Human Rights Council Resolution supporting Harm Reduction, Human Rights Council (2009)

Publication date: 25 September 2009

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council at its 12th regular session specifically supporting harm reduction measures in both preambular and operational paragraphs. This is the first time harm reduction has been explicitly supported by the Council. It had not been endorsed at the former Commission on Human Rights.

Human Rights Council Res 12/27 "The protection of human rights in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)"

From the preamble:

'Recognizing the need for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to significantly expand and strengthen its work with national Governments and to work with all groups of civil society to address the gap in access to services for injecting drug users in all settings, including prisons, to develop comprehensive models of appropriate service delivery for injecting drug users, to tackle the issues of stigmatization and discrimination, and to support increased capacity and resources for the provision of a comprehensive package of services for injecting drug users, including harm-reduction programmes in relation to HIV, as elaborated by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in the Technical Guide for countries to set targets for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care for injecting drug users, in accordance with relevant national circumstances'

In paragraph 5:

'5. Recalls the commitment, as expressed by the General Assembly in its Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS on 2 June 2006, to intensifying efforts to ensure that a wide range of prevention programmes that take into account local circumstances, ethics and cultural values is available in all countries, particularly the most affected countries, including information, education and communication, in languages most understood by communities and respectful of cultures, aimed at reducing risk-taking behaviours and encouraging responsible sexual behaviour, including abstinence and fidelity, expanded access to essential commodities, including male and female condoms and sterile injecting equipment, harm-reduction efforts related to drug use, expanded access to voluntary and confidential counselling and testing, safe blood supplies, and early and effective treatment of sexually transmitted infections'

Citation:  Human Rights Council. 'The protection of human rights in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)' (Human Rights Council Res 12/27) 2009

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