“The interrelation and reciprocal reinforcement between the Rule of Law and sustainable development”
July 20, 2018

Interview: The interrelation and reciprocal reinforcement between the Rule of Law and sustainable development

In the latest edition of the magazine 'Justice Trends', UNODC's Dimitri Vlassis - Chief of the organization's Corruption and Economic Crime Branch - provides his insights into the workings of the 13th UN Crime Congress held in Qatar in 2015, and the resultant Doha Declaration which emerged from this important gathering.

In this wide-ranging interview, Mr. Vlassis discusses UNODC's Global Programme - the first time that such an implementation initiative has emerged from a Crime Congress to provide support to countries to put into practice the Doha Declaration's commitments.

Young justice coders compete in global hackathon
July 12, 2018

Young justice coders compete in global hackathon

It is a well-established fact that children learn better and absorb their lessons faster when they are personally involved in applying the fruit of their knowledge, or when they participate in the actual development of tools meant to teach what they are learning.

In an era of prevalent technology for children in homes and schools alike, coding and software development - including for games - are increasingly becoming an important and inescapable step in the education process, helping to enhance student's critical and computational thinking, problem-solving and digital literacy skills, creative thinking and determination.

UNODC’s Model UN guide tested and praised in first training exercise
May 30, 2018

UNODC's Model UN guide tested and praised in first  training exercise

Around the globe, it is estimated that over 1,500 Model United Nations (MUN) conferences are held every year, involving up to half a million learners from primary school to university. To promote the rule of law to students through this academic simulation phenomenon, UNODC's unique  Model UN Guide was the first of its kind to support the integration of crime prevention and criminal justice issues into an MUN  when it was launched earlier this year.

To explore the Guide's potential for wider dissemination in established MUN arenas, the  Education for Justice (E4J) initiative hosted a three-day training workshop last week, engaging with educators, university student leaders and staff from the numerous UNODC offices around the world.

UNODC takes youth offline with new edutainment selection
May 22, 2018

UNODC takes youth offline with new edutainment selection

Educational material is ever more available for all ages online as access to the Internet increases worldwide, allowing children and young adults everywhere to enjoy a wide offer of entertainment and a broad range of educational games. UNODC's own array into that field includes the recent launch of the video game 'Chuka, Break the Silence,' educating young ones on gender-based violence, and the upcoming relaunch of the updated app 'Fair Play,' a game which stimulates ethical decision-making and integrity.

Many experts do believe, however, that real life personal interaction can be more conducive to learning, and that interactive educational games are a perfect medium to impart lessons which are better absorbed.

New UNODC university modules to teach about Trafficking in Persons, a crime that violates fundamental human rights
May 21, 2018

New UNODC university modules to teach about Trafficking in Persons, a crime that violates fundamental human rights

UNODC's commitment to preventing crime includes promoting a better understanding of crime in the first place, by working with academics and specialists to identify and clarify the concepts within different issues needing dissemination. In the context of the Education for Justice (E4J) initiative, a component of the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, an expert group meeting met in Doha recently to review five university modules on TIP (out of a total of 14 modules, including seven on the Smuggling of Migrants), for both undergraduate and graduate levels, which lecturers can incorporate into their curriculum.