New Jersey Based NGO Granted Consultative Status with United Nations to Advocate for Drug Policy Reform
New Jersey Based NGO Granted Consultative Status with United Nations to Advocate for Drug Policy Reform
ASBURY PARK (September 14, 2017) – The New Jersey based NGO, Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. has been granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The approval will allow the organization to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as well as with the United Nations Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies in a number of ways.
“The approval of Special Consultative Status effectively gives us a voice in global discussions which is crucial to the efforts of our Global Drug Policy Program” said Randy Thompson, CEO of Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. Specifically, Special Consultative Status will allow Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. to designate representatives to the United Nations Headquarters in New York and the United Nations offices in Geneva and Vienna. Additionally, the organization will have the right to present testimony and submit written statements at hearings of U.N. bodies.
Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. engages in drug policy reform from a recovery and human rights perspective.
“Having this kind of access is critical, as our organization fills a key deficit in public policy discourse – the voice of recovering persons and their supporters, who recognize the value of advocating against the attendant harms and human rights violations caused by drug prohibition and traditional recovery culture” Thompson said.
Previously, Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. has participated in policy discussions at the United Nations as a guest member of delegations from the Harm Reduction Coalition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. is comprised of CEO, Randy Thompson and Trustees: Jeana Sager, Eleanor Sabin, MA, Grace Rotundo, and Jesse Thomson, MA. Advisory Board Members include: Brian D. Powers, Leah Lazzaro, LCSW, Laura Jannone, Ph.D., Michael B. Cooke, Esq., Dan Ulloa and Melissa Tomlinson. Advocates include: Christie Rhodes, MSW, Deidre Metcalf, MSW Candidate and Christy Caraballo.
Below are links to presentations and discussions by Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. at previous U.N. engagements.
- Panel Discussion at the 60th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria. Organized by the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs:
“Civil Society and International Drug Policy in the Context of Agenda 2030”
- Lithuanian Ambassador, Dr. Rokas Bernotas, Opening Remarks.
- Katherine Pettus (VNGOC/International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care) spoke on How civil society work to improve availability of controlled medicines (Ch. 2 UNGASS Outcome Document) will help countries achieve at least eight SDGs.
Read her statement here. - Isaac Morales (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Mexico) shared the policies of the Republic of Mexico.
Read his statement here. - Jurgita Poskeviciute (I Can Live) spoke on Civil society and UN member states – equal partners for implementing SDGs related to drug policy through the health perspective.
Read her statement here. - Randy Thompson (Help not Handcuffs) spoke on How Drug De-criminalization, Regulation and Harm Reduction Supports Agenda 2030.
Read his statement here.
YOUTUBE LINK:
- Testimony of Randy Thompson, CEO of Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the World Drug Problem – Informal Interactive Stakeholder Consultation:
YOUTUBE LINK:
- Randy Thompson, CEO of Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. discussing human rights and drug policy with Ambassador Marco Hennis, The Kingdom of the Netherlands at the 60th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria.
Contact:
Randy Thompson
908-444-2449
