Ending Inequalities for People who Use Drugs: How the Global HIV Response can Transform Drug Policy

This side event for the 65th Commission on Narcotic Drugs was originally presented on 14 March, 2022. Organised by INPUD, it was co-sponsored by Médecins du Monde, UNAIDS, UNODC HIV/AIDS Section, the Netherlands and Australia.

In 2021, thanks to significant advocacy work by people who use drugs and other key population networks, both the Global AIDS Strategy 2022-2026 and the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS committed Member States to fulfill bold new targets on ‘social enablers’ which have significant implications concerning drug policy.

This event reviewed this advocacy work and the targets themselves to examine why they are important for policymakers, drug control agencies and other civil society organizations and how they can be galvanized and utilized to inform better approaches to drug policies, research, and programmes.