ISSUE #4 / September 2021 |
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Read about our latest news and updates... |
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The latest news of the UNODC Global Programme to End Violence Against Children and one of its initiatives aimed to protect children from terrorist and violent extremist groups. |
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As a vehicle which aims to shift a paradigm and adopt a systemic approach to child protection in relation to the key role played by the justice system, the UNODC END-VAC Programme continues to support Members States in preventing and responding to serious forms of violence against children and in empowering children as agents of change to live free from violence. |
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01 August 2021 – The Department of Juvenile Justice of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of Maldives and UNODC organized the 'Workshop on assessment of children in conflict with the law' to strengthen the capacity of professionals on conducting assessment processes while preserving the best interests of the child. Following the workshop, UNODC together with the Department of Juvenile Justice co-organized a national 'Training of Trainers on Juvenile Justice'. On this occasion, UNODC international experts provided comprehensive guidance to trainers on how to deliver multi-disciplinary training to prevent and respond to violence against children in the context of juvenile justice. |
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02 July 2021 – On the opportunity of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the side event 'Promoting Alternative Solutions to Deprivation of Liberty, Integral Protection and Access to Justice for All Children' was organized to discuss concrete alternatives to detention and how targeted responses to prevent deprivation of liberty of children are critical to addressing shifting patterns of violence exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on behalf of UNODC and the UN Interagency Task Force convened by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Alexandra Martins, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer (Coordinator of the Global Programme to End Violence Against Children, UNODC/Justice Section), stated: "Children need to be protected against the use of exceptional detention regimes. UNODC is working tirelessly to increase awareness among States and to assist them in ensuring both public safety and child rights alike.” Since 2015, UNODC has been addressing efforts to ensure that children are better served and protected by justice systems. |
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03 July 2021 – The Government of Iraq, together with the European Union (EU) and UNODC, launched the STRIVE Juvenile project in Iraq with the aim to develop and implement comprehensive national responses to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism affecting children. Iraq has been heavily affected by terrorism in recent years and thousands of children have been recruited and exploited by ISIL (Da’esh). Many children are currently in detention for alleged affiliation/association with terrorist groups and their effective reintegration into society is a pre-requirement for breaking the cycle of violence and ensuring long last peace and security. Through STRIVE Juvenile, UNODC has been supporting the Government of Iraq and the justice system in their efforts to promote the rehabilitation and reintegration of children and young people who are currently deprived of their liberty for alleged affiliation/association with terrorist groups. |
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04 July 2021 – Following the launch of the STRIVE Juvenile project in Nigeria in April 2021, Nigerian officials led by the Office of the National Security Advisor, the European Union, UNODC, and representatives from civil society organizations gathered during a national roundtable to consider the findings and recommendations of a situation analysis on the phenomenon of child recruitment and exploitation by Boko Haram carried out by Haad |
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UNODC. This meeting was followed by the 1st National Project Steering Committee Meeting which aimed to discuss national priorities and initiatives by STRIVE Juvenile to support the Government of Nigeria in its efforts to protect children from the threats associated with terrorist and violent extremist groups. |
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05 June 2021 – The European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) organized its 'Exchange Programme for Judicial Authorities' aimed to enhance the European judiciary’s practical knowledge of other judicial systems through direct exchange of views and experiences between judges, prosecutors and trainers. On this occasion, Dayan Farias Picon, Legal Officer (Global Programme to End Violence Against Children, UNODC/Justice Section) presented the work of the UNODC on the treatment of children associated with terrorist and violent extremist groups. | | |
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07 May 2021 – Highlighting the importance of national ownership, the Government of Indonesia and the European Union co-chaired the 1st national coordination meeting. It was the occasion for the STRIVE Juvenile partners to identify and agree on initiatives that will enable to increase the capacity of relevant national stakeholders |
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stakeholders from both the security and child protection sectors, with the aim to better serve and protect children associated with terrorist and violent extremist groups and undertake measures that contribute to their effective rehabilitation and reintegration. |
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08 May 2021 – On the occasion of the 30th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the UNODC Global Programme to End Violence Against Children co-organized with the European Union, and the Governments of Indonesia and Japan, a Special Event on ‘The UNODC Roadmap on the Treatment of Children Associated with Terrorist and Violent Extremist Groups’. Child recruitment and exploitation by terrorist and violent extremist groups is a global threat and an impediment to sustainable development. UNODC has been addressing efforts to support Member States in preventing child recruitment and exploitation and in ensuring that, when in contact with national authorities, children are treated in a way that is conducive to their rehabilitation and reintegration. The Special Event also served as an opportunity to present the new STRIVE Juvenile project, a three-year initiative, funded by the European Union, that partners with UNODC and the governments of Indonesia, Iraq and Nigeria. |
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Principle N°6 "The KEY OBJECTIVE of any action taken in relation to a child associated with terrorist and violent extremist groups should be to promote his or her REHABILITATION AND REINTEGRATION into society". - UNODC Roadmap - |
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09 From March to May 2021 – Under the umbrella of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, UNODC together with its partners co-organized a series of four webinars within the second ‘Regional INSPIRE Workshop’ on the implementation of the INSPIRE strategies. The event was attended by more than 400 professionals from 10 South American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) working on the issue of violence against children. | | |
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10 April 2021 — The annual OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism Conference, organized by Sweden’s 2021 OSCE Chairpersonship with the support of the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, was organized this year to explore ways to reinforce a comprehensive approach in preventing and countering terrorism and 'Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism' (P/VERLT). In July 2020, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and the Executive Director of UNODC, Ghada Fathi Waly, signed the OSCE-UNODC Joint Action Plan that allows for more streamlined co-operation in nine subject areas, including ‘combating transnational organised crime and corruption, preventing and countering violent extremism leading to terrorism’. |
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During her intervention at the conference, Alexandra Martins, Coordinator of the UNODC Global Programme to End Violence Against Children, stressed: “there is a need to ensure that the legal and policy framework can concomitantly protect societies as well as children from the threats associated with terrorism. States should also invest in multi-sectoral and coordinated responses, by adopting child- and gender-sensitive approaches, and in fostering reconciliation and social cohesion in affected families and communities.” |
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11 March & April 2021 – The UNODC END-VAC Programme jointly with Terre Des Hommes Italy and in partnership with the Government of Iraq, delivered a High-Level Event and three workshops that counted on the participation of professionals from the security and child protection sectors in Iraq. These initiatives, conducted thanks to the generous financial contribution by the Government of Japan had the objective to promote strategies and measures that can contribute to the rehabilitation and reintegration of children allegedly affiliated with ISIL (Da’esh) who are currently deprived of their liberty in Iraq. | | |
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12 March 2021 – The Government of Indonesia officially launched the STRIVE Juvenile project to continue its strong cooperation with UNODC in its efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism affecting children. Through STRIVE Juvenile, the Government of Indonesia will build upon the adoption of the 'Bali Call for Action', a political declaration which endorses the UNODC Roadmap, and will continue to play a leading role in the ASEAN region, demonstrating strong political will in tackling the phenomenon of child recruitment and exploitation by terrorist and violent extremist groups. |
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The 'Bali Call for Action' commits to turning the 10 key principles of the UNODC Roadmap into action at the national level. |
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The UNODC END-VAC Programme relies almost entirely on voluntary contributions. Our work to date has been possible thanks to the generous contributions by the Governments of Austria, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and from our partnerships with the European Union (EU) and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism/United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT). |
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UNODC Global Programme to End Violence Against Children works with a number of key partners, including United Nations entities and representatives of regional and other international organisations and networks. | | |
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