Drug Consumption Rooms (DCRs) are supervised spaces where people who use drugs can consume pre-obtained substances in a safe and hygienic environment under the supervision of trained staff. They prevent overdoses, reduce health risks, and connect clients with essential health and social services, often reaching people who are excluded from traditional healthcare settings. This side …
Side Events
Side event: Human rights implication of drug policy: Prevention, accountability, effective remedies
Michael Camilleri, OHCHR. Eliminating impunity, access to justice are key elements of the 2016 UNGASS. The International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy states that everyone has the right to accountability. They suggests actions MS can take: create transparent human rights mechanisms, conduct investigations, holding perpetrators accountable, ensure access to appropriate remedies. Here we …
Strengthening the International Drug Control System Through Meaningful Civil Society Engagement
This side event was organised by Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC), Slovenia, UNODC, African Civil Society Platform on Drugs, Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, American Coalition on Drug Policy (CAPD), European Union Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD), European Drugs Agency (EUDA) and New York NGO Committee on Drugs (NYNGOC). It focused …
Side event: A decade of drug policy and human rights: Gaps, achievements and paths forward
Swiss Ambassador for Global health. It is a pleasure for me to be here with you and welcome you to this side event organised by Switzerland and cosponsored by a number of Member States and other stakeholders. We continue to promote human rights and a public health centred approach to drug policy. This event comes …
The Next Generation of Care: Youth-Centered Innovations to Renew and Strengthen Health Systems
The 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), held in March 2026 in Vienna, took place nearly ten years after the 2016 UNGASS on drugs, which carried the slogan “A better tomorrow for today’s youth.” This side event by Youth RISE and the Global Commission on Drug Policy (GCDP) brought this commitment under …
SIDE EVENT: Interactive dialogue on the WHO ECDD recommendations following the critical review of the coca leaf
Dr Deus Mubangizi, Director, Health Products Policy and Standards Department, World Health Organization. It will be important to understand the process we went through. For critical reviews, if we need more expertise, we issue a call. In this case, because of the nature of the request, we issued an open call for experts. A number …