Decolonising drug policy: The war on drugs and denial of indigenous rights

As a colonial construct, the global drug control regime has undermined the rights of indigenous peoples (including the right to self determination, and to practice and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs), obliging all states to abolish traditional uses of coca, cannabis and opium by means of crop eradication and drug law enforcement.

This webinar, which will take place on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2021, will shed light on the conflict between the drug control regime and Indigenous rights, and challenge prevailing narratives that these tensions are possible to reconcile while the UN retains the goal of a society free of drugs.

Opening remarks:

David Choquehuanca Céspedes, Vice-President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia

Panellists:

• ·Freddy Condo Riveros, Member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (Bolivia)
• ·Natalia Rebollo Corral, Human rights lawyer, International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service (ICEERS)
• ·Greek Zweni, Spokesperson for Umzimvubu Farmers Support Network (UFSA) and traditional health practitioner (Mpondoland, South Africa)
• ·Tuari Potiki, Director of Maori Development, University of Otago, New Zealand

Moderated by: Marie Nougier, Head of Research and Communications, IDPC

To register for this webinar, click here.

Organised by Dejusticia, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and the Transnational Institute (TNI) in collaboration with Harm Reduction International, Release, the UK centre for expertise on drugs and drugs law and Voices of Community Action & Leadership, Kenya.