UNODC Engagement with Civil Society on Drugs and Crime

UNODC recognizes the need to promote strong partnerships with civil society organizations in dealing with the complex issues of drug abuse and crime which undermine the fabric of society. The active involvement of civil society, which includes NGOs, community groups, labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations and foundations is essential to help UNODC carry out its global mandates.

Through GLOU68, UNODC Civil Society Unit (CSU) is the main entry point for non-governmental stakeholders and serves as a bridge between these stakeholders and UNODC substantive offices, field offices and the Member States. Located within the Office of the Director for the Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs of UNODC, the CSU carries out the following main functions:

Supporting the participation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in intergovernmental meetings, in line with relevant UNODC mandates and rules of procedure for the respective intergovernmental bodies.
Building capacity of non-governmental stakeholders to help them improve their knowledge of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocols Thereto, and related International Drug Policy Instruments. It does so together with relevant substantive offices.
Maintaining a database of non-governmental stakeholders.

The CSU carries out these functions in close collaboration with relevant UNODC substantive offices, including Crime and Economic Branch, Organized Crime Branch, Drug Prevention and Health Branch, the Secretariat to the Governing Bodies, and relevant Field Offices. The CSU also partners with umbrella organizations such as the UNCAC Coalition, Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs, and the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

A guide for NGO participation in the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) is available here.

Highlights

Applications for the 2023 Constructive Dialogues for UNTOC review now open

The 2023 Constructive Dialogue (CD) for the Review Mechanism of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocols thereto will take place in hybrid format (in Vienna, Austria and online) on the following dates:

Firearms: 5 May 2023
Technical Assistance: 31 May 2023
International Cooperation: 13 Sep. 2023
Trafficking in Persons: 4 October 2023
Smuggling of Migrants: 9 October 2023

Find more information and apply here.

NGO call for applications to the 10th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is pleased to inform you that the tenth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption will be held in Atlanta, United States of America from 11 to 15 December 2023. Read more info here.

Read all CSU stories here.

News

Protecting future generations from drug abuse highlighted at the 66th session of the CND
Collaboration among different stakeholders, including civil society, is crucial to ensure effective implementation of international drug policy commitments. Civil society plays a pivotal role in promoting policies that represent the interests of the broader community and in implementing international agreements to tackle the world drug situation. The 66th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) saw a record-breaking number of over 580 NGO representatives, attending both in-person and online. Read more.

UNODC

Launch of the UNODC Compendium on PPP to Prevent & Counter TIP

The Compendium on PPP to Prevent & Counter TIP aims to improve effective partnership between the public and private sectors with a view to better assisting member States in their implementation of the UNTOC and its Trafficking in Persons Protocol. It presents the main findings and insights from four Regional Expert Group Meetings organized by UNODC, focusing on PPPs as they relate to countering trafficking in persons from within the supply chain, financial and technology sectors. Read more here.

Upcoming Events

32nd Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ): 22-26 May
Constructive Dialogue on Technical Assistance: 31 May
14th session UNCAC IRG. WG on Corruption: 12-16 June
Fifth intersessional consultation of the Ad Hoc Committee: 20-21 June

Civil Society Umbrella Partners

With kind support from

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)