United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

UNODC organised several activities to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement, justice and health sector officials to better prevent and respond to violence against women, including training workshops, awareness-raising initiatives and relevant projects in Zambia, South Africa, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan and Lao People's Democratic Republic; and publishment of materials on the "Abuse of a Position of Vulnerability and other "Means" Within the Definition of Trafficking in Persons", to assist criminal justice officers in penal proceedings. Hide

In July 2011 in Paraguay, UNODC, in cooperation with UN Women, held the International Conference "Answers to Gender-Based Violence in the Southern Cone: Progresses, Challenges and Regional Experiences.” The Conference aimed at presenting and debating the above report and promoting the exchange of experiences, stimulating cooperation and facilitating the creation of an exchange network of good practices between community leaders, civil society and government institutions. Hide

In December 2010, UNODC launched the "Model Law against the Smuggling of Migrants", a tool to assist States to implement the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol by introducing relevant provisions of the Protocol in their domestic legislation. The Model Law addresses, inter alia, the protection of migrants against violence and assistance to migrants whose lives or safety are in danger. Hide

UNODC is currently working at developing a gender approach in the criminal justice system of Panama, including the effective application of the law on the prevention of violence against women. Hide

In November 2010, UNODC in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community and the Southern African Regional Police Chief Council Organisation, organized in Pretoria a regional training workshop on effective law enforcement responses to violence against women in the Southern African region, involving trainers from six countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe). The training tested the UNODC Handbook on effective police responses to violence against women and a related training curriculum, adapting them into the specific needs of the Southern African region. In Panama, within the framework of the MDG project “Improving citizen's security in Panama-contributing to the social construction of peace”, UNODC organized a training workshop for justice and law enforcement officers, based also on the UNODC Handbook and on national and international regulation framework (17-18 November). Hide

In October 2010 UNODC together with other members of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), established by the UN General Assembly, launched the report: "An analytical review: 10 years on from the adoption of the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol'" Hide

In November 2010, the United Nations launched the "United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children" that has been established by General Assembly resolution on the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. The Fund will be administered by UNODC, as the designated Fund Manager. Hide

UNODC has continued its implementation of a project in Viet Nam to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and justice sectors to prevent and respond to domestic violence. Similar projects are being developed in Panama and Kenya. Hide

In July 2010, UNODC hosted an Expert Group Meeting to review draft material for the forthcoming International Framework for Action to Implement the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol, a technical assistance tool to support States in the implementation of the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol. The draft tool recommends that the special vulnerability of smuggled migrant women to violence be borne in mind in the design, implementation and review of any measures put in place to protect women against violence. The draft provides that addressing violence against women in the context of migrant smuggling begins with addressing the underlying discriminatory norms and behaviour which manifest as increased vulnerability of women to violence, both before being smuggled, during the smuggling process and afterwards, especially when they are living as irregular migrants in or are in the custody of the destination state and/or are returned to their state of origin.At its 17th session (April 2008), the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice requested UNODC to convene an intergovernmental group of experts to review and update, as appropriate, the Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (hereinafter MSPMs), adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 52/86.The need to revise the MSPMs stemmed from the recognition that new practices, new thinking and new research have been developed since the adoption of the Model Strategies in December 1997.In July 2010, upon recommendation of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its 19th session (May 2010), the Economic and Social Council adopted resolution 2010/15 entitled “Strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women” for further consideration and possible adoption by the General Assembly at its 65th session. By endorsing this resolution, the Council adopted the guidelines contained in the updated MSPMs (see annex of resolution 2010/15) which represent a comprehensive framework to assist States in developing policies and carrying out actions to eliminate violence against women and to promote equality between men and women within the criminal justice system. They are organized around eleven themes: i) guiding principles; ii) criminal law; iii) criminal procedure; iv) police, prosecutors and other criminal justice officials; v) sentencing and corrections; vi) victim support and assistance; vii) health and social services; viii) training; ix)) research and evaluation; x) crime prevention measures; and xi) international cooperation. The Council urged Member States to evaluate and review their legislation and legal principles, procedures, policies, programmes and practices relating to crime prevention and criminal justice matters, in a manner consistent with their legal systems and drawing upon the updated MSPMs, to determine if they are adequate to prevent and eliminate violence against women. Member States were also called upon to advance effective crime prevention and criminal justice strategies that address violence against women, including strategies aimed at preventing revictimization.The Economic and Social Council, upon recommendation of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, adopted resolution 2010/16 entitled “UN Rules for Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules)”. The Bangkok Rules, annexed to the resolution, which were developed to supplement the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-Custodial Measures (Tokyo Rules) are made up of 70 rules.The Bangkok Rules will be submitted to the General Assembly, at its 65th session, for its consideration and possible approval. Hide

UNODC published the Handbook on effective police responses towards violence against women, accompanied by a training curriculum, and the Toolkit on Gender (which is part of the overall UNODC Toolkit on Criminal Justice Assessment). In June 2010, UNODC launched the Needs Assessment Toolkit on the Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking, found at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Needs_Assessment_Toolkit_ebook_09-87518_June_2010.pdf. Hide