Roundup: UN-backed narcotics control body urges greater focus on women in drug policies

The UN-backed narcotics control body on Thursday called upon governments to have a greater focus on women in drug policies, including the implementation of gender-sensitive drug policies and programs.

Gender-sensitive drug policies and programs, better health-care access for drug-dependent women and more funding to prevent and treat drug abuse among women are needed, according to the Annual Report 2016, which was released today by the Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

"The report condemns the extrajudicial targeting of people suspected of illicit drug-related activity," Dujarric said. "It calls on States to abolish the death penalty for drug-related offences and encourages them to consider alternatives to imprisonment for minor drug-related offences."

Citing a significant rise over the past year in the number of women dying from drug overdoses globally, the independent expert body which monitors governments' compliance with the United Nations international drug control treaties is today calling for the implementation of gender-sensitive drug policies and programmes.

The INCB said that women and girls comprise one-third of global drug users yet are only one-fifth of those receiving treatment, as significant systemic, structural, social, cultural and personal barriers affect women's ability to access substance abuse treatment.

Further, they are also more likely to be prescribed narcotics and anti-anxiety medication than men, and are thus more likely to abuse these medications.

For example, Germany and Serbia have reported that fatal overdoses from prescription drugs are more frequent among women. Additionally, countries such as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have seen larger increases in overdoses, of all substances, among women than among men.

Meanwhile, the new report also stressed that governments should prioritize providing health care for drug-dependent women, in addition to more funding and coordination to prevent and treat drug abuse among women.

"We want to change perceptions and remind people, particularly policymakers, of the importance of protecting the rights of women who use drugs or who have committed drug-related offences and the rights of their families," said the organization's president, Werner Sipp, in a news release.

The report also highlighted the importance of targeting prevention programmes to specific populations, such as prisoners, pregnant women, people living with HIV/AIDS, and sex workers.

It noted that women prisoners and sex workers are at "particular risk" of drug use.

Countries are also encouraged to seek alternatives to imprisonment for drug-related offences, such as treatment, rehabilitation and social integration.

The INCB also repeated its longstanding call for countries to abolish the death penalty for drug-related offences.

Among its other observations, the Board noted with "great concern" recent reports in some countries of the targeting of individuals suspected of involvement in drug-related activity, including drug use, who have been subjected to violent acts of reprisal and murder at the hands of law enforcement personnel and members of the civilian population. Endit