International support and opposition to harm reduction
Closed to reason: the International Narcotics Control Board and HIV/AIDS
UN drugs body is obstructing HIV prevention work
Authors:
J Csete; D Wolfe
Publisher:
Open Society Institute and Soros Foundations Network, 2007
This report from the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and the Open Society Institute argues that the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has become an obstacle to effective programmes to treat HIV and chemical dependence. The INCB stresses drug control polices over public health issues, and its members often contradict or reject evidence-based recommendations from other United Nations (UN) bodies. This has included criticisng UN officials who advocate harm reduction initiatives as part of HIV prevention strategies. The INCB has praised the polices of governments that routinely abuse the human rights of drug users. The current members of the INCB do not have any training or experience in legal issues or in HIV policy, yet they often issue statements on both of these areas. The meetings of the INCB are held in secret there is no mechanism for holding the organisation accountable.
The report makes a number of recommendations. To reform the INCB, the report recommends an independent review of its work, that future members should have expertise in international law and HIV policy, and that its members be obliged to cite evidence for their statements. The report also recommends that the B! oard should regularly assess the provision of treatment for chemical dependence, such as opiate substitution treatment, and provide technical and other support to countries which need to begin or scale up these treatments.
