14 March 2024, Bogota (Colombia) - The UNODC Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention was in Bogota, Colombia on 27-29 February, to host the first ever Regional Multistakeholder Event on Gender and Human Rights Mainstreaming in Preventing and Countering Organized Crime for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The event brought together over 50 stakeholders from national governments, regional organizations, academia and civil society organizations with the purpose of discussing best practices and challenges in the mainstreaming of gender and human rights in policies and legislation against organized crime.
Latin America and the Caribbean faces significant challenges in the fight against organized crime, such as high levels of inequality and violence, expanding levels of social unrest, increased vulnerability to environmental threats and governance issues specific to each country. In addition to these longstanding issues, the region is grappling with the highest number of victims to femicide globally, exacerbated by the brutal violence carried out by organized criminal groups.
The complex context of the region was highlighted during the regional workshop, with many of the workshop participants reflecting on the impact organized crime has had on their countries. Despite the contextual differences between them, one thing was clear from the workshop – effective responses to organized crime can only be developed if gender equality and human rights considerations are at the forefront of national approaches to combat the phenomenon.
During the three days, a range of topics related to organized crime, gender and human rights were discussed, including the role women play in organized criminal groups, the link between human rights and the Organized Crime Convention, as well as tools to mainstream gender and human rights in policy and legislation development.
The workshop was also an opportunity for civil society organizations to highlight the integral role that they play in the fight against organized crime. During a dedicated panel discussion, there were presentations from Idea Dignidad, GITOC, The Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action, as well as the Lead Institute. A clear message emanated from the panel discussion: a multistakeholder approach helps bring forward the voices of people from across society.
By the end of the three days, the workshop participants developed their own ‘mock’ organized crime strategy, which included gender and human rights – sensitive recommendations on protecting those vulnerable to organized crime, preventing organized crime, pursuing organized criminal groups and promoting cooperation to meet these ends.
As highlighted in the opening remarks by Ms. Candice Welsch, the Regional Representative for the Andean Region and the Southern Cone, “Unless we put gender and human rights at the forefront of our approaches to combating organized crime, we cannot achieve a safer, more peaceful and sustainable world for all”.
With the continued dissemination of the UNODC Toolkit on Mainstreaming Gender and Human Rights in the Implementation of the UNTOC across the world, we are one step closer to a safer, more peaceful and sustainable world for all.
UNODC wishes to thank the Governments of the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Canada for their generous support for the Gender and Human Rights Project.
