This background paper, prepared for the September 2002 Arrabida Meeting, provides a brief summary of the positions (stated or implicit), interests and potential contributions of various UN agencies regarding reform of the three main international conventions on illicit drugs (There is no separate discussion of the INCB or CND as these are not agencies.) The paper specifically considers these agencies in relation to six issues: exchange and distribution of needles and syringes; heroin prescription; methadone maintenance; prison programming; crop eradication/alternative development (as a drug supply reduction measure); rescheduling of cannabis under the conventions.

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p.5 Executive summary
p.10 Introduction
p.11 The United Nations as a whole
p.23 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
p.26 International Labour Organization (ILO)
p.30 Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
p.34 United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)
p.44 United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
p.48 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
p.51 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
p.52 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
p.55 World Bank
p.60 World Health Organization (WHO)
p.67 Conclusion: Points of convergence and divergence
p.71 Sources