Key Areas of Technical Assistance

The key areas of UNODC’s technical assistance include:

Transnational Organized Crime

Transnational Organized Crime encompasses profit-motivated criminal activities with international implications such as human and drug trafficking, smuggling of migrants, cybercrime, money-laundering,  and illegal trade in wildlife, firearms, and natural resources. UNODC ROCA received over US$ 10 million in order to strengthen cybersecurity, anti-money laundering services, as well as, to provide support in crime prevention and criminal justice reforms. To prevent drug trafficking and other illicit activity whilst facilitating legal trade, UNODC ROCA through the joint UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme assists the Governments in the region to establish effective container/cargo controls.

UNODC ROCA and the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC), an initiative that focuses on combatting aspects of transnational organized crime, are working together to compile a catalogue of ways in which narcotics are being circulated in Central Asia so as to provide the law enforcement agencies with a broader understanding on the preventive methods to combat this menace.

To reduce money laundering in the region, UNODC ROCA along with the Global Programme against Money Laundering (GPML) had conducted workshops to upskill analysts on monitoring of suspicious transactions across banks. In addition to this, the analysts were also shown the proper procedures of reporting the crime to the concerned authorities.

Drug Treatments and Drug Prevention

Non-medical drugs, most often used by vulnerable groups, can be detrimental to users and their families. In order to prevent such usage and protect society, UNODC ROCA has introduced drug treatments and drug prevention strategies. To reduce cross-border drug trafficking, initiatives such as Strengthening the State Service on Drug Control of the Kyrgyz Republic were implemented. UNODC ROCA also provides constant capacity development activities for law enforcement agencies to upgrade anti-drug trafficking techniques and methods to tackle illicit drug situations. These trainings have directly contributed to seizure of hundreds of kilograms of narcotics in Central Asia through joint operations.

Moreover, UNODC ROCA promotes an intervention that involves family skill training with an emphasis on parents – their involvement in children’s lives and the need for a healthy upbringing – so that the youth is not inclined to drug usage in the first place. The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) directed at children between 10-14 years is a successful attempt consisting of a curriculum of skills development for parents and adolescents. This helps reduce the effects of stress and peer pressure on children without drug usage.

Criminal Justice and Crime Prevention

UNODC ROCA is an active supporter of criminal justice reform processes in the region, helping the local governments using detention centres as a way to rehabilitate prisoners, easing the reintegration of convicts into society and introducing international standards of prison management. The reintegration of convicts of society is eased by introducing vocational training to enable to get employed after their release. Moreover, many active steps are being taken to improve the conditions of prisons, including an attempt to change society’s perception towards the convicts.

Concerning crime preventive measures, UNODC ROCA has introduced initiatives within the Global Programme to put the Doha Declaration into reality. The Line Up, Live Up programme aimed at 13-18 year olds strengthens resilience of youth towards crime. Public service announcements have been aired on TV channels across the region, and the youth was encouraged to participate in sporting events and life skills trainings to live a lawful life and prevent crime.

The Education for Justice (E4J) initiative, introduced in some of the countries in Central Asia, seeks to promote a culture of lawfulness through educational activities designed for primary, secondary and higher secondary level leading to prevention crime and corruption. There is a special emphasis on internet usage, a growing danger, as it’s accessibility increases.  UNODC ROCA also collaborated with local universities to introduce Model United Nations in schools across the region aimed to inculcate cooperation and a culture of lawfulness in students.

Corruption

“Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies.  It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life, and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish” (Kofi Anan, 2003, UNCAC)

Corruption, a complex social, political, and economic phenomenon, affects all countries but it is in developing countries that it is the most destructive. To combat corruption globally, the United Nations adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2003. UNODC ROCA has also implemented UNCAC to reduce corruption in Central Asia. Across the region, UNODC experts familiarized investigators, prosecutors, and government officials on anti-corruption methods and mechanisms.

In 2018, the Zero Tolerance to Corruption campaign was launched to acquaint the public with the threat of corruption in Uzbekistan. Along with taking such active measures to reduce corruption, UNODC ROCA also strides in educating the youth on lawfulness. By playing anti-corruption board games with secondary students, UNODC ROCA is successful in raising an awareness on integrity and corruption.

Terrorism

Terrorism continues to be a threat to international security and peace, as terrorist groups target political and social instability and weaken central governments. UNODC ROCA and the United Nations Centre for Counter Terrorism (UNCCT) launched a joint initiative supporting the management of violent extremist prisoners and the prevention of radicalization to violence in prisons as a way to reduce terrorism.

Moreover, UNODC ROCA has been monitoring those who were convicted of extremism and terrorism, and has been facilitating implementation of rehabilitation programs. In addition to rehabilitating foreign terrorist fighters, UNODC ROCA has been conducting numerous trainings in the region to help the law enforcement agencies in combating terrorism. There has been a strong focus on building a peaceful society through initiatives promoting the culture of lawfulness and instilling a sense of civility among the youth.