Director UNAIDS Global Winnie Byanyima addresses #CND65 in Vienna 🇦🇹 from 🇺🇳 United Nations Geneva: “We must value the health and human rights of every person who uses drugs and the dignity of every prisoner” UN Office on Drugs & Crime

📌 UNITE & World Health Organization (WHO) signed an MoU during the World Health Summit Focus of this partnership: 🔸#Equitable access to Health with a focus on adequate budget allocation for #UHC 🔸#Sustainable financing for #HealthSystems Strengthening 🔸Strengthening the #GlobalHealth security architecture

'There is a lot of talk about human rights based policy in Australia and Victoria. Why is our drug policy still so inhumane?' Fiona Patten chairing a side meeting that reflects on the outcomes of the coronial inquest into the passing of Veronica Nelson

Fiona Patten on the coronial inquest into Veronica Nelson “Coroner McGregor found that had the recommendations from 1991, Veronica’s passing could have been prevented, not only could, but would have."

Now at Side Meeting 8: The Rest is (Drug) Politics with Geoff Gallop, former Premier of Western Australia, Richard Di Natale, former Australian federal senator, Hon. Esther Passaris, Nairobi County Member of the National Assembly of Kenya & Fiona Patten, former member of the VLC

“8 years, 11 private members bills. As an independent member of Parliament you get very opportunities to lead debate, so they’re precious. Drug reform to me, was precious” - Fiona Patten on her time in the Victorian Legislative Council

“Do pick out your allies. Even if they’re quiet about it, start talking to them .. We got an army of The Salvation Army, joined with firefighters, joined with the Ambos … surprisingly joined with The Police Association. And they said, that’s not enough, you now need the media”

"Behind those closed doors its remarkable how much consensus can be found. While the inquiry into the supervised injecting room didn’t make any recommendations, we certainly educated a lot of people." - Fiona Patten on Parliamentary Inquiries

“We’ve put the harm reduction bill together, it’s already been accepted in the house. .. What our problems are now, is we need more data. - Esther Muthoni Passaris on the realities of drug policy in Kenya

“Africa is so under represented .. we have needs. It needs a lot more attention. I know we have a few Kenyans here, but we don’t have the people we need, the lawyers, the Ministry of Health. I’m going to get back to Kenya and ask why were you not there?” #harmreduction #HR23

“Harm Reduction policies save money.” -Fiona Patten

Supporting People Who Use Drugs in #Africa - What's Working in Policy and Practice? - LiveStream from the #HR23 conference in Melbourne: youtube.com/live/IogOAbI5v… #harmreduction #drugpolicy

Important conversation on tackling barriers to health & #HarmReduction in the African region, incl. criminalisation & stigma, a dearth of services, patriarchal violence, the colonial legacy, socioeconomic marginalisation, limited training of healthcare professionals. #HR23

SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS IN AFRICA – WHAT’S WORKING IN POLICY AND PRACTICE? Watch live: youtube.com/live/IogOAbI5v… via YouTube #HR23