Gendering the agenda: women drug mules in resolution 52/1 of the Commission of Narcotic Drugs at the United Nations
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to analyse the content and implications of resolution 52/1 of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs of the United Nations (UN) titled “Promoting international cooperation in addressing the involvement of women and girls in drug trafficking, especially as couriers”.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on socio‐legal analysis and an extensive search of UN databases, the resolution is contextualised and the findings of the resulting report which examines the scale of women's participation in the global drug trade is summarised.
Findings
The article demonstrates that the data produced are unreliable as a measure of women's participation in the international drug trade.
Practical implications
It is argued that this resolution is weakened by lack of clarity about how gender ought to be mainstreamed in global drug control.
Originality/value
As the first resolution on women and girls' participation in the international drug trade, Resolution 52/1 is a significant step towards raising awareness and systematically accounting for their participation.
Keywords
Citation
Fleetwood, J. and Urquiza Haas, N. (2011), "Gendering the agenda: women drug mules in resolution 52/1 of the Commission of Narcotic Drugs at the United Nations", Drugs and Alcohol Today, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 194-203. https://doi.org/10.1108/17459261111194134
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited