UNODC

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Item ID
{58C9D736-2A12-4FF0-86D0-BF8BB7A89F1F}
UNAgency ID
{3465766B-AB03-4A9D-8F0E-7343B9CC4381}
Policy Framework

UNODC’s policy framework for addressing violence against women is contained in the following documents: (i) General Assembly resolution “Crime prevention and criminal justice measures to eliminate violence against women” (52/86); (ii) General Assembly resolution 48/104 (adopting the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women); (iii) General Assembly resolution 65/228 (adopting the Updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice;(iv) General Assembly resolution 65/229 (adopting United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules)); (v) Economic and Social Council resolution “Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime” (2005/20), which is pertinent to girls; (vi) Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; and General Assembly resolutions on taking action against gender-related killing of women and girls (A/Res/68/191 and A/Res/70/176).

Background

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated to assist Member States In their struggle against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development draws together the strands of peace, the rule of law, human rights, development and equality into a comprehensive and forward-looking framework. Reducing conflict, crime, violence, discrimination, and ensuring inclusion and good governance, are key elements of people’s well-being and essential for securing sustainable development. UNODC helps Member States to strengthen legislative, judicial and health systems to better safeguard their populations, especially the most vulnerable groups. Its work on preventing and addressing violence against women and promoting access to justice is part of its mandate to strengthen the rule of law through the prevention of crime and the promotion of effective, fair, humane and accountable criminal justice systems in line with the UN standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice.

Resources
  • Gender in the Criminal Justice System Assessment Tool (2010). The tool forms part of the Criminal Justice Assessment Toolkit and it addresses inter alia the treatment of survivors of violence against women by the criminal justice system.
  • Strengthening Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Responses to Violence against Women (2014). This tool contains an implementation plan for criminal justice systems to prevent and respond to violence against women.
  • Handbook on Effective Police Responses to Violence against Women (2010).
  • Training Curriculum on Effective Police Responses to Violence against Women (2010).
  • Handbook on Effective Prosecution Responses to Violence against Women and Girls (2014). 
  • Resource Book for Trainers on Effective Prosecution Responses to Violence against Women and Girls (2017).
  • Toolkit on Strengthening the Medico-Legal Response to Sexual Violence (2017).
  • Gender-Related killing of Women and Girls Brochure (2015).
  • Essential services package for women and girls subject to violence (2015).
  • A Practitioner's Toolkit on Women's Access to Justice Programming (2018).
  • The Bangkok Rules-United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders with their Commentary (2015).
  • Handbook on Women and Imprisonment (2014).
  • Training curriculum on Women and Imprisonment Version 1.0 (2015).
  • Information note for criminal justice practitioners on non-custodial measures for women offenders (2015).
  • E-learning course on Alternatives to Imprisonment for Women Offenders.

 

URL

https://www.unodc.org/

Mail Address

United Nations Headquarters. DC1 Building. Room 613. One United Nations Plaza. New York, NY 10017. USA

Areas of Work

UNODC works to prevent and address violence against women and human trafficking , as well as to develop policies in support of women victims of violence, and women in prisons. UNODC integrates gender dimensions and the question of violence against women into its efforts to build the capacity of criminal justice systems. UNODC also assists Member States in addressing specific vulnerabilities of women and children who fall into the hands of smugglers.

UNODC offers assistance in strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice system responses to violence against women. Such responses include more efficient laws and policies and enhanced capacity of criminal justice systems to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish related crimes, to provide access to justice and legal aid and to assist and protect victims and witnesses. UNODC provides legal and policy advice, training and capacity building to Member States upon request.

The Office supports and undertakes research related to trafficking in persons, including on the nature of trafficking and national and regional responses to trafficking. UNODC implements technical assistance projects, produces and disseminates public service announcements to counter trafficking in persons, and conducts outreach activities.

Further, UNODC manages the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, that enables the provision of protection, humanitarian and legal assistance to victims of this crime, in particular women and girls who have been sexually exploited. Assistance is provided through a careful selection of projects implemented by specialized, grassroots NGOs worldwide.

Agency Type
SECRETARIAT
Title
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
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UNODC

Feb 2019 - Feb 2020 | UNODC

In 2019, UNODC trained over 3,500 criminal justice practitioners, governmental officials and civil society representatives under the Global Programme against Trafficking in Persons and provided 25 countries with technical assistance at the national level. 

In Lesotho and South Africa, UNODC enhanced police responses to gender-based violence by conducting two specialisation workshops for 70 police officers on the investigation and case management of cyber- and gender-based violence cases.

Feb 2019 - Feb 2020 | UNODC

UNODC produces a biennial Global Report on Trafficking in Persons covering 130-140 countries around the world. The report presents a global overview, regional analyses and detailed country profiles. It provides trends on the main indicators and explores links with other criminal and social factors. The report makes use of qualitative analysis resulting from the narrative of court cases on trafficking in persons collected by national authorities.

Feb 2019 - Feb 2020 | UNODC

Protection and assistance for victims of trafficking and victims of aggravated smuggling are issues addressed in all training and capacity building work concerning trafficking in persons that UNODC undertakes. All UNODC responses, activities and publications on trafficking in persons are gender- and age-responsive, human-rights-based and victim-centred.

Feb 2019 - Feb 2020 | UNODC

UNODC continues to support OHCHR and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in its work to develop a General Recommendation on the trafficking of women and girls in the context of global migration. As part of this, UNODC co-hosted a regional consultation for Middle East and Northern Africa in cooperation with OHCHR and UN Women in Egypt in November 2019.

Feb 2019 - Feb 2020 | UNODC

In 2019, UNODC provided technical legislative support/ services to six countries (Algeria, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, India, State of Palestine, Zambia) for drafting legislation on trafficking in persons. This included assessing legislative needs, providing substantive input on draft legislation, providing substantive and technical input and support during legislative drafting workshops and assessing compliance with existing domestic legislation.

Feb 2019 - Feb 2020 | UNODC

During the 28th session of the Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) from 20-24 May 2019, UNODC co-organised two side events of relevance: firstly, “The role of technology in facilitating and addressing sex trafficking,” held together with the Government of Belarus, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Equality Now; secondly, the “UNODC issue paper on inter linkages between trafficking in persons and marriage,” held together with the Government of Germany and the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI). 

Mar 2018 - Jan 2019 | UNODC

In Myanmar, UNODC strengthened the capacity of the police to provide survivor-centered responses, effective investigation and inter-agency coordination among the criminal justice system to better respond to gender-based violence. The Office supported the Union Attorney General’s Office in the prosecution of cases involving violence against women and children through a training curriculum and accompanying materials piloted at two initial trainings of trainers.

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