Director General/Executive Director
Madame Chair,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning and thank you for joining us.
The work of the Crime Commission to advance crime prevention and criminal justice responses and address shared challenges across the UN pillars of peace and security, human rights and development is well recognized. I have the honour of sharing with you a message from our Secretary-General António Guterres:
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I am pleased to convey best wishes to this session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
I welcome your timely focus on preventing and countering crime motivated by intolerance and discrimination.
The world is experiencing a dangerous rise in xenophobia, hate-filled rhetoric, inciting violence and hate-motivated attacks.
In response to these threats, I have announced two initiatives to mobilize the United Nations system against hate speech and in support of the protection of religious sites.
Effective, accountable and human rights-based responses are clearly essential to achieving these aims.
Inclusive and sustainable development is also a vital element to prevent and tackle the roots of hate. I therefore welcome your work towards the 14 th Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice next year in Kyoto, where the world will discuss ways to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
I am convinced that by working together, we can reject hate, protect our communities against this threat and uphold our shared values. We all have a part to play in fostering a better world for all.
In that spirit, I wish you a fruitful gathering.
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Excellencies,
Distinguished participants,
The focus of this year's thematic discussion on hate crime demonstrates once again that the Crime Commission is at the vanguard of confronting some of the most urgent problems facing the international community today.
Last year, the Commission discussed cybercrime and adopted resolutions that addressed linked challenges of combatting human trafficking enabled by Internet-based technologies and protecting children.
Resolutions tabled at this session seek to further advance these efforts.
Crime motivated by intolerance or discrimination, abuses interconnectivity and exploits vulnerability.
We can only counter these threats by working together. By strengthening effective, fair, humane and accountable criminal justice systems that protect people and their rights.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime remains committed to supporting Member States to take such action through application of the UN standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, and implementation of the Conventions against transnational organized crime and corruption as well as the global counter-terrorism instruments.
Through UNODC country, regional and global programmes, we are working with you to prevent and counter human trafficking and migrant smuggling, terrorism, terrorist financing and money laundering, as well as trafficking in drugs, illicit firearms and wildlife.
Together, we are countering violence, improving prison conditions and expanding access to justice.
UNODC is promoting gender equality and mainstreaming in law enforcement and justice, as well as engaging and empowering young people, while protecting their rights.
We must never lose sight of the victims when we talk about criminal justice responses.
The UNODC Blue Heart campaign and the Trust Fund for victims of human trafficking are testament to this priority, and we will be welcoming a number of new Member States joining the Blue Heart at a side event later this afternoon.
This week UNODC will also be launching the first UN handbook on gender dimensions of criminal justice responses to terrorism.
Indeed, the more than 100 side events this week speak to the importance of people-centred responses to the diverse challenges addressed by the Commission, and the interest that Member States, civil society and other partners have in this work.
This session will also mark a major step towards the 14th Crime Congress in Kyoto next April, which will take forward the commitments set out in the Doha Declaration and contribute to efforts to realize the Sustainable Development Goals.
We look to the Crime Commission for guidance and support to further advance all our efforts.
This includes financial support, so UNODC can provide the quality assistance you expect from us.
In return, our office seeks to be as effective and efficient as possible, harnessing innovation and new technologies, to leave no one behind and do our best for the people we serve.
Ambassador Kupchyna,
Dear colleagues,
I wish you productive discussions in the busy week ahead. Thank you.