Dominicans for Justice and Peace is engaged at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and focuses on 4 (four) thematic priorities, selected to support the engagement of Dominicans on the ground:
- Countering Human Trafficking
- Prison reform
- Countering Forest and Wildlife Crime
- Education for justice
Using information gathered from Dominicans on the ground, Dominicans for Justice and Peace joins other NGOs in advocating for effective global and national policies around these 4 priorities in the following mechanisms of the UNODC.
The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)
With regular annual sessions and intersessional meetings, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) leads the policy making in crime prevention and criminal justice at the United Nations. Its work is mainly based on supporting international efforts towards the eradication of national and transnational crimes and contributing to the improvement of the administration of criminal justice. Further, the Commission also allows the exchange of expertise and information among Member States in order to develop national and international strategies and to identify priorities for combating crime.
Dominicans for Justice and Peace plays an active role in the CCPCJ with the organisation of side events to raise awareness on the challenges encountered by Dominicans on the ground.
The United Nations Crime CongresS
Since 1995, the UN Crime Congress has been held every five years, to promote discussions among Government Delegates, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, professionals and distinguished scholars on matters pertaining to criminal justice.
Dominicans for Justice and Peace is actively involved with other NGOs in preparing for the congress and, where possible, advocates for a more efficient programme of action.
Education for Justice
The Education for Justice (E4J) is an initiative of the UNODC and created after the 13th Crime Congress in Doha in 2015. It aims to promote a culture of lawfulness and to prevent crime through online modules that cater to audiences based on their age groups, ranging from students from primary to tertiary-level education. This tool is used by educators to raise awareness and instruct the next generations on the rule of law and other pertinent issues, encouraging students to actively engage in the matter.
As Dominicans are committed providers of education for centuries, this is an area where Dominicans for Justice and Peace can discover and share educational resources in an enduring, rich and deep way.
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
This UNTOC COP, held annually, was established to improve the capacity of States Parties to combat transnational organized crime and to promote and review the implementation of this Convention. Dominicans for Justice and Peace participates in these meetings to advocate for the creation and more efficient implementation of laws on human trafficking and forest and wildlife crime at a national level.
