United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

1. In the past year, has the governing body of your organization taken any decisions to advance sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure that no one is left behind? If yes, please briefly mention these decisions taken by your governing body in 2024 and provide the respective symbols. (max 200 words)

In 2024, the Governing Bodies of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) – the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) – adopted several resolutions contributing to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.   

Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) 

In March 2024, the CND adopted the “High-level declaration by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on the 2024 midterm review, following up to the Ministerial Declaration of 2019”. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating efforts to ensure equitable access to and availability of narcotic drugs for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their misuse. States further reaffirmed their commitment to a balanced, integrated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary and scientific evidence-based approach to the world drug problem based on the principle of common and shared responsibility.  

Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)

In May 2024, the CCPCJ passed several resolutions to advance sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions, including Resolution 33/1 on countering trafficking in persons in the context of rapid technological change; E/RES/2024/10 on reducing reoffending through rehabilitation and reintegration; and E/RES/2024/11 on preventing and countering violence against children by organized criminal groups and terrorist groups in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.

2. During 2024, what actions have your entities taken to improve coordination among UN system entities across policy and normative activities as well as with ECOSOC subsidiary bodies with a view to increase impact and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda? Please provide any relevant links.  (max 200 words)

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) are the main policymaking bodies on drugs and crime within the UN system. They are the Governing Bodies of UNODC, and their resolutions and decisions guide Member States and UNODC.

During the 67th session of CND, Member States, UNODC, other UN entities and other stakeholders gathered to strengthen global drug policies, focusing on public health and safety, prevention and treatment. Notably, the 2024 High-level Declaration and Resolution 67/4 underscored the proliferation of synthetic drugs and the need for coordinated efforts to improve regulatory frameworks and strategies across multiple sectors.

During the 33rd session of the CCPCJ, the need to integrate crime prevention into broader development goals and improve coordination on, inter alia, trafficking in persons, cybercrime and violence against children, including by aligning UN-wide policies with data-driven approaches, was highlighted. The resolutions adopted underscored the significant role of effective international cooperation in preventing and combating these crimes and encouraged strengthened efforts in this regard.  

UNODC further enhanced coordination with ECOSOC Subsidiary Bodies by inviting them, for instance, to a roundtable discussion at the Margins of the ECOSOC Coordination Segment to gather their input ahead of the CND’s mid-term review and to an HLPF side event co-organized by the Chairs of the CND and the CCPCJ in July 2024 (https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/SDG/event.html).  

3. In the past year, has your organization organized any intergovernmentally mandated conferences, forums or events that contributed to the achievement of the SDGs, or has been in the process of planning and organizing any such mandated events to be held next year?  

Please copy the below table to fill out for each event: 

4. In the past year, has your organization published or planned to publish any analytical work, guidance or reference materials, or toolkits to guide and support the implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels? Please select up to three to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs.  

Please copy the below table to fill out for each resource: 

5. The United Nations has defined six key transitions, or transformative entry points, that can have catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs and which have been guiding the UN development system work since the 2023 SDG Summit. In the past year, how has your organization contributed to these transformative actions and how various actors are being rallied behind them to mobilize further leadership and investment to bring progress to scale? Please provide any relevant links. (max 200 words under each transition)

1)Food systems

Alternative development promotes sustainable practices that enhance food security, improve livelihoods and protect the environment. UNODC, through its Alternative Development programmes, provides economically viable, legal alternatives to illicit cultivation. The Office encourages and assists communities in moving away from illicit drug crop cultivation and integrating them into licit economies, including by creating farmers’ associations to facilitate the commercialization of their productions in quality markets, helping women to access land ownership, supplying agricultural inputs and educating farmers on sustainable forest management.  

For example, in Afghanistan, where opium cultivation has dropped by 95%, UNODC has been helping farmers to produce wheat, maize, saffron and vegetables so that they can put food on the table and generate income without having to revert to illicit opium cultivation. In Colombia, UNODC partnered with the Colombian government to support over 750 farmers in Putumayo to move from cultivating coca towards harvesting sacha inchi seeds, a nutritious and high-value supplement that has improved the diets of over two million vulnerable children across the country. In Myanmar, where illicit poppy cultivation continues to rise, UNODC has supported 300 women to transition to growing coffee and vegetables and lead their own business enterprises.  

2) Energy access and affordability

Alternative development not only contributes towards a circular economy but is also part of other transitions as well, including the shifts towards renewable energies and more sustainable food systems. UNODC’s Alternative Development Programmes not only provide farmers with sustainable, self-sufficient, economically viable alternatives to illicit crop cultivation but also contribute to reducing the carbon footprint and energy use by promoting eco-friendly agricultural practices and renewable energy sources.  

