United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

In November 2011, UNODC in cooperation with UN Women, UNFPA and UNDP and relevant national authorities, organized a joint conference on the role and responsibilities of the State to respond to domestic violence against women in Viet Nam. About 90 officials attended the conference, both from national and local level representing five different Ministries as well as civil society. 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

In Latin America, UNODC Regional Office for Brazil and the Southern Cone developed a project for the strengthening of public and civil society institutions to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. The project seeks to improve the countries' capacity to offer support to gender-based violence victims and to develop a regional knowledge/expertise on this problem and to architect a good practices network, gathering players from the community, civil society and governmental institutions. Hide

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 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

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

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

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 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