Monday 14 March 2022, 13.10—14.00 (Vienna time)
The UNODC Drugs Research Section organized a side event on the margins of the 65th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs focusing on the involvement of women in drug trafficking, as part of the work programme of “CRIMJUST - Strengthening criminal justice cooperation along drug trafficking routes” and within the framework of the Global Illicit Flows Programme of the European Union.
The event approached the topic of drug trafficking from the recognition that the individuals involved in the drug supply chain need to be considered not only as agents within an illicit market but also as women and men with their circumstances and identities – an approach which in turn calls for due attention to the gender dimension and consideration of the specificities relating to women.
The side event was chaired by Angela Me, Chief of the UNODC Research and Trend Analysis Branch and opening remarks were delivered by Natalie Pauwels, Head of Unit, Stability and Peace—Global and Transnational Threats, of the European Commission.
The panellists presented perspectives from different world regions and combined presentations of research work on the topic with interventions dwelling on policy implications relevant to the response to drug trafficking and the criminal justice system.
During the side event, the UNODC research publication “Women in the cocaine supply chain” was launched. This publication is the third issue in the series of Cocaine Insights, developed by UNODC in the framework of the CRIMJUST programme. It discusses the wide spectrum of roles—ranging from illicit cultivation to leadership positions—fulfilled by women in the cocaine supply chain, the drivers behind their participation and the impact on their lives.
The event attracted more than 140 participants from a geographically diverse range of countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.
