Following series of key achievements, Global Programme for the implementation of the Doha Declaration enters next stage

31 July 2017 - This month the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration entered its next phase following receipt of the second instalment of funding from the State of Qatar. The funds - $13.3 million - are part of a four-year, $49.1 million contribution to UNODC's Global Programme which was launched following the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Qatar in 2015.

The Global Programme operationalizes a several key commitments contained in the Doha Declaration in a bid to further integrate crime prevention and criminal justice into the wider agenda of the United Nations. With the support of the State of Qatar, the creation of the Global Programme marks the first time a Crime Congress political declaration has been operationalized and ultimately works towards helping countries achieve a positive and sustainable impact on crime prevention, criminal justice, corruption prevention, and the rule of law.

Covering four separate - yet interrelated - areas, the Global Programme has at its centre the aim of promoting peaceful, corruption-free and inclusive societies for sustainable development. These cover the building of resilient, reliable and transparent institutions through strengthening judicial integrity and preventing corruption in the justice system; promoting fair, humane and effective criminal justice systemsby fostering the rehabilitation and social integration of prisoners to provide a new chance in life; working to prevent youth crime through sports-based programmes and life skills training; and supporting the integration of crime prevention and the rule of law into all levels of education via the Education for Justice (E4J) initiative.

Following receipt of this second phase of funding, John Brandolino, UNODC's Director for Treaty Affairs, acknowledged the contribution after meeting with the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and International Organizations in Vienna, H.E. Ambassador Sheikh Ali bin Jassim T.J. Al-Thani. "Thanks to this generous support, UNODC is making a series of tangible differences under this Global Programme. Through education, sports, prisoner rehabilitation and working with the judiciary, we are able to make a lasting impact within the area of crime prevention and criminal justice and ultimately support the wider 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

Since the inception of the Global Programme, there have been a number of considerable results. Some 2,000 stakeholders from across more than 110 countries have benefitted from international and regional capacity building activities, including conferences, workshops and trainings. This has included judges, prison practitioners, academics, teachers, sports coaches, representatives of relevant NGOs and an increasing number of children and youth. Meanwhile, a further 2,600 stakeholders from at least 75 countries have benefited from the Global Programme contributing to the meetings organized by other organizations. Furthermore, since the start of the Global Programme, 14 countries have received country-specific technical assistance under the Global Programme, namely Afghanistan, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, South Africa, Tajikistan, Vietnam and Zambia.

Some of the key results across the four programme components include:

  • Laying the groundwork for the launch of a Global Judicial Integrity Network in 2018 through extensive consultations with judges from across the world;
  • Developing a 'Roadmap on Prison-Based Rehabilitation Programmes' and providing support to the prison administration in several countries based on this tool;
  • Developing a sports based crime prevention initiative, 'Line Up Live Up', including a host of tools for sports coaches to train at-risk youth on life skills relevant to preventing their involvement in drugs, crime and violence; and
  • Launching the E4J initiative aimed to develop and promote teaching and research on crime prevention, the rule of law and other UNODC mandates areas in primary and secondary schools as well as universities.

Building on this first phase of the Global Programme, much is planned over the next 12 months. In addition to finalizing the initial groundwork, phase two will see the roll-out of extensive on-the-ground activities across all four components across the globe.

Additional information:

13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Doha Declaration

Doha Declaration Global Programme