Law and Crime Prevention

Counter-piracy operations are conducted in the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia. (file)
US Navy/Ja'lon A. Rhinehart

Global response needed to counter rising security threats at sea

9 August 2021
Global

Despite an overall decrease in maritime traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic, piracy and armed robbery of ships rose by nearly 20 per cent during the first half of last year, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Monday. 

Methadone is dispensed by a nurse to a former heroin addict in Viet Nam.
UNODC/PTRS/Nick Danziger

Science, evidence-based facts, key to help end scourge of drug abuse: UN chief

26 June 2021

The world’s drug problem remains an urgent challenge that threatens to exacerbate COVID-19 pandemic impacts and hinder a healthy and inclusive recovery, warned the UN Secretary General ahead of The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

A Ryanair plane at an airport in Italy. (file)
Unsplash/Lucas Davies

5 things you should know about ICAO, the UN aviation agency

26 May 2021
Europe

In response to the apparent forced landing of a commercial passenger plane in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, convened an urgent diplomatic meeting on Thursday. What is ICAO saying about the incident, and what powers does the agency have? 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressing the opening of the 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, via video.
UN/DGC

Kyoto Crime Congress opens with declaration to tackle growing crime threats, promote inclusive COVID-19 recovery

7 March 2021
Global

Held in an innovative hybrid format amid COVID-19 restrictions, the 14th UN Congress on criminal justice opened on Sunday in Kyoto with calls for renewing global cooperation against crime to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and recover from the pandemic.

Ecuador advocates for greater control of money laundering from illicit activities. (file)
UNODC

Financial transparency, 'sound governance and accountability’ essential to reach Global Goals

25 February 2021
Global

Financial integrity is “paramount to the success of the 2030 Agenda”, the President of the UN General Assembly said on Thursday, launching a new report that offers a blueprint to address a range of obstacles, particularly surrounding illicit finance flows. 

A street in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, Syria. The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe chlorine gas had been used in a chemical weapons attack in April 2018.
UNICEF/Amer Al Shami

Given gaps, inconsistencies, Syria’s declarations on chemical weapons programme not considered ‘accurate and complete’

11 December 2020

Outstanding issues related to Syria’s initial declaration of its chemical weapons stockpile and programme cannot be considered “accurate and complete”, the head of the world body monitoring States’ implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention told the Security Council on Friday.

A billboard in Namibia, which calls on everyone to neither offer nor accept bribes.
World Bank/Philip Schuler

We cannot allow corruption to infest COVID-19 recovery, UN chief says

9 December 2020
Global

Corruption has thrived under the coronavirus pandemic and anyone involved in graft must be prevented from exploiting the rollout of new vaccines, the UN Secretary-General has said.

A sign reads 'stop hurting us' as protesters take to the streets in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, over the disputed presidential election.
Kseniya Halubovich

Belarus: End ongoing human rights violations, UN rights chief urges

4 December 2020
Europe

The human rights situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate, particularly with respect to peaceful assembly, the UN rights chief said on Friday, urging the government to put an end to ongoing violations and “take steps towards a genuine, respectful and inclusive national dialogue”. 

Unaisi Vuniwaqa, Police Commissioner with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), meets young girls at a school in the capital, Juba.
UNMISS/Eric Kanalstein

UN Police ‘vital’ across spectrum of peacekeeping, Security Council hears

4 November 2020
Global

The Security Council on Wednesday was briefed on the “vital role” UN Police play across the whole spectrum of the world body’s work, from “conflict prevention to peacekeeping to peacebuilding".   

A Yazidi Kurd from Sinjar who was abducted by ISIL, pictured here in Mamilyan Camp for internally displaced persons in Akre, Iraq.
Giles Clarke/Getty Images Reportage

Iraq: ISIL’s acts of terror ‘divorced from the values of all faiths’ 

16 July 2020
Middle East

Religious leaders from communities across Iraq called for greater “healing and reconciliation” during a UN-organized event on Thursday, reaffirming their commitment to support survivors of crimes perpetrated by ISIL terrorist fighters.