United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

UNODC, in consultation with UN Women, OHCHR and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, advanced preparations for an intergovernmental expert group meeting on gender-related killings of women and girls, to be held in November 2014, mandated by General Assembly resolution 68/191. UNODC also contributed to the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons on 13-15 May and serviced the Working Groups on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in November. Hide

UNODC expanded its online Human Trafficking Case Law Database (www.unodc/cld), which provides legal professionals with qualitative information and increases knowledge and visibility of cases of trafficking in women and girls. The Office provided specialized training, including on indicators to identify trafficking in women, to more than 800 criminal justice practitioners worldwide. Hide

UNODC continued the training of judicial and law enforcement officials, including in S.Africa and Colombia, and supported in Kenya the development of the training manual entitled ‘Ending Sexual and Gender-based Violence: The Role of the Prosecutors’. In Mexico, the organization trained the Women’s Institute of Durango in strategic planning, measuring and strengthening state policies addressing violence against women. Hide

UNODC supported the Cumbre de Mujeres y Paz (Summit of Women for Peace) in presenting in proposals from the perspective of women to the peace negotiations between the government and the FARC in Havana, Cuba. Hide

UNODC continues its research on the patterns and flows of trafficking in persons worldwide. The biennial Global Report on Trafficking in Persons presents gender-disaggregated data on trafficking victims and offenders. It also analyzes female involvement in trafficking in persons, and regional differences in terms of detections of victims and forms of exploitation. Hide

UNODC conducted a situational assessment on gender-based violence to support national strategic planning efforts of Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland. Hide

UNODC carried out several interventions to address trafficking in persons. For example, in Colombia, it set up a strategy for the prevention of trafficking in persons, disseminated publications and carried out awareness raising measures, including conferences at schools, urban interventions, theatre performances and the production of a television series highlighting experiences of victims. In Mexico, it supported the “Blue Heart” campaign against human trafficking and initiated a pilot violence prevention initiative to reduce risk factors at municipal level through the development of family skills. In Côte d'Ivoire, UNODC implemented measures to prevent trafficking for sexual exploitation along the commercial route Lagos-Abidjan. Hide

UNODC released the "Global Report on Trafficking in Persons" that revealed an increase in the number of girl victims, who make up two thirds of all trafficked children. Girls constitute 15 to 20 per cent of the total number of all detected victims. The vast majority of trafficked persons are women, about 55 to 60 per cent of victims detected globally and the total proportion of women and girls together soars to about 75 per cent. Hide

UNODC, in cooperation with UN Women, undertook a mission in Viet Nam to assess the situation women facing when dealing with the criminal justice system, including women subject to gender-based violence, with a view to identify recommendations and programming suggestions. Hide

In May 2011, UNODC Viet Nam, in cooperation with relevant national authorities, published a survey report on law enforcement practices and legal support available to victims of domestic violence. It presents information on what kind of action the police undertook when an incident of domestic violence was reported, how they treated the victims and what the result of the police intervention was. It is expected that the findings of the surveys will play a crucial role in determining existing gaps in Viet Nam’s response to domestic violence and plan future activities and initiatives to address those gaps. Hide