International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy

Implementation Dialogue - Southeast Asia

2nd Regional Dialogue - Implementation of the International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy in Southeast Asia, 26 and 27 November, 2020


Southeast Asia Dialogue Final Report - Download the PDF here

Dialogues Agenda: from the November 26/27 event

Download the Dialogues Agenda as a PDF here or view below

Welcome messages

Speakers

  • Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
  • Selena Lopreno, Scientific Officer (health), Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
  • Dr. Amitrajit Saha, Team Leader, HIV, Health and Development Group for Africa, UNDP
  • Richard Nininahazwe, Program Coordinator, African Network of People Who Use Drugs and
  • Dr. Abel Basutu, Drug Control Programme Lead, African Union Commission
  • Julie Hannah, Director, International Centre for Human Rights and Drug Policy

Meeting facilitator - Allan Maleche, Executive Director, Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS

The International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy: Tool for change

Introduction to the guidelines and their use during and after the first three regional dialogues in Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe/Central Asia

  • Rebecca Schleifer, Senior Fellow, International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy

The Guidelines as a key tool in the implementation of human rights commitments of the UN System Common Position on drug control policy

  • Mactar Ndoye, Human Rights Officer, OHCHR

The Working Group study on arbitrary detention and drug policy and Guidelines as a tool for approaching the implementation of its recommendations

  • Dr. Miriam Estrada-Castillo, Chair, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, UN Human Rights Council

Opportunities to use the Guidelines in ongoing efforts in the region from a civil society perspective.

  • Chinwike Okereke, Director, African Law Foundation, Nigeria

Moderator, Shaun Shelley, Chairperson, South African Network of People Who Use Drugs, and Policy, Advocacy and Human Rights Lead, TB/HIV Care

BREAK

Drug policy and the right to health in Sub-Saharan Africa: Access to medicines for palliative care and pain relief

Dr. Emmanuel Luyirika, Executive Director, African Palliative Care Association

Implementation Workshops: These workshop discussions will enable participants to brainstorm creative and practical ways to use the Guidelines to support progressive changes in drug policy around three themes:

  1. Right to health
  2. Rights-based development and the Sustainable Development Goals
  3. Criminal justice

Participants will brainstorm challenges and opportunities and then prioritise implementation ideas. The moderators will share back with the larger group in plenary.

BREAK

Bellhaven Community Centre: Government and community collaboration to promote rights and restore dignity

Prof. Monique Marks, Head, Urban Futures Centre, Durban University of Technology

Report back from each implementation workshop

  • Audience discussion
  • Review plans for day two

Facilitator: Allan Maleche

Welcome, updates and review agenda for the day

Maria-Goretti Loglo, African Consultant, International Drug Policy Consortium, meeting facilitator

Pathways to Implementation

The Guidelines as a strategic tool for UNAIDS in the region

  • Anne Muthoni Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS, Director Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa

Integrating human rights standards into frontline service delivery for people who use drugs

  • Dr. Idrissa Ba, Commissioner, West Africa Commission on Drugs

Development, cultivation, and human rights

  • Dr. Clemence Rusenga, Cannabis Africana Project, University of Bristol, UK

Addressing issues related to women and criminal justice: Implementation of the Bangkok Rules in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • Deborah Kugonza, legal officer, Penal Reform International

National Dialogues: A mechanism to localise human rights and advance participatory drug policy reform

  • Mr. Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong, Esq, former Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana

Moderator, Dr. Monica Ciupagea, Expert - Drug use and HIV, HIV/AIDS Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Moderated discussion with panellists and audience

BREAK

Access to justice and legal aid

Jonathan Owusu, Executive Director, POS Foundation, Ghana

Implementation workshops: These workshop discussions will enable participants to brainstorm creative and practical ways to use the Guidelines to support progressive changes in drug policy around three themes:

  1. Women and gender
  2. Children and adolescents
  3. Right to participation and community empowerment

Participants will prioritise, and the moderators will share back with the larger group in plenary.

BREAK

Stakeholder engagement and collaboration on drug policy: Partnerships with civil society and government on the way to policy change

Rita Gatonye, Coordinator, Women in Response to HIV/AIDS and Drug Addiction, Kenya

Report back from each implementation workshop

  • Audience discussion
  • Next steps

Facilitator: Maria-Goretti Loglo

Concluding reflections

Daniel Brombacher, Head, Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Dialogues Infographics - download the PDF here