About Us

Mandate

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs, transnational organized crime, terrorism, and corruption, and is the custodian of most of the related conventions, particularly:

  • The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its 3 protocols (Trafficking in Persons; Smuggling of Migrants; and Trafficking in Firearms);
  • The United Nations Convention against Corruption; and
  • The International Drug Control Conventions.

UNODC was established in 1997, combining the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. It was established by the Secretary-General to enable the Organization to focus and enhance its capacity to address the interrelated issues of drug control, crime, and international terrorism in all its forms.

In the same year, UNODC Southern Africa was formed and now covers 11 countries in the region, namely: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The funding of UNODC's programmes is fully dependent on the continued support of the donor community.

Strategic Objectives

UNODC is committed to achieving security and justice for all, by making the world safer from drugs, crime, and terrorism. To assist countries in this goal, UNODC Southern Africa has developed a Strategic Programme Framework for the region, structured around six key objectives:

  • Strengthening legislative and judicial capacity of Southern African countries for the ratification and implementation of international conventions and instruments on drug control, organized crime, corruption, terrorism and money laundering;
  • Assisting Southern African countries in reducing illicit drug trafficking and in the control of precursor chemicals;
  • Enhancing the capacity of Government institutions and civil society organizations in the Southern African region to prevent drug use and related HIV infections amongst the youth and other vulnerable populations, particularly within prison settings;
  • Enhancing the capacity of Government institutions and civil society organizations in the Southern African region to counter trafficking in persons, the smuggling of migrants, and trafficking in organs;
  • Creating awareness about, and reducing domestic violence in Southern Africa in co-operation with civil society and Governments; and
  • Promoting Victim Empowerment by improving coordination, building capacity and strengthening relations between government and civil society in order to improve services to victims, especially women and children.

 

Current Initiatives

In support of the strategic objectives, UNODC Southern Africa have developed a portfolio of technical cooperation projects and mobilized funding from the international donor community. The projects are jointly implemented with Governments, regional bodies, other UN Agencies, and civil society organizations.

The following are a cross-section of some of our current projects:

African Union REGIONAL & NATIONAL PROJECTS

  • Assistance in the formulation and implementation of the SADC Declaration Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons ( Donor: USA)
  • HIV Prevention, Care, Treatment and Support in Prison Settings in Southern Africa ( Donor: Sweden)
  • Development of Effective Law Enforcement Responses to Violence against Women in the Southern African Region ( Donor: Austria)

MalawiFlag MALAWI

  • Drug Awareness Campaign and Capacity Building ( Donor: Sweden)

MozambiqueFlag MOZAMBIQUE

  • Strengthening Integrity and Capacity of the Court System in Mozambique ( Donors: Mozambique & UNDP)

SouthAfricaFlag SOUTH AFRICA

  • Establishment of a One-Stop Centre to Counteract Violence against Women and Children (Western Cape, North West, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng ( Donors: Austria & Japan)
  • Drug Abuse Prevention and HIV/AIDS Awareness Creation amongst Juvenile Prisoners in South Africa ( Donors: Luxembourg & USA)
  • National Drug Awareness and Schools Education Programme ( Donors: Sweden & Italy)
  • Support to the National Anti-Corruption Programme in South Africa ( Donors: Netherlands , Norway & USA)
  • Support to South Africa's Victim Empowerment Programme ( Donor: European Commission)
  • Strengthening Judicial Integrity and Capacity in South Africa ( Donors: Germany & USA)

SwaziFlag SWAZILAND

  • Strengthening of Legal, Institutional, and Operational Capacities to Implement the Provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption ( Donor: Australia)