At the conclusion of the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Qatar, the Doha Declaration was adopted. Calling for the integration of crime prevention and criminal justice into the wider agenda of the United Nations, and endorsed by the General Assembly, the Doha Declaration had at its centre the understanding that the rule of law and sustainable development are interrelated and mutually reinforcing.

To put the Doha Declaration into reality, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime - with the financial support of the State of Qatar - launched an ambitious Global Programme aimed at helping countries achieve a positive and sustainable impact on crime prevention, criminal justice, corruption prevention, and the rule of law. Implemented between 2016 and 2021, the initiative promoted peaceful, corruption-free and inclusive societies for sustainable development, through a people-centred approach that provided access to justice for everyone to build effective and accountable institutions at all levels.

The final evaluation report – Transforming Policy into Action: the Legacy of the Doha Declaration Global Programme – is available here.

The Global Programme focused on four inter-related components:

Resilient, reliable and transparent institutions: Strengthening judicial integrity and preventing corruption in the justice system. 

Fair, humane and effective criminal justice systems: Fostering the rehabilitation and social integration of prisoners to provide a second chance in life.

Youth crime prevention: Preventing youth crime through sports-based programmes and life skills training.

Education for Justice: Supporting the integration of crime prevention and the rule of law into all levels of education.