Two day conference in Oslo 28 – 29 April 2026
Nordic Mobilization on Human Rights and Drug Policy
When: 28–29 April 2026 Where: Sentralen, Oslo, Norway
What: A landmark conference launching a new Nordic network of user-organizations, with significant allies, dedicated to advancing human rights-based drug policy.
Why Now: With shrinking civic space, weakening human rights, and the rise of organized crime, the Nordic countries are at a crossroads. This conference brings together people who use drugs, human rights defenders, researchers, and policymakers to forge shared strategies rooted in core Nordic values: democracy, equality, trust, and the protection of our welfare states.
Key Themes:
- Human rights and social justice in drug policy
- Legal regulation as a tool to dismantle organized and cross-border crime
- Amplifying civil society’s voice through Nordic cross-border cooperation
Organizers: The Association for Humane Drug Policy, Norway, (FHR) and 7 partner organizations from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.
Supported by: Nordic Council of Ministers (DEMOS program)
Speakers and panelists
- Arild Knutsen, Chair of the Association for Humane Drug Policy, Norway (FHR)
- Anne Lindboe, Mayor of Oslo (Official Opening)
- Femke Halsema, Mayor of Amsterdam (Video Greeting)
- Kai Spurkland and Eivind Digranes, Norwegian National Human Rights Institution (NIM)
- Damon Barrett, Associate Professor, University of Gothenburg
- Neil Woods, LEAP (Law Enforcement Action Partnership)
- Ann Fordham, Executive Director, International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)
- Anton Basenko, Executive Director, International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD)
- Tuukka Tammi, Research Professor, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
- Gaute Børstad Skjervø, leader of The Norwegian Labour Party’s youth wing (AUF)
- Lars Mikael Barstad Løvold, Chair of FpU (Progress Party’s Youth)
- Willy Pedersen, Professor of Sociology, University of Oslo
- Ali Reza Yakhdani, The Swedish Social Democrat Youth League (SSU)
- Peter Sarosi, Editor-in-Chief, Drugreporter
- Leo Jefferys, Acting Director, EuroNPUD
- Andrea Thuesen, Lawyer, The Danish Street Lawyers
- Jenna-Rose Astwood, International Coalition on Environmental Justice and Drug Policy Reform
And more.
Participating organizations:
Brugerforeningen (Denmark), Gadejuristen (Denmark), Brugernes Akademi (Denmark), Humaania päihdepolitiikkaa (Finland), Matthildur Skadaminnkun (Iceland), ProLAR Nett (Norway), Linköping Brukarförening (Sweden)
The program is still under development.
As part of the work on this conference, we also organized a side event during the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs – CND 2026
Association for Humane Drug Policy Side event CND 2026
The Association for Humane Drug Policy (FHR) organized a side event at the United Nations Commission for Narcotic Drugs (CND) in March 2026, where the project «Nordic Mobilization for Human Rights and Drug policy» was introduced.
The event was co-organized by:
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden,
And: International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD), International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and the European Network of People who Use Drugs.
Speakers:
- Arild Knutsen, Chair of The Association for Humane Drug Policy, Norway
- Damon Barret, University of gothenburg – Sweden
- Maja Vendel, Brugernes akademi – Denmark
- Svala Johannesdottir, Matthildur Skadaminnkun – Iceland
- Aleksi Hupli Humaania Päihdepolitiikkaa ry – Finland
- Closing remarks by: Massimiliano Bagaglini, Member of the United Nations Sub-Commitee on the Prevention of Torture
Moderated by: Marie Nougier, IDPC
