissuasion committees, but full decriminalisation of people who use drugs. A full removal of all criminalising legislation and policy, as well as penalisation and sanctioning, related to people’s personal… Read More »Decriminalisation in Portugal: Through the Lens of People who Use Drugs
At the Lisbon Addiction Conference, Judy Chang was part of the Hepatitis C prevention and treatment among people who inject drugs: Global progress and future requirements discussion. She focused on Community perspective on access to harm reduction. A comprehensive design of harm reduction services should ensure that people who use drugs can do so safely with their human rights… Read More »Community perspective on access to harm reduction
Black Initiative for a New Drug Policy (INNPD) is launching a short documentary that shows how the war on drugs is an instrument of racism, which incites violence and hinders democratic development in Brazil. INNPD is the first black civil organisation in Brazil which addresses the importance of drug policies on the lives of black people. As Nathália Oliveira, co-founder… Read More »THE BLACK INITIATIVE: Fighting Brazil’s Racist War on Drugs