Harm reduction founded on human rights principles

With its strong ties to the global HIV response, many people primarily associate harm reduction with services that aim at preventing the transmission of infectious diseases. However, even from its early origins, the harm reduction movement has always included a wider perspective of fighting for social justice and equal rights.

The United Nations recognizes that harm reduction flows from the right to health. Maybe some of you have already used this argument and made references to one of the principles of the human rights declaration which states that everyone has the same right to the “highest attainable standard of health”.

In the video above, Naomi Burke Shyne expands on what this means and how it is directly applicable to harm reduction. We will then dive deeper into related components of the human rights frameworks, such as social rights and equality.

As you have learned in Week 1, harm reduction often faces resistance based on moral grounds. On the one hand we usually try to address this by providing clear evidence-based (public health) arguments, but we believe it is also key to understand the human rights’ argument. In some settings we might find a common ground by holding decision makers accountable on a human rights account; they must ensure that everyone has equal access to health and social rights.

Optional

Attached below you will find a guideline on Human Rights and Drug Policy. You will probably recognise some of the principles from the video above. You may find these guidelines helpful in your local context to use as a reference in your local discussions.