The campaign to eliminate violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs (EVAWUD) coincides with the annual United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign (25 November to 10 December). However, the United Nations effort has not historically highlighted the extreme rates of violence experienced in all its manifestations by women and gender diverse people who use drugs. The EVAWUD campaign aims to correct this failure.
EVAWUD is growing year on year with a stunning and unprecedented record participation this year – in the face of concurrent financial and ideological challenges. This report signals sharply that women and gender diverse people who use drugs will not be intimidated by anti-gender ideology nor the curtailing of resources. It demonstrates the resilience of our communities united in indignation to spotlight and end gender-based violence.
The following summary (with embedded hyperlinks) features 43 different actions performed by women and gender diverse people who use drugs and allied organisations around the world in the EVAWUD25 Campaign (in Nigeria, Costa Rica, Ukraine, Greece, Philippines, Nepal, Mauritius, Spain, Benin, Burundi, Italy, South Africa, Pakistan, France, USA, Poland, Brazil, Kenya, Indonesia, Lebanon, Portugal, Norway, Mexico, Australia, Cameroon, Bolivia, Uganda, Myanmar – and at global and regional levels with South Asia, Europe {EuroNPUD SisterWUD}, South East Europe).
Prohibition combined with patriarchy and gender inequity either directly causes or greatly exacerbates conditions for violence against our community, yet gender-based violence cannot be eliminated if those most affected are not explicitly and meaningfully involved in relevant policy and programming. Women and gender diverse people who use drugs are boldly stepping out to take a place in efforts to protect our communities. Collectively we and our allies call for governments to end the gendered, failed and murderous policy of drug prohibition as part of essential gender equality goals.
Maudy, the Chair of WHRIN, shares this message with the conclusion of EVAWUD25: “The urgent truth is that punitive drug policies endanger communities by fuelling gendered stigma and violence”. To hear the full message, click here.
Acknowledgement and thanks to Isabel Denommé for the EVAWUD25 poster artwork.