Today marked a turning point in global drug policy, as Members of the Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted Resolution L.31 on ‘The human rights implications of drug policy’. After weeks of intense negotiations, and months of civil society advocacy, this was a hard-fought win.
The resolution – introduced by Colombia on behalf of a cross-regional group – was adopted by consensus, and has so far been supported by 35 co-sponsors.¹ This reinforces the role of human rights in drug policy debates precisely as the international community embarks on an independent review of the global drug control regime. A shifting geopolitical landscape – with the USA now openly carrying out extrajudicial killings off the coast of Venezuela in the name of drug control – made the urgency of this initiative clearer than ever to many in Geneva.
The strategic objective of the resolution was threefold: first, to assert the role of the HRC to engage in drug policy debates in its own right, instead of contributing to processes taking place outside of Geneva; second, to strengthen the mandate of OHCHR in providing guidance and recommendations on how to better align drug policies with human rights instruments; and third, to consolidate and expand human rights language in relation to drug policy.
In a way, all three objectives were achieved.
Read more : The Human Rights Council asserts its role in drug policy at a time of global change (IDPC, 8/10/2025)
