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.

“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.

Strengthening resilience among youth through sport in Central Asia
July 18, 2018

Strengthening resilience among youth through sport in Central Asia

As more and more countries recognize the essential role of sport in promoting sustainable development, UNODC is working across the globe to promote life skills training programmes that can be implemented in sport settings to strengthen youth resilience and help them to stay away from crime, violence, and drug-use.

Most recently, UNODC has been working with the Central Asian nations of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, offering a practical tool for these Governments to complement national youth policies and strengthen their crime prevention efforts through social development.

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.