Pompidou Group activities in Easter Europe to reduce drug related harms Thomas Kattau Deputy Executive Secretary of the Pompidou Group

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1 Pompidou Group activities in Easter Europe to reduce drug related harms Thomas Kattau Deputy Executive Secretary of the Pompidou Group 0

2 Council of Europe? European Council? European Commission? Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe? Which Europe??? 1

3 The Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE) is a European inter-governmental institution 47 member states, 800 million Europeans Founded in 1949 Political cooperation on: Human rights Rule of law Democratic development Mandate for drug policy 2

4 The Pompidou Group: the Council of Europe s Co operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking in Drugs Mission: Forum of open debate Think tank for innovative ideas Facilitator to link policy research practice Bridge between Europe and neighbouring regions 3

5 Main current activities activities (excluding supply reduction activities) in member states: Developing coherent policies for licit and illicit drugs Recommendations concerning substitution treatment and driving Education and training on substance use disorders ( addictology ) Principles for preventing risks and reducing harm linked to the use of psychoactive substances Ensuring essential services in drug policy in economic crisis. in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (member & non member states) : Review of national drug policies, strategies and action plans Capacity building for drug policy implementation Promotion of public health approach and human rights orientation Enhancing rehabilitation and reintegration programmes Harm reduction and treatment in prison 4

6 A special concern: Drugs in Prions Focus for interventions: Rapid assessment of drugs use in prisons Harm reduction and treatment pilots in prisons Criminal justice reform towards alternatives to prison 5

7 HIV, Hep, TB Alarming levels and trends in Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia Mainly due to injecting drug use Inadequate coverage, access and quality of care Prisons Drug users over represented Overcrowding Limited availability of treatment Lack of continuum of care 6

8 Prison Population (SPACE II) 7

9 Partners and target groups 8

10 UNODC: Good governance for prison health in the 21 st century Imprisonment is never only about safety, security and discipline but, as the Council of Europe laid down in its 2006 Prison Rules, is always also about... ensuring prison conditions which do not infringe human dignity and which offer meaningful occupational activities and treatment programmes to inmates, thus preparing them for their reintegration into society 9

11 A continued serious concern: Stigma Repression Conditions 10

12 A question of respect for Human Rights in drug policy: - a matter for the Council of Europe - a key objective for the Pompidou Group 11

13 Fundamental human rights enshrined in European Conventions of direct relevance to drug policies: The right to life The primacy of the human being The protection of the dignity and identity of all human beings The right to protection of health The right to non-discrimination in access to health care The right to equitable access to health care The right to information about ones health The protection of personal data concerning health The prohibition of treatment without consent The prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment The prohibition of compulsory labour 12

14 The case law of the European Court of Human Rights Article 2 which sets out that everyone's right to life shall be protected by law includes the right to protection of health Article 3 which prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment and applies also to prison, other types of custodial settings, but also to hospitals and care institutions Article 4 on prohibition of slavery and forced labour also applies to treatment or rehabilitation measures Article 14 prohibits discrimination inter alia on the grounds of health status, such as HIV/AIDS or drug addiction 13

15 Human Rights and economic crisis Many governments in Europe imposing austerity measures have forgotten about their human rights obligations, especially the social and economic rights of the most vulnerable, the need to ensure access to justice, and the right to equal treatment. Regrettably, international lenders have also neglected to incorporate human rights considerations into many of their assistance programmes - Statement by Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, while releasing a research paper about the impact of the economic crisis on the protection of human rights, 4 December

16 Drug policy implementation in times of economic crisis Public health effects of the economic crisis and austerity measures are already strongly visible in Europe Effects on the health of the individual as well as public health as a consequence of austerity measures Acceptance of dependence as a health condition is severely undermined REDUCED ACCESS TO TREATMENT 15

17 Social effects stigmatization 16

18 Ensuring essential drug policy services in times of econmic crisis and austerity measures. Rapid assessment of the situation and anticipation of resulting challenges Needs based prioritization to meet the concrete challenges Reallocation of resources towards most cost effective solutions Pooling of resources to optimize economies of scale Integration of service provision and cooperation across sectors Sharing of evidence based best practices on how to control cost and expenditure Exploration of possible and feasible innovative solutions to optimize service provision at manageable costs before things get out of control! 17