Nepal: Promoting rights-based rehabilitation and reintegration of people who use drugs

Kathmandu, Nepal/02 April 2025: With drug use increasingly intersecting with gender-based violence (GBV), stigma, and systemic discrimination, particularly among women, experts are calling for urgent reforms that center on human rights and dignity. Drug use often disproportionately impacts women, intensifying their marginalization in societies where gender inequality is prevalent. Women who use drugs are more vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and coercion, including being pressured into drug-related crimes or sex work.

Responding to this, a high-level workshop convened by UNODC in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General in Nepal emphasized the need for a rights-based approach to rehabilitation and reintegration of people who use drugs.

Opened by the Honourable Deputy Attorney General of Nepal, Mr. Gopal Prasad Rijal, the workshop brought together 55 prosecutors, police officials, policy experts and civil society representatives to explore the intersecting challenges faced by people—particularly women—who use drugs.

The stigma attached to women drug users is especially severe, frequently leading to social isolation and a reluctance to seek help or access services. Health consequences also tend to be more acute among women due to both biological and social factors.

Presentations highlighted the critical need for reform in Nepal’s Drug Act and related policies. Joint Secretary Ms. Meena Gurung outlined existing legal provisions and pointed to gaps that fail to recognize drug use as a health issue, instead focusing on punitive measures. A set of reform recommendations followed, with inputs from prosecutors, police officers, and survivors of drug use, urging a shift from criminalization toward community-based treatment and support systems.

Police statistics shared by SSP Krishna Raj Pangeni of Nepal Police revealed notable crime trends linked to drug use. The data emphasized the importance of strengthening both prevention and rehabilitation measures as part of a holistic response. Discussions also focused on the growing influence of media trials in drug-related cases, which often undermine the principle of fair trial and further stigmatize individuals.

Civil society voices added depth to the discourse. A presentation by the Executive Director of Dristi Nepal, Ms. Parina Limbu, shed light on the lived experiences of women who use drugs and the structural barriers they face in accessing justice, treatment, and reintegration opportunities.

The workshop served as a platform to promote greater sensitivity in how drug users are perceived and treated within the justice and health systems. It also contributed to momentum for reforming Nepal’s laws and policies toward a more inclusive, humane, and rights-affirming approach to drug use prevention, treatment, and reintegration.

This activity contributed to SDG 3, SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/

(Supported by UBRAF)