AEGiS-15IAC: Injecting drug users and human rights: An investigation of the impact of international anti-drug treaties on the human rights, access to HIV services and policy participation of IDU's.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Injecting drug users and human rights: An investigation of the impact of international anti-drug treaties on the human rights, access to HIV services and policy participation of IDU's.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. WeOrE1260)

Hunter AP
Network of sex work projects, Bangkok, Thailand

BACKGROUND: Whilst the role of HIV amongst injectors is now largely understood in relation to the transmission of HIV, drug users themsleves are largely absent from local, regional and international programme and policy decisions. The goal of the study was to review the literature on drug users, HIV and human rights and to look for reasons why drug users are still largely excluded from higher level participation and self representation.

METHOD: A review of the available literature covering drug use and human rights, the IDU policy and programme documents of major International HIV donors and NGO's including the key co-sponsors of UNAIDS was undertaken. The literature was examined to determine whether the overall policies and programmes of these organisations were consistent with goals of involving drug users in programme and policy design and implementation.

RESULTS: Numerous structural barriers to drug user involvement in programme design and policy development exist at all levels. Most of the structural barriers are either directly or indirectly related to the various international drug suppression treaties and the local laws that flow from them. It was also found that the various UN drug treaties have not been scrutinized for their compliance with international human rights standards.

CONCLUSIONS: If drug users are to meaningfully participate in programme and policy design and implementation then the international system of prohibition that is based on the various international anti-drug treaties needs to be reviewed and ammended so that it is consistent with HIV policy goals and international human rights standards. Failure to do this will ensure that drug users are unable to meaningfully participate in programme and policy decisions that affect them. The lack of human rights protections afforded to drug users and the impact this has on HIV transmission also needs further investigation.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, Human Rights, Public Policy, International Cooperation, HIV Infections, HIV Seroprevalence, Substance-Related Disorders, Interpersonal Relations, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans

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