UNODC holds first training on Stakeholder Engagement for Implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

© UNODC

Vienna (Austria), 28 July 2020 - On 21 July the Civil Society Team of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched the first capacity building training on Stakeholder Engagement for the Implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), targeting Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), academics and private sector representatives from the Americas region. The initiative is funded by the United States and Sweden and is implemented in partnership with the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC).

The overall objective of the training is to strengthen participants’ capacity to contribute to the implementation of UNTOC and its Review Mechanism in accordance with Resolution 9/1 of the Conference of the Parties (COP), and to prepare them for constructive dialogue with their government focal points, UNODC, and among each other.

In his welcome remarks, the Director of UNODC’s Division for Treaty Affairs, John Brandolino, noted that “international goals simply cannot be achieved without building partnerships that enhance our individual efforts, including against transnational organized crime”.

Madeline Murphy Hall speaking on behalf of the United States Government acknowledged that "this online learning and synchronization platform is really a strong step toward our shared goal of curtailing transnational organized crime and promoting the rule of law."

Tuesday Reitano representing the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime stressed that "the training is a really important opportunity to make a different set of voices and perspectives heard."

As the main outcome of the training, participants proposed a set of practical and forward-looking recommendations related to all three UNTOC protocols and (re-)emerging crimes, including:

Create regional networks and national platforms to coordinate the engagement of non-governmental stakeholders in the UNTOC review process;
Establish a platform for sharing lessons learned throughout the review process;
Develop a collection of experiences and voices from survivors or victims to add a new perspective on the crimes;
Create communities of practice for cyber-enabled crime that develop crime scripts, legislation and technical standards for cyber-enabled trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling, and firearms.

This online training brought together some 40 participants from 12 countries in the Americas and was held in a dual mode. One part of the training was set in a synchronous mode and involved live online plenaries, interactions among participants in breakout groups, and Q&A sessions. The other part of the training was arranged in an asynchronous mode, involving materials that can be accessed anytime such as the Toolkit on Stakeholder Engagement: Implementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime on which the training is based.

UNODC is committed to support Member States in the Review Mechanism and to prepare non-governmental stakeholders for constructive and meaningful contribution during the review process.

Moving forward, the UNODC Civil Society Team will conduct similar trainings for the Africa-Europe (8-11 September) and Asia regions.

Further information

Toolkit on Stakeholder Engagement: Implementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)

UNTOC Review Mechanism