The 22nd Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (UN Crime Commission) takes place in Vienna, Austria, from 22-26 April.  Violence against women and girls is high on the agenda, particularly femicide and human trafficking.

President-Elect Ann Garvie and UN Reps for Vienna Roswitha Benesch , Dora Vrdlovec and Martina Gredler will be attending to learn about new developments and initiatives affecting women and girls, network with other organisations working in similar areas and share what has been learned from Soroptimist projects worldwide.

On 23 April a side event entitled, "Femicide – Stopping the Killing of Women and Girls" will be run by  the Vienna NGO Committee On The Status Of Women (NGO/CSW)  in partnership with The Academic Council on the United Nations System, The World Society of Victimology and The Permanent Missions of Austria, El Salvador, Italy, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Slovenia, Switzerland And Thailand. Vienna NGO/CSW were the joint authors with Soroptimist International of the oral statement on femicide delivered at CSW57 in March.

SI will also be working with other NGOs as part of NGO/CSW to present "Criminal Waste, the Cost to Women", a side-event on 25th April looking at the effects on women in Ghana of certain mining practices.

The UN Crime Commission is organised by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Visit our Facebook page or keep an eye on our Twitter feed (hashtag #CCPCJ2013) for updates from the SI delegation at the Crime Commission.