Statement by Mr. Gustavo Gonzalez on the Recovery Support System for Persons who Use Drugs and with Drug Use Disorders In Jails and Prisons

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To our partners in the Dangerous Drugs Board, Honorable Secretary Catalino S. Cuy,

Undersecretary Benjamin Reyes, and Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz;

Undersecretary Gerald Bantag of the Bureau of Corrections;

Jail Director, Allan Iral of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology;

Parole and Probation Administration, Regional Director Allan Alcala;

The Deputy Chief of Mission of the British Embassy in the Philippines, Mr. Alistair White.

Our partners in the HIV prevention and care work, Ms. Marvi Trudeau and Dr. Loyd Norella of Pillipinas Shell Foundation.

Esteemed expert on drug treatment and support in the context of correctional institutions, and former UNODC official, Dr. Igor Koutsenok of the University of California, San Diego.

Colleagues from OHCHR and UNODC.

And to all training participants and guests,

Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat.

As a representative of the United Nations in the Philippines, it is indeed a great honor to take part at this event that represents a very concrete investment in knowledge, in institutional capacity and in human rights in the country.

I congratulate the 170 correctional, parole and probation officers representing several regions for completing the UNODC training programme on “Recovery Support System for Persons Who Use Drugs or with Drug Use Disorders in Jails and Prisons”.  Bravo!

I am glad and encouraged to see that this investment is the result of a collective effort amongst government institutions, such as the Dangerous Drugs Board, the Commission on Human Rights, the private sector, the United Nations and the international community, represented today by the United Kingdom.

This capacity development investment is very timely as we have embarked on the first ever UN Joint Programme on Human Rights in the Philippines.

As you know, a year and a half ago, the Human Rights Council Resolution 45/33 welcomed the commitment of the Government of the Philippines to engage in technical cooperation and capacity-building in key human rights areas, in partnership with the Philippines’ Commission of Human Rights, civil society, and the United Nations.

One of the six areas of engagement is the implementation of  human rights-based approaches to the drug problem. This training that you accomplished is part of that capacity building.

As you have heard from your trainers, a human rights-based approach to any issue – whether it is counterterrorism, HIV and AIDS, or even COVID-19 – always highlights the relationship between the individual and State responsibilities.

A human rights-based approach seeks to analyze inequalities lying at the heart of development problems to redress discriminatory practices, to find more comprehensive solutions and to ensure no one is left behind.

As we know, the so called “drug problem’ is not just a simple question of “demand” and “supply”. It is, unfortunately, more complex than that. It is deeply intertwined with poverty, poor access to health care, education and governance issues.

We also know that the burden of health consequences of drug trafficking and organized crime is borne by individuals and communities with lower socio-economic status.

For that reason, we need to look into drug use within its social, medical, economic and cultural factors and address the underlying health, economic or social issues to reduce harm to the individual and society and find comprehensive and durable solutions.

Governments at all levels are expected to ensure and protect the right to health of the population. This includes access to essential medicines, palliative care, comprehensive drug prevention and education, drug treatment, and harm reduction services.

Particular attention must be given to children and young people, given the wide range of children’s rights affected by drug use, drug trade and repressive policies across the drug market chain.

The United Nations here is to be part of the solution by bringing knowledge, expertise, evidence in support of national policies. I am glad of the close partnership between Government institutions, including the Commission on Human Rights, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

I am also grateful for the valuable financial support of the United Kingdom to the new UN Joint Programme on Human Rights. I have also the pleasure to announce that Australia, Norway and the Netherlands have just joined the UN Joint Programme. I take this opportunity to invite other friends of the Philippines to join us in support the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 45/33 in the country.

In closing, I congratulate once again the new generations of trainees and our government partners for this successful step towards a human rights-based approach to drugs.

Maraming Salamat!