20-21 December: Security Council Debate on Trafficking in Conflict Situations and Launch of 2016 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons
UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov briefed the Security Council at its meeting, which also adopted the first-ever Security Council resolution on Trafficking in Persons. While in New York, ED Fedotov also launched the 2016 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, at a packed event co-organized with the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations. UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Trafficking in Persons and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ms. Nadia Murad Basee Taha also spoke at the event.
27 October: Countering Human Trafficking: Achieving Universal Ratification of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children ("The Palermo Protocol")
Organized in partnership with the Quadrilateral Group of Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovakia and Switzerland, the event aimed to highlight the importance of the Palermo Protocol, especially in the lead-up to the October 2017 Appraisal of the General Assembly Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. The special event was moderated by Ms. Simone Monasebian, Director of UNODC New York Office while H.E. Ambassador Christian Wenaweser, Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein to the UN, Mr. Yury Fedotov, Executive-Director of UNODC, Mr. Adama Dieng, Under Secretary-General and Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, and Ms. Ruchira Gupta, Founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide spoke on the panel.
13 October - Briefing on the "Activities of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF)"
Deputy Representative of the UNODC New York Office, Mr Matteo Pasquali briefed Member States on UNODC's work and contributions to the CTITF, as part of the regular briefing for Member States on the activities of the Task Force.
5 October - Information Briefing on "Follow-Up to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS) 2016"
The informal briefing was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Portugal and UNODC. The briefing was conducted by H.E. Ambassador Pedro Moitinho de Almeida, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations in Vienna, who was appointed by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs as its facilitator for post UNGASS 2016 matters. Amb Moitinho briefed the Member States on the CND's ongoing work to follow-up on UNGASS.
29 September - Contributing to a Global Compact on Migration: Actions to Address Trafficking in Persons
The follow up event to the High-Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on Addressing large movements of refugees and migrants was co-organized by the EU and UNODC. Opening remarks were made by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations in New York, H.E. Mr. João Vale de Almeida, and the Permanent Representation of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York, H.E. Ms. Lourdes Ortiz Yparraguirre. The panellists included the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator at the European Union, Dr. Myria Vassiliadou, the Director of Division for Treaty Affairs at UNODC, Mr. John Brandolino, the Principal Deputy Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the US State Department, Dr. Kari Johnstone, and Vital Voices Global Partnership, Ms. Alyse Nelson. The event was moderated by the Director of the UNODC New York Office, Ms. Simone Monasebian.
22 September- Protecting Cultural Heritage - an Imperative for Humanity: Acting together against destruction and trafficking of cultural property by terrorist and organized crime groups
Co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Jordan and Italy, INTERPOL, UNESCO, and UNODC, the event was the culmination of the year-long initiative by the same partners, aimed at galvanizing the international community and the United Nations to take action against the growing threats to cultural property and heritage. Ms. Emily Rafferty moderated the event, which also featured Interpol Director of Cabinet of the Secretary General, Ms. Roraima Andriani, Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Mr. Paolo Gentiloni, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan, Mr. Nasser Judeh, and Executive Director of UNODC, Mr. Yury Fedotov.
19 September- High Level Launch of the new UNODC Regional Programme and the new ECOWAS Regional Action Plan for West Africa 2016-2020
Co-organized by UNODC and ECOWAS, the event launched the new UNODC Regional Programme for West Africa, in support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Action Plan to Address Illicit Drug Trafficking, Organized Crime and Drug Abuse in West Africa, which was also presented at the meeting. Executive Director Fedotov as well as the ECOWAS President graced the occasion.
16 September- Appointment Ceremony of Ms. Nadia Murad Basee Taha as UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking
Ms. Nadia Murad Basee Taha, a Yazidi woman and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, who survived sex trafficking at the hands of ISIL, was appointed UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors on Human Trafficking in a special ceremony attended by H.E. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations and Ms. Amal Clooney, International Human Rights Barrister/Attorney for Ms. Murad. The ceremony was moderated by Simone Monasebian, Director of the NY Office. Her appointment marked the first time that a survivor of atrocities is given this distinction. During her Ambassadorship, Nadia will focus on advocacy initiatives and raising awareness around the plight of millions of victims of trafficking in persons, especially refugees, women, and girls.
13 July 2016 - "Eliminating the Trafficking of Children and Youth"
Ms Yu Ping Chan from the NY Office spoke at a special panel discussion on "Eliminating that Trafficking of Children and Youth" organized by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See and the NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons.
