Thank you to the distinguished panellists for grounding this discussion in the principles of equity, accountability and human rights. I am delivering this oral statement on behalf of Harm Reduction International and the co-signatories.

As States gather to discuss how public resources can be mobilised to fulfil economic, social and cultural rights obligations, it is essential to confront the continued heavy investment in punitive drug policies that are fiscally wasteful, socially destructive, and incompatible with their human rights commitments, while essential health and social responses face funding cuts.

Globally, more than 100 billion US dollars are spent every year on punitive drug law enforcement, while harm reduction services receive only a small fraction of what is needed. This approach is inefficient and incompatible with sustainable development and the right to health. Punitive drug policies drive mass incarceration, inequality, poverty, environmental harm and public health crises. It diverts scarce public funds away from health systems and social protection, and resulting in the continued use of public budgets to finance preventable harm.

We call on States to align their drug policy spending with their obligations under the ICESCR by using their available resources towards realising, instead of violating, human rights. We urge States to review and reduce expenditure on enforcement-heavy approaches, including incarceration, involuntary detention and militarised policing, and invest those resources towards voluntary, community-led, evidence-based health services. Investing in harm reduction is cost- effective with an exceptionally high return on investment, and endorsed by the entire UN system, including this forum.

We thank you.

Co-signed by:

International Drug Policy Consortium

Instituto RIA, AC

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