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Helen Clark: PH should consider rights-based approach vs illegal drugs

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Cathy Yang, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/05/02/20171113-asean-file-photos-3-jc.jpg"/><figcaption>ASEAN Flags with the flag of the United Nations. File Photos from the ASEAN summit meetings in Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div><p>NADI, Fiji <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>– The Philippines should consider a human rights-based strategy to deal with the scourge of illegal drugs, a former official of the United Nations Development Program said Thursday.</p><p>When human behavior is criminalized, there is a risk that it will be taken underground which can have &quot;very serious health consequences,&quot; said former UNDP administrator and former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gHXS2OQQhnM?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>&quot;I hope that the Philippines, at some point, will be reconsidering that approach and look for an approach to drugs in the society which is firmly based on human rights principles and the right to life, being the most fundamental and also the right to health,” she said.</p><p>&quot;I’d like to see other countries step up and take the issue on. I’m not an advocate of people using drugs. I don’t favor actually. But I also know to criminalize such behavior, to drive it underground put people at much greater risk,&quot; she said.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8uDqWFOXF/" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div 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translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8uDqWFOXF/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Cathy Yang (@cathyyapyang)</a> on <time dateTime="2019-05-02T05:40:03+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">May 1, 2019 at 10:40pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>The war on drugs has been the centerpiece of President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s government and officials have denied wrongdoing despite criticism from the international community.</p><p>Manila&#x27;s anti-drug campaign is &quot;anchored on national security and on public health as well&quot; Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, adding 7 in 10 Filipinos are satisfied with government&#x27;s handling of the matter.</p><p>“We suggest observers, especially those in foreign countries, to understand fully the Philippine government&#x27;s strategy in dealing with illegal drugs before being persuaded by one-sided information and crafting unwise if not cerebrally challenged commentaries based thereon,” he said.</p>

<p>NADI, Fiji (UPDATED) – The Philippines should consider a human rights-based strategy to deal with the scourge of illegal drugs, a former official of the United Nations Development Program said Thursday.</p>

NADI, Fiji (UPDATED) – The Philippines should consider a human rights-based strategy to deal with the scourge of illegal drugs, a former official of the United Nations Development Program said Thursday.

Helen Clark: PH should consider rights-based approach vs illegal drugs

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Helen Clark: PH should consider rights-based approach vs illegal drugs

Cathy Yang,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 02, 2019 04:22 PM PHT

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Updated May 03, 2019 04:21 AM PHT

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