This week, SI’s UN Representatives in Vienna
are attending the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. They
report back on the opening session:

The 21st Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice, chaired by Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand
opened today in front of about 800 delegates, 111 States and 38 NGOs. The
opening address recognised that transnational organised crime is one of the big
challenges of our time. Corruption, trafficking, crime and drugs are an
impediment to the social and economic development of fragile countries.

The theme of the crime commission debate is violence against migrants.
Amongst this vulnerable group of people, women and girls are often the most
exposed to the dangers of migrant status. The President of ECOSOC, Mr Milos
Koterec, highlighted the growing problem of violence against migrants and the
importance of intercultural programs which combat racism and social exclusion.

Mr Fedotov, Executive Director of UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC),
said that if we want to achieve the Millennium Developments Goals we have to
develop programmes that address issues such as money laundering, corruption and
trafficking. Money laundering negatively impacts economic development. But
there are other costs to societies across the world: every year we are losing
essential habitats which sustain ecosystems, and the cultural heritage of
future generations is plundered.

He said also that UNODC recognises the role played by civil society and NGOs
in supporting the victims of crime and encouraged community based organisations
like Soroptimist International to support initiatives in their local areas
which encourage integration, mutual understanding, and support for those
affected by crime.

Mr Nichols, from the American delegation, explained that today most criminal
organisations do not resemble the hierarchical organised criminal groups of the
past. Instead, they consist of loose networks that often converge, when it is
convenient, and engage in diverse criminal activities. Such activities include
the smuggling of counterfeit goods, firearms, drugs, humans, and even wildlife.

At the same time, terrorist organisations are turning to other crime and
criminal networks for resources. The United States believe that violence
against migrant workers and their families, including violence perpetrated by
organised criminal groups, poses a serious challenge.  Migrants,
especially women and children, who attempt to cross international borders in an
irregular fashion, are highly vulnerable to abuse, including human trafficking.

A draft resolution from Columbia
encourages Member States to strengthen international cooperation, recognising
that there are clear links between the global drugs trade. A cohesive strategy
is required by all countries if we are to see progress in the way against the
various forms of transnational organised crime, particularly money-laundering,
trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, kidnapping and the illegal arms
trade.

SI representatives attended two side events of relevance to the work of
Soroptimists:

Children in Prisons

The United States
addressed the issue of children of incarcerated parents. Parental incarceration
can affect many aspects of a child’s life, including emotional well-being,
family stability, and financial security. For infants it can result in a life
of attachment disorders and an inability to develop healthy relationships. For
young children and adolescents, parental absence can result in missed
opportunities to provide guidance and structure as they approach adulthood. SI will be jointly presenting a side event on migrant women and their children in prison on Friday April 27th. Click here to read our statement on this topic.

Femicide:

This side event argued that femicide remains a global problem. It is
estimated that globally 66,000 women are killed every year, many with firearms,
and mostly in countries with a high homicide rate. In some countries, femicide
is rarely investigated and rarely prosecuted. Intimate partner violence is
widespread.

We will report back from the closing session of the Commission on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice in early May. Please return to the SI news
pages for more information!