Support Don’t Punish Events around the World

On Friday, 26th June 2015, more than 140 cities around the world will be holding actions to highlight the harm that is being caused by the war on drugs. This Global Day of Action is part of the worldwide Support Don’t Punish campaign which advocates for harm reduction, policy reform, better funding for health services, and the removal of criminal sanctions for people who use drugs and other low-level drug offenders. (You can find out more about the global campaign at www.supportdontpunish.org)

To mark the day, India HIV/AIDS Alliance and their partners are organizing a solidarity event at the Press Club of India entitled Solutions to the Drug Problem: what’s working and what’s not working in India – a moderated panel discussion. Global Commission member and former UN Special Rapporteur on Health, Anand Grover will be a featured speaker. 

26 June 2015

Constitution Club of India 11:30 am-01:00 pm

Support. Don’t Punish is a global advocacy campaign to raise awareness of the harms being caused by the implementation of harsh laws and skewed policies. The campaign aims to promote drug policies that respect human rights and protect public health, to change laws and policies that impede access to harm reduction interventions and other evidence-based services, and to end the criminalisation of people who use drugs.

Speakers at the event include Shri Rahul Gandhi Congress Party of India (TBC), representatives of the United Nations, National AIDS Control Programme, Lawyers Collective and Indian Drug Users’ Forum.

Proposed Speakers and topics

Guest of honour (TBC): Shri Rahul Gandhi Congress Party of India will inaugurate the event and make the Opening Address and share perspectives from Global and Regional comparisons of health investments – Is the current National Health Investment adequate? Will it meet the need?

Dr Oussama Tawil UNAIDS Country Coordinator in India – Global ideas and best practices: Recommendations for a practicable solution to Drug Use and HIV

Shri N.S. Kang, IAS ASDG- NACO – Increased investment in and access to Harm Reduction services: A comprehensive response of the National AIDS Control Organisation

Shri Anand Grover former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy and Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court of India – Drug law and Policy reform: Why People who use drugs should no longer be criminalised.

G. Charanjit Sharma, Secretary Indian Drug Users Forum –Deaths and human rights violations in private drug treatment centres: The need to implement Minimum Standards of Care

Contact Person

Simon W Beddoe – Senior Advocacy Officer: Drug Use & Harm Reduction, India HIV/AIDS Alliance. sbeddoe@allianceindia.org; M: +91 98103 99611