08-01-2021

"Many countries in Africa and Asia appear to have a lower capacity to intercept and report trafficked firearms, which may lead to underreporting of some types of firearms. Moreover, the total figures reported by countries include seizures which are not directly connected to trafficking". Executive Summary of the Study available in English and French. Read more

Cybercrime investigations are showing good results in Burkina Faso

04-01-2021

Cybercrime is a transnational crime, involving organised criminal groups and posing challenges in terms of governance as well as in the investigation of the Darknet cryptomarket or the exploitation of cryptocurrencies. Investigators continue to be challenged by the high speed of data exchange, the involvement of multiple providers and nuances necessary to apply traditional legal principles to this crime. Read more

Firearms Operation KAFO II disrupts illicit supplies in the Sahel

04-01-2021

A seven-day operation saw law enforcement officers intercept illicit firearms, ammunition and explosives, and disrupt the trafficking networks used to supply terrorists across West Africa and the Sahel. Under Operation KAFO II (30 Nov-6 Dec), coordinated jointly by INTERPOL and the UNODC through, frontline officers targeted smuggling hotspots at airports, seaports, and land borders in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Niger. Read more

The UNODC supports Gabon’s efforts to combat wildlife and forest crime

28-12-2020

Gabon, a country endowed with a wide variety of wildlife and abundant natural, forestry and mining resources, faces significant criminal threats due to poaching and illegal trafficking of its resources. In this context, UNODC organised a 4-day workshop for members of the penal chain involved in the fight against wildlife and natural resource crime. Read more

UNODC supports the strengthening of integrity within the justice system in Mali

28-12-2020

42 members of the Malian judiciary participated in a workshop on the application of the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct in Mali, held in Bamako from 30 November to 2 December 2020. In addition, the new guidelines on the use of social media and gender considerations developed by the Global Judicial Integrity Network were presented. Read more

Meet this week's PROMIS* Champion: Adama Mbengue (Senegal)

14-12-2020

Adama Mbengue, President of ADHA – " It was in a context of total disarray that Action Pour les Droits Humains et l'Amitié (ADHA) was created. Indeed, the year 2006 coincided with the signing of the African Youth Charter. However, most countries continued to flout the rights of young people". Read more

UNODC distributes health and food kits to victims of trafficking in Côte d'Ivoire

10-12-2020

As part of the COVID-19 response, UNODC, jointly with the Executive Secretariat of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons, distributed hygiene and sanitary and food protection kits to women, young girls, migrants, returned victims of trafficking and displaced persons, through four non-governmental organisations and reception centres Read more

Regional validation workshop of the training programme of the police component

08-12-2020

A regional technical workshop on the police component of the G5 Sahel Joint Force training programme took place from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 November 2020 in Niamey to exchange and formulate recommendations on the modules proposed, to be submitted for validation to the G5 Sahel. Read more

UNODC supports Togo to counter foreign terrorist fighters

08-12-2020

The growing threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters (FTF) continues to preoccupy many countries around the world. The Togolese government is committed to strengthening the national capacity of its institutions in charge of both preventing and combating violent extremism and terrorism to prevent and counter any attempts by FTF on its territory. Read more

Meet this week's PROMIS* Champion: Nana-Jo Ndow (The Gambia)

07-12-2020

Nana-Jo Ndow is a founder and executive director of the African Network against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances (ANEKED), an NGO that campaigns against enforced disappearances and summary executions. ANEKED combines the power of technology, legal expertise and traditional media to expose these injustices and advocate for justice for victims and their families. Read more

UNODC continues its work for peacebuilding in Niger

04-12-2020

From 25 to 26 November 2020 was held in Tillabéry, Niger, a forum for exchanges between actors of the penal chain (APC), defence and security forces (DSF), representatives of the G5 Sahel, the High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace in Niger, the National Human Rights Commission, Civil Society organisations, women's organisations, youth, customary leaders and community radio stations. Read more

UNODC supports DFS to improve legal care for child victims of violence in Niger

04-12-2020

For a decade now, thousands of children have been abducted, recruited, and exploited by armed groups, including terrorist organizations, a phenomenon that particularly affects the Sahel region. In this context, UNODC organised training sessions on the treatment of child victims of violence, trafficking, and recruitment by terrorist and violent extremist groups in Niger. Read more

16 Days of Activism Against GBV: Gender Mainstreaming in the AIRCOP Project

03-12-2020

Read the interview of Cécile Plunet, Global Coordinator of AIRCOP about gender mainstreaming in law enforcement Agencies at international airports. AIRCOP is a multi agency project that is aimed at strengthening the capacities of participating international airports across the globe to detect and intercept drugs, other illicit goods and high-risk passengers in both origin, transit and destination countries. Read more