30 June 2016 - GMG Meeting on "Protecting the Human Rights of All People in Vulnerable Situations"
UNODC and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights jointly organized a Global Migration Group (GMG) discussion on protecting the human rights of all people in vulnerable situations within large movements. The meeting was in preparation for the September High-Level Meeting on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants and was moderated by John Brandolino, Director of the UNODC Division for Treaty Affairs and co-chaired by the Ambassadors of Italy and Mexico to the United Nations in New York. Mr Matteo Pasquali from the Office also served as a panellist. The event highlighted the development of a set of Principles and Practical Guidance on the human rights protection of migrants in vulnerable situations and in mixed or large movements that is currently being developed by the GMG Working Group on Human Rights and Gender Equality. The event can be watched here.
29 June 2016 - Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in Combatting Human Trafficking: A View from the UN
Ms. Simone Monasebian, Director of UNODC New York spoke at a special briefing organized by the Women's Foreign Policy Group (WFPG) on the key development within the United Nations on the issue of human trafficking, emphasizing UNODC's important role and work to combat trafficking in persons.
23 June 2016 - Launch of the "World Drug Report 2016"
The 2016 World Drug Report was launched in New York at a Special Evnt that also commemorated the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (26 June). The event featured opening remarks by H.E. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General. Speakers discussed the problems of drug trafficking and addressed the importance to include issues concerning women, children and young people in drug prevention and policies. The webcast of the event can be watched here.
6 June 2016 - Special high-level event on "Wildlife Crime and New York Launch of the World Wildlife Crime Report
Co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Germany and Gabon, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the event launched UNODC's first ever World Wildlife Crime Report. Mr. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of UNODC moderated the event, which also featured President of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, and UN Secretary General's Chef de Cabinet, Mr. Edmond Mulet, delivering remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General. Renowned actress Famke Janssen, from the X-Men film series and the Taken film series also spoke, along with Secretary-General of CITES, Mr. John Scanlon. Member States applauded UNODC's Report, which was seen as a ground-breaking report on the issue.
2 and 5 June 2016
Mr Yury Fedotov, UNODC's Executive Director spoke at the High-Level Thematic Conversation on Children and Youth Affected by Violent Extremism, organized by the President of the General Assembly, on 2 June. He also addressed the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit on 5 June on the issue of "A Connected World: Global Criminal Challenges and UN Peace Operations".
27 May 2016 - Third Expert Meeting on "Protecting Cultural Heritage - an Imperative for Humanity"
Third in a series of expert meetings organized by the Permanent Missions of Jordan and Italy together with UNESCO, INTERPOL and UNODC, the meeting convened a broad range of diverse stakeholders, including representatives of Member States, intergovernmental organizations, museums, universities and heritage conservationists. Speakers highlighted the international community's concern over the current unprecedented levels of attacks against culture, such as the cultural heritage crisis in Syria and northern Iraq due to collateral damage and intentional destruction.
1 June 2016 - "E-justice: sharing national experiences in enhancing transparency, effectiveness and access to justice"
Mr Matteo Pasquali from the Office spoke at an event on "E-justice: sharing national experiences in enhancing transparency, effectiveness and access to justice", organised by the Permanent Missions of Italy, Mexico and Turkey, and the Rule of Law Unit on behalf of the Rule of Law Coordination and Resource Group. In particular, he stressed the importance and value of UNODC's E-Learning platform
24 May 2016 - World Humanitarian Summit Side Event on "Responding to Victims and the Vulnerable: Addressing Human Trafficking in Humanitarian Situations"
Co-organized by the Permanent Mission of the United States and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this special side event took place in Istanbul, Turkey at the World Humanitarian Summit. The keynote speaker was Ms. Nadia Murad Basee Taha, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Yezidi trafficking survivor who testified before the Security Council. The event was moderated by United States Under-Secretary-General for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Dr. Sarah Sewall. Speakers highlighted that international organizations, governments, NGOs, and survivors have important supporting roles in preventing human trafficking.
3 May 2016 - "Voice of Victims of Human Trafficking: Reading from 'River of Flesh and Other Stories'"
The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in partnership with Apne Aap Women Worldwide, organized this special event aimed at giving a voice to victims of human trafficking. The opening remarks were delivered by the renowned American feminist and writer, Gloria Steinem, while Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Ms. Cristina Gallach also gave special remarks. Actresses and ambassadors read excerpts from the book 'River of Flesh and Other Stories', a collection of short stories about trafficked and prostituted women by some of India's most celebrated writers. The book was edited by renowned civil society activist, and founder of Apne Aap, Ruchira Gupta, who also spoke at the event. Ms. Samia Suleiman, 15-year old Yazidi trafficking survivor, and Ms. "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, a trafficking survivor also shared their heart-rending stories about enslavement, and emphasized the importance of the empowerment of victims. The event was one of UNODC's Artists UNited Against Human Trafficking (#ArtistsUNitedXHumanTrafficking) events.
