Effective Judicial Selections and Appointments
August 14, 2018

Effective Judicial Selections and Appointments

The effectiveness of any judiciary depends upon its perceived legitimacy, especially in the eyes of the public. This perception requires not only that the judges uphold the highest standards of integrity and independence, but also that states respect judicial independence and do not undermine judicial decisions.

A successful judiciary is one whose members are appointed following a rigorous process assessing both the candidate's legal qualifications as well as integrity.  Different countries' constitutions and other laws provide for different requirements, but it is crucial that only the best people are appointed to judicial positions. Judiciaries should not be politicized - this means that ruling parties should not appoint judges who will be answerable to them and not to the constitution and members of the public.

UNODC small grants scheme for sports-focused, youth development CSOs in Kyrgyzstan now open
August 13, 2018

UNODC small grants scheme for sports-focused, youth development CSOs in Kyrgyzstan now open

Under the Doha Declaration Global Programme's initiative on youth crime prevention, UNODC has launched a small grants scheme in Kyrgyzstan to support national Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) active in the field of youth development. Specifically, UNODC is looking to engage CSOs that use sport as a vehicle to work with youth in marginalized communities who are at-risk of being involved in crime, violence or drug use.

Applications are open until 29 August 2018.

Empowering Palestinian youth through UNODC’s Line Up, Live Up initiative
August 10, 2018

Empowering Palestinian youth through UNODC's Line Up, Live Up initiative

"Can anyone tell me why Dana succeeded in this exercise?" asks Randa, a summer camp instructor, to the 20 young girls still catching their breath from the last sports activity. A few of them enthusiastically raise their hands: "She did not lose her self-control," says one girl; "She was persistent," adds another.

It is precisely this lesson that Randa is hoping will be absorbed by the young people attending a two-week summer camp at Qalandia Village, near Ramallah. It is here that Randa has been implementing a range of sports activities to help youth develop their life skills and better cope with daily challenges to stay away from violence and crime. Prior to the opening of the summer camps, Randa was part of a group of 26 instructors in the State of Palestine trained by UNODC on the Line Up, Live Up life skills curriculum.

Exploring innovative ways to strengthen youth resilience to crime and gang violence in Colombia
July 27, 2018

Exploring innovative ways to strengthen youth resilience to crime and gang violence in Colombia

Today, over 55 per cent of the world's population lives in urban areas; by 2050, this is set to increase to more than two-thirds. While urbanization brings with it economic growth and prosperity, it also presents a range of negative social issues, with cities often home to high levels of income inequality, gangs, and organized criminal groups.

Looking to help counter this, UNODC works with countries to reduce urban crime and violence at regional, national and local levels. One of those with whom UNODC has been partnering closely to achieve this is Colombia, through mechanisms such as strengthening local data collection and crime analysis, and, most recently, introducing the sports-based, youth crime prevention initiative Line Up, Live Up.

Nominations for 3rd Annual International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award now open
July 23, 2018

Nominations for 3rd Annual International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award now open

Established in 2016, the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award is designed to showcase creative and outstanding achievements of anti-corruption projects from across the globe and publicly acknowledge these exceptional efforts.

Awarded by the  Rule Of Law and Anti-Corruption Center (ROLACC), and presented in support of the anti-corruption mandate of UNODC, the initiative promotes the importance of tackling corruption and encourages the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Submissions close  5 September 2018 and more details on the award and nomination process can be found at www.aceaward.com.