"Second on the needle": human rights of women who use drugs

Women likely experience drug use in ways that are different than men, and may face discrimination based both on their status as drug users and their status as women. In this article, which is based on a presentation at a satellite session prior to the conference, Joanne Csete reviews existing data on women's use of drugs, and discusses the barriers in accessing health services faced by women who use drugs. The author concludes that there is an urgent need for rights-based, women-centered services for women who use drugs.