16 Days of Activism Against GBV: Gender Equality in the G5 Sahel Programme

30-11-2020

The UNODC supported the G5 Sahel Programme in developing and operationalizing the police component of the Joint Force and was tasked with mainstreaming gender throughout the programme. Despite global efforts to implement the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, women’s participation in the security sector remains low and this is also the case for the G5 Sahel Joint Force and its Police Component. Read more

Meet this week's PROMIS* Champion: Brah Mamadou Ali (Niger)

30-11-2020

Commissioner within the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) in Niger, Mr. Brah Mamadou Ali chairs the working group that deals with migration issues, the fight against discrimination and slavery practices. He explains how, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CNDH ensures the continuity of its activities in order to protect the rights of migrants. Read more

Meet this week's PROMIS* Champion: Oumy Sya Sadio (Senegal)

16-11-2020

Doctoral student in Public Law at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace (IDHP) of Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) and holder of a Master 2 in International Relations, Oumy Sya Sadio is particularly interested in everything that revolves around the promotion and protection of human rights. She works for Amnesty International Senegal and notes the lack of consideration of migrants in national health prevention and response strategies as well as their exclusion from national social protection policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more

Meet this week's PROMIS* Champion: Ibrahima Dieng (Senegal)

16-11-2020

Ibrahima Dieng is the Communication Officer and Programme Officer of the Peace and Security Network for Women in the ECOWAS Region (REPSFECO). The organisation has noted many violations of migrants' rights and the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated this. Many women have lost property before the closure of the borders and have seen their income reduced or destroyed. Read more

Workshops explaining the penal chain restore trust between populations

12-11-2020

In Niger, in order to strengthen collaboration and trust between communities, defense and security forces, and actors in the criminal chain, UNODC organized training on the roles and mandates of the Defense and Security Forces as well as on remedies, reporting, referral and advocacy. A total of 55 trainers benefited from this training, 45 percent of whom were women. Read more

Encouraging women & girls to pursue careers in cybersecurity and STEMs

11-11-2020

Globally women are severely underrepresented in the field of cybersecurity. As part of Cybersecurity Awareness month in Senegal, UNODC and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Telecommunications held an online workshop focusing on encouraging girls and women to follow studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In 2018, women in cybersecurity accounted for just 9% in Africa. Read more

Meet this week's PROMIS* Champion: Papa Meissa Gueye (Senegal)

09-11-2020

Papa Meissa Gueye is the coordinator of the association Rester et Réussir, which works to bring artistic solutions to the various problems facing young people. For him, in Senegal, the main difficulties encountered by migrants since the COVID-19 pandemic are mostly economic. Together with our volunteer lawyers specialized in migrant law, we have tried to react to the difficulties encountered by migrants. Read more

UNODC organises 3-day simulated trial on maritime piracy in Ghana

07-11-2020

The 3-day simulated trial of a maritime piracy case in Ghana was held to boost current on-going legal reform to revise the definition of piracy provided for in Section 193 of the Criminal Offences Act, in line with the piracy definition provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The intense pace of the exchanges allowed all participants to familiarise themselves with the universal definition of piracy Read more

Developing an effective response to foreign terrorist fighters in Ghana

04-11-2020

Foreign terrorist fighters represent an urgent and growing threat to international peace and security. UNODC organized a national workshop on "Good Practices for an Effective National Response to the Phenomenon of Foreign Terrorist Combatants" on 28-29 October 2020 in Accra for law enforcement and criminal justice officials from Ghana. Many fighters leave their homes with no intention of returning or of building a new “State”. Read more

Meet this week's PROMIS* Champion: Hamadou Boulama Tcherno (Niger)

02-11-2020

A sociologist and journalist by training, Hamadou Boulama Tcherno has devoted most of his time since 2012 to the protection of the rights of migrants. He is a founding member and program director of the association Alternative Espaces Citoyens in Niger. Over the last three years, the work of AEC's migration department has focused on amplifying the voices of migrants. Read more

Discover the PROMIS* champions protecting migrants' human rights during COVID-19

02-11-2020

Across West Africa, human rights defenders have relentlessly continued to raise awareness of the human rights situation of migrants and the impact COVID-19 has had on them. These Champions have shown leadership skills and provided quick responses to the new reality on the ground. Each week we introduce you to a PROMIS champion & learn about the indispensable work they do on the ground. Read more