The report also examines harm reduction within the context of international human rights law, addressing issues such as the right to health, abusive law enforcement practices and their effect on access to HIV prevention efforts and discrimination faced by people who use drugs in accessing HIV anti retroviral therapy.
It is estimated that 15.9 million people inject drugs in 158 countries and territories around the world. The overwhelming majority live in low- and middle-income countries. Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, up to 30% of all HIV infections occur through injecting drug use. Despite this situation, the overwhelming evidence in favour of harm reduction as an effective HIV prevention strategy and the endorsement of UNAIDS, the World Health Organization and UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the global state of harm reduction is poor. This is especially true in countries where harm reduction services are needed most urgently.
HR2 - Harm Reduction and Human Rights
January 2009