In Afghanistan, for instance, UNODC is promoting solar energy in rural areas where farmers do not have access to grid electricity. Community-based poultry hatcheries, grape drying houses and drip irrigation systems all run on solar energy, reducing the use of diesel generators. Farmers are also increasingly using solar energy to power water pumps used in deep wells and other systems used for irrigation.  

UNODC has also developed a Practical Guide on Alternative Development to provide guidance on how environmental concerns, strategies and instruments can be mainstreamed into alternative development projects. This covers environmentally sustainable practices and approaches, forest conservation, carbon credit schemes (Thailand, Peru and Colombia) and payments for environmental services.

3) Digital connectivity

Technology has created opportunities for a greater scale, speed and scope of crimes, from terrorism to drug trafficking to trafficking in persons, firearms trafficking, and more. To fully harness the benefits of digital connectivity, we must ensure that people can meaningfully and securely use the Internet and safely navigate the digital space. UNODC’s Global Programme on Cybercrime has a dedicated portfolio of actions related to cybercrime awareness in the context of digitalization. In Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, UNODC established three permanent exhibitions in children’s museums for children, caregivers and families to explore how to move safely in cyberspace. In Southeast Asia, the Beware the Share campaign was launched to raise awareness on how to deal with and prevent online child sexual exploitation and abuse. In West Africa, the Office developed the campaign Afrique: Ma Vie Digitale - La série, exploring digitalization in Bamako, Dakar and St. Louis and empowering communities to protect themselves against possible cyber threats.  

Furthermore, UNODC served as the secretariat for the negotiations of the UN Convention against Cybercrime and will continue to assist Member States in the ratification and implementation of the Convention once adopted by the General Assembly. The draft Convention provides tools that will support States in managing the risks and threats resulting from digitalization by establishing 11 forms of cybercrime and providing for a set of procedural and international cooperation measures.  

4) Education

UNODC, in line with the provisions of the United Nations Conventions against Corruption (UNCAC) and the political declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2021, promotes the role of education in preventing corruption and supports educators at all educational levels to strengthen ethics, integrity, and anti-corruption education to foster a culture of integrity around the world.  

Within the framework of its Global Resource for Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment (GRACE) initiative, UNODC, for instance, has supported the development of a sourcebook for primary-level educators in Malawi, conducted Training of Trainers for primary-level educators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and localized UNODC university modules on anti-corruption in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, the Office conducted regional dialogues for educators, youth, and civil society organizations, which resulted in a road map to strengthening the role of non-governmental actors in the fight against corruption.

In the past year, UNODC has also organized Virtual Anti-Corruption Schools to educate young people on the impact of corruption and empower them to get involved in anti-corruption work. This was supplemented with the development of tools, including a step-by-step guide for young advocates starting anti-corruption actions.  

5) Jobs and social protection

In the past year, more than 50 countries have benefited from UNODC’s advisory service and technical assistance in the field of prison and penal reform, focused on fostering a rehabilitative approach to prison and offender management through interventions geared towards (i) reducing the resort to imprisonment; (ii) strengthening prison management and improving prison conditions; and (iii) supporting the social reintegration of offenders. This was coupled with UNODC’s Secretariat support towards the development of new UN standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice in the form of Model Strategies on Reducing Reoffending, which equally emphasize rehabilitation and reintegration.  

In line with its Roadmap for the Development of Prison-based Rehabilitation Programmes, in 2024, UNODC continued to support various countries, including Ghana, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nigeria, Somaliland, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Thailand, in fostering prisoner’s skill development through education, vocational training and work programmes to enhance their employment and social reintegration prospects upon release. As part of its work on non-custodial measures, UNODC has pursued a similar approach in the context of non-custodial measures in Kyrgyzstan.

6) Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution

Climate change poses severe and often life-threatening risks for prisoners worldwide, who are among the most marginalized and vulnerable populations. Building on its extensive expertise in prison and penal reform, UNODC is increasingly prioritizing enhancing the resilience of prison systems to climate change. The Office has piloted targeted initiatives in Ghana, Kenya, Indonesia, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to develop standard operating procedures on disaster mitigation, provide infrastructure support to ensure continued (green) energy and water supplies and enhance food security, including through vocational training for prisoners.  