28 April 2016 - Second Expert-Level Meeting on "Protecting Cultural Heritage - an Imperative for Humanity": Acting together against the destruction and trafficking of cultural property by terrorist groups and organized crime
The Permanent Missions of Jordan and Italy together with UNESCO, INTERPOL and UNODC co-organized an expert meeting on the illicit trafficking of cultural properties in transit countries. The meeting was chaired by the Ambassadors of Jordan and Italy, with participation, among others, of permanent representatives of Member States, representatives of UNESCO, INTERPOL, UNODC, WCO, the UN Sanctions Monitoring Team, as well as the Metropolitan Museum. Discussion at this Second Meeting focused on illicit trafficking and related criminal conducts, and preventive measures by strengthening international cooperation in law enforcement and criminal prosecution activities, as well as in seizure confiscation and recovery of cultural properties. This meeting was the second in a series of three expert meetings convened as part of the Italy/Jordan led "Protecting Cultural Heritage" initiative, which will culminate in a high-level meeting during the annual General Debate of the UN General Assembly in September 2016.
20 April 2016 - UNGASS 2016 Side Event on "Drug use and women: best practices in the design and implementation of programs and public policies for prevention and treatment with a gender approach"
This event, organized on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS) was organized by the Governments of Italy, Chile and Peru, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC). The event highlighted the importance of taking a gender perspective to the world drug problems, and featured the Minister of Justice of Italy, HE. Andrea Orlando, as well as high-level representatives from Chile and Peru.
18 April 2016 - UNGASS 2016 Side Event on "The experience of evolving drug responses in Nigeria"
Co-organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Delegation of the European Union, and the Permanent Mission of Nigeria, this side event on Nigeria's experience of evolving drug responses was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS). The event was moderated by Ms Simone Monasebian, Director UNODC New York.
14 April 2016 - "Trafficking in Persons: Eliminating Forced Labour"
Ms Yu Ping Chan from the NY Office spoke at a special panel on "Trafficking in Persons: Eliminating Forced Labor", organized by the Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking, a grouping of UN Member States active on the issue of human trafficking. Moderated by Belarus Dy FM Rybakov, the meeting featured Ambassadors from Kazakhstan and the US, as well as representatives from other UN entities.
7 April 2016 - "Ending Human Trafficking by 2030: The Role of Global Partnerships in Eradicating Modern Slavery"
Organized by the Holy See Mission, this event explored the need for urgent action on human trafficking. Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN Archbishop Bernardito Auza moderated the event and read a special letter written by Pope Francis, in which he commended the speakers and the international community to focus on the most vulnerable victims of modern slavery. Ms. Simone Monasebian, Director of UNODC New York, stated that the indicators of the 2030 Agenda will advance the implementation and ability to end of human trafficking for Member States. Actress Mira Sorvino, UNODC Goodwill Ambassador, addressed the need for policy makers and participants to financial support to end trafficking in persons.
3 April 2016 - New York premiere of the film 'SOLD'
Director of UNODC's New York, Ms. Simone Monasebian, moderated a Question and Answer session at the New York premiere of the heart-breaking film ' SOLD', about human trafficking. SOLD is about the story of a 13-year-old Nepalese girl who is trafficked into a brothel in Delhi. The film was earlier presented at a special event organized by UNODC at the 60th Commission on the Status of Women.
23 March 2016 - Panel on "The Role of the Arts in Helping to end Human Trafficking" and Launch of UNODC's #ArtistsUNitedXHumanTrafficking Initiative
Organized by the Permanent Mission of the United States and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this Special Interactive Panel featured a special presentation by the filmmakers of the film ' SOLD', and award-winning actress Gillian Anderson (from the X-Files). Held on the sidelines of the 60 th Commission on the Status of Women, the panel brought together distinguished artists, diplomats and civil society activists to celebrate the important role that the Arts could play in the fight to end trafficking in persons. The event drew a standing room only crowd and featured the movie SOLD, a moving story of a girl who is trafficked into a Delhi brothel. The inspiring panel included distinguished speakers such as award-winning author, Patricia McCormick, film composer and classical pianist Chloe Flower, UNODC Goodwill Ambassador and Fine Artist Ross Bleckner, as well as Sold's Director Jeffrey Brown and Producer Jane Charles. The event also launched UNODC's Artists United Against Human Trafficking (#ArtistsUNitedXHumanTrafficking) initiative, which is a partnership between UNODC and artists committed to working against the crime of human trafficking.
