Below are key values to guide harm reduction practice in Aotearoa. They emerged from a series of hui Māori in 2023, facilitated by Te Puna Whakaiti Pāmamae Kai Whakapiri (NZ Drug Foundation) and Te Rau Ora. These hui involved people who use drugs, their whānau, and kaimahi who provide information and support. The values were refined through workshops with other groups (including Tikanga and Te Reo experts) and surveys.

Throughout the development of these values, hearing the voices of people who use drugs and incorporating their experiences was given paramount importance. 

Manaaki – Harm reduction puts people first. Everyone has mana and everyone is entitled to be treated with respect and dignity. We meet people where they are at, without coercion, judgement, or discrimination. 

Tika – We are pragmatic and do the right thing for the right reason. We look for evidence from the people we are supporting that our work is having the intended impact.  

Pono – We behave with honesty and integrity. This includes knowing ourselves so we can be present with people without judgement.  

Aroha – We have an absolute focus on the person, their whānau, and their hapori, respecting their mana, autonomy, and human rights.  

Mana takitahi – We understand and support positive changes that the people we’re working with want to make. We work with them to minimise health, social, and legal impacts without requiring them to commit to stopping or reducing use.  

Ka noho matatapu – We know our role and relationship with the people we support. We are clear with boundaries (including confidentiality), and when we may or may not need to take further action.  

Kotahitanga – We are connected with others who use harm reduction approaches and stand up against coercion, judgement, and discrimination of people who use substances.  

Wawata – We value whānau, hapū, and iwi aspirations for pae ora (healthy futures), their strengths, and ways of working. We understand the impacts of colonisation and protect space for whānau, hapū, and iwi to set and reach their own aspirations.  

 

Order or print an A3 poster of these values from our resources page.

 

You can also use the service reflection tool on our resources page (PDF, 127 KB) to reflect on how well your service enables harm reduction practice. The tool is based on these values to help your team reflect on and strengthen the way you work.

Examples of other models of harm reduction principles

Pae Tata Pae Tawhiti is a brief and early intervention framework intended as a guide for practitioners who work in Whānau Ora, primary health, and other health and social services. This framework includes: 

  • A step-by-step process using the acronym TATA 

    • Tiro whāiti – Raising concerns 

    • Aronga – Exploring concerns

    • Tūmanako – Encouraging wellbeing 

    • Anga whakamua – Moving forward 

 

  • Values and principles using the acronym TAWHITI 

    • Tū maia – Mana enhancing practice 

    • Aroha – Warmth, genuineness 

    • Whanaungatanga – Whānau and connections 

    • Huritao – Reflection and wānanga 

    • Ināianei – Present concerns and barriers 

    • Tautoko – Practical support 

    • Ihi – Pathways to wellbeing 

Harm Reduction International outlines four principles of harm reduction:

  • A commitment to evidence 
    Harm reduction policies and practices are informed by a strong body of evidence that shows interventions to be practical, feasible, effective, safe and cost-effective in diverse social, cultural and economic settings. Most harm reduction interventions are inexpensive and easy to implement, and have a strong positive impact on individual and community health. 
  • Respecting the rights of people who use drugs 
    Harm reduction is fundamentally grounded in principles that aim to protect human rights and improve public health. Treating people who use drugs, along with their families and communities, with compassion and dignity is integral to harm reduction. The use of drugs does not mean people forfeit their human rights; everyone remains entitled to the right to life, to the highest attainable standard of health, to social services, to privacy, to freedom from arbitrary detention and to freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, among others. 
  • A commitment to social justice and collaborating with networks of people who use drugs 
    Harm reduction is rooted in a commitment to addressing discrimination and ensuring that nobody is excluded from the health and social services they may need because of their drug use, their race, their gender, their gender identity, their sexual orientation, their choice of work, or their economic status. People should be able to access services without having to overcome unnecessary barriers, including burdensome, discriminatory regulations. Further, the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs in designing, implementing, and evaluating programmes and policies that serve them is central to harm reduction. 
  • The avoidance of stigma 
    Harm reduction practitioners accept people who use drugs as they are and are committed to meeting them “where they are” in their lives without judgement. Terminology and language should always convey respect and avoid stigmatising terms or divisions between “good” and “bad” drugs. Stigmatising language perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and creates barriers to health and social services. 

Harm reduction principles for healthcare settings (Hawk et al, 2017) emphasises the importance of respecting the dignity and rights of people who use drugs, setting realistic goals, and recognising the unique needs of individuals. The paper also outlines that empowerment, incremental progress, and accountability without punitive measures are crucial to support positive change.

Read more

What is harm reduction?

Harm reduction reduces potential health, social, or legal harms from substance use, without requiring a commitment to stopping or reducing use.

Harm reduction initiatives and programmes

Examples of specific harm reduction initiatives, and how harm reduction has been integrated within other services.