Furthermore, UNODC plays a crucial role in combating crimes that affect the environment (CAE), offering a multifaceted approach to prevent and respond to wildlife trafficking and crimes in the fisheries, forestry, minerals and waste sectors. UNODC provides guidance to Member States on incorporating responses to CAE into national biodiversity and climate strategies, particularly in view of the upcoming Nationally Determined Contributions, due by early 2025. This includes support for improved monitoring, surveillance and enforcement, enhanced legal frameworks, community engagement, strengthened international cooperation, and fostering corporate responsibility. To support Parties to the UNFCCC, a guide with measures and considerations for integrating justice responses to CAE into the climate agenda is also being developed.  

6. Please provide strategies (policies, guidance, plan) and/or collective actions taken to implement the 2024 Ministerial Declaration of the Economic and Social Council and the high-level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Council. Please note any challenges foreseen and provide any relevant links.  (max 200 words)  

Aligned with the 2024 Ministerial Declaration and the commitments to empower children and eradicate human trafficking, UNODC will continue to implement the Strategy to End Violence Against Children 2023-2030, jointly launched with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children (SRSG-VAC). Interventions in the context of Children on the Move will focus on child victims of trafficking. Lack of data, insufficient collaboration and ineffective frameworks for coordination among states hinder effective protection and support, including access to justice. To overcome these challenges, UNODC will continue to strengthen the capacity of states to effectively respond to child trafficking, especially targeting unaccompanied and separated children in international migration contexts.

Alternative development promotes sustainable practices that enhance food security, improve nutrition, protect the environment and tackle illicit drug crop cultivation, contributing to accelerating SDGs 1,2,13 and 16. The High-Level Declaration on the 2024 midterm review, following up to the Ministerial Declaration of 2019, adopted by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), recognized the importance of increased efforts to promote viable domestic economic alternatives to the illicit cultivation, production and manufacturing of and trafficking in drugs, including through alternative development programmes. A voluntary “Pledge4Action” initiative was proposed by the Chair of the Commission at its 67th session to mobilize Member States’ commitment toward concrete, impactful actions along the key challenges outlined in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration. In line with all international policy commitments, the resolutions by the CND and the pledges made by Member States, UNODC will continue to support Member States in implementing drug control and alternative development policy commitments.

Furthermore, in Resolution 33/1, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, recognizing the importance of SDG 16 for sustainable development, encouraged Member States to adopt measures to reinforce efforts to combat trafficking in persons in the context of rapid technological change. Moving forward, UNODC will continue providing technical assistance to Member States to improve and build their capacity to prevent and combat trafficking in persons online, supporting the implementation of the Resolution and related commitments, including those in the 2024 Ministerial Declaration.  

7. What collective efforts is your entity undertaking to support countries in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the areas of Goal 3 (Good health and well-being), Goal 5 (Gender equality), Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth), Goal 14 (Life below water) and Goal 17 (Partnerships), which will go under in-depth review at the HLPF in 2025? Please note any achievements, challenges and gaps and provide any relevant links. (max 200 words)  

In line with its mandate, UNODC supports countries to enhance drug use prevention, achieve gender equality, eradicate human trafficking and tackle crimes affecting the ocean’s biodiversity, contributing to accelerating SDGs 3, 5, 8, 14 and 17. For instance, during the last year:  

• Drug use, youth violence and child maltreatment were prevented through family skills and life skills programmes in 26 countries, particularly by enhancing the skills of 600 national facilitators and benefiting 60,000 children.
• A brief on gender-related killings of women and girls (femicide/feminicide) was published to inform and enhance responses. It also underscored that governments need to invest in and support data collection and research. The lack of funding, especially in developing countries, continues to hinder femicide reporting and effective responses.    
• UNODC’s commitment to supporting a coordinated response to trafficking in persons and advancing SDG 8 has recently materialized with the launch of Brazil’s IV National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons, a strategic blueprint for eradicating forced labour at the state and municipal level.  
• A legislative guide on combatting crimes in the fisheries sector was published to strengthen national legislative frameworks. Moving forward, UNODC will increase its efforts to raise awareness on the importance of improving criminal justice responses to crimes affecting marine biodiversity and mainstreaming such considerations into ocean conservation, risk mitigation and resource management policies to advance SDG 14, 15 and 16.  
• Engagement with civil society significantly increased, connecting 5,200 stakeholders from 2,300 organizations through 47 capacity-building activities and intergovernmental meetings. Civil society is a vital ally in our aspirations to leave no one behind and achieve the SDGs.  

If your organization has been part of any initiatives or multi-stakeholder partnerships in the past year that support these goals, please copy the below table to fill out for each initiative/partnership.