Vienna, 30 July 2024 - On 23-25 July, UNODC hosted the Regional Event for South-Eastern Europe on Organized Crime Strategies and Gender and Human Rights Mainstreaming.
The event marked the seventh and final regional workshop for the dissemination of the UNODC Toolkit on Mainstreaming Gender and Human Rights in the Implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
The three-day workshop, which was held at UNODC’s headquarters in Vienna, brought together 40 representatives from ministries, government agencies, and civil society organizations from South-Eastern Europe (SEE), with the purpose of discussing comprehensive, gender-sensitive, and human rights-compliant strategies and policies to address organized crime.
As highlighted in the opening remarks by Koen Marquering, Deputy Regional Representative for UNODC Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe "addressing organized crime has to go hand in hand with the rule of law and with women’s empowerment and gender equality."
SEE is a region severely impacted by organized crime, serving as a major hub for various illicit activities and trafficking routes, notably the "Balkan route". Organized criminal groups exploit the regions vulnerabilities making it a hot spot for high levels of drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, firearms trafficking and trafficking in a number of goods. Such criminal activity inflicts immeasurable harm on the region and its people, by fuelling corruption and money laundering, and directly threatening the economic and social stability of countries within this region.
Over the course of the three days, participants engaged in a series of panel discussions, group exercises, and interactive sessions to deepen their understanding of the critical role gender and human rights mainstreaming plays in effectively tackling organized crime at local, regional, and international levels. This included a power walk exercise featuring fictional characters with diverse identities and backgrounds in South-Eastern Europe, illustrating the intersecting factors that influence power dynamics within society.
The workshop also highlighted the significant role that civil society organizations in SEE can play in mainstreaming gender and human rights to effectively develop and implement policies, strategies, and legislation on organized crime. Kristina Jozic from the Policewomen's Network Association in Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed the under-representation of women within police forces in the Western Balkans. She raised concerns about how law enforcement agencies should reflect the diversity of the societies they serve to effectively address varied security needs.
Additionally, Edlira Gjoni from the Impact Centre in Albania discussed the ways in which young people in SEE may be more susceptible to engaging in organized crime due to limited employment opportunities. She stressed the necessity for targeted approaches to strengthen youth resilience to organized crime. In her remarks on preventive measures for engaging young people, she stated:
"Youth engagement is crucial in combating organized crime; young people must be in the spotlight, sharing their stories and experiences. They should have a voice in policy-making meetings and be actively involved in ground-level tasks. By empowering them and educating them, we can leverage their unique perspectives and energy to drive effective change.”
The event was also an opportunity to launch UNODC’s Regional Policy Brief "An aid to strategic responses to organized crime in South-Eastern Europe". This publication is part of the Regional Policy Brief Series that summarize the nature of organized crime and offer considerations for developing national and regional frameworks and strategies worldwide.
UNODC wishes to thank the Governments of Canada and the United Kingdom for their generous support for this event.
Learn more about the Gender and Human Rights Project.
