One of the objectives of UNICRI is to enhance the capacity of national governments through training and technical assistance. The project Improving the Implementation of the International Drug Control Conventions through Enhanced Cooperation between INCB and National Drug Control Administrations aims to address the principal inadequacies faced by national competent authorities in the implementation of the Conventions.
To date, there is extensive evidence of the differences between women and men regarding substance use. Epidemiological studies show that even though women are less likely to initiate drug use than men, they start earlier and are more susceptible to develop an addiction. Women are also more vulnerable to drug-related pathologies, such as liver and cardiovascular diseases, and are more exposed to sexual and physical abuse and violence and to sexually transmitted diseases.
UNICRI has a long standing record in research, training and technical assistance projects aimed at promoting social justice in the attainment of human development.
During the past four years, UNICRI, at the request of several partners, has strengthened its work in identifying and addressing priority societal challenges posed to sustainable human development and to protection of fundamental rights, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations (prison population, drug users, women, victims of cultural/religious issues).
The UNICRI worldwide programme on Major Events Security, launched in 2002 and backed by the UN ECOSOC Resolution 2006/28, is aimed at providing technical assistance to policy-makers and practitioners in planning the security of Major Events, with a specific focus on coordination methodologies and standards.
The Project
In line with the UNICRI Angolan experience, the three-year programme (2006-2009) focused on the Maputo Province (including a few nation-wide activities) combined institution building and social activities. The programme also included analysis and information sharing through the creation of a Juvenile Justice Forum and the construction of a database on minors in conflict with the law.
Today, children and young people are exposed to exploitation, abuse and delinquency at an increasing rate. The reasons behind victimization and juvenile delinquency are many and complex. Growing levels of poverty and the consequences of wars, including social disruption, dysfunctional families and exposure to crime, are risk factors for delinquency. Insecurity due to unstable social environments increases vulnerability, and young people with poorly developed social skills are less able to protect themselves against the negative influences of a peer group.
Within the framework of this programme, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) performs various kinds of activities both in cooperation with international criminal tribunals and domestic judicial and training institutions. These activities can be subsumed in the following main areas:
Environmental crimes
UNICRI considers environmental crime, including its links with other forms of crime, a serious and growing danger for development, global stability and international security.
Since 1991, UNICRI has contributed to combating crimes against the environment and related emerging threats through applied research, awareness and capacity-building initiatives. UNICRI has built a strong international network of experts and practitioners from major international organization, law enforcement agencies, NGOs and academic entities active in the field.
UNICRI has a long tradition of research in organized crime, including its relation to counterfeiting. The topic of counterfeiting is an important part of the work of the Institute due to the growing interest of criminal organizations in this area. Counterfeiting presents a very favorable ratio between potential profits and assumed risks compared to other criminal activities such as drug trafficking. It also facilitates money laundering by providing a front into which the criminal organizations can invest the proceeds of their other illicit activities.
UNICRI researches and writes on specific counterfeit product categories, focusing on the impact on consumers’ health and safety and on organized crime involvement. Counterfeit medicines are among the counterfeit products with the greatest potential for harming the health of consumers. As for many other criminal activities, also in the case of counterfeit medicines reliable estimates are extremely hard to be obtained. Nonetheless, according to the WHO counterfeit medicines represent approximately 10 per cent of the entire amount of medicines worldwide.