last updated 14 May 2007

UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was established in 1997 to combat illegal drugs and international crimes. The office aids Member States in the fight against illegal drugs, terrorism and crimes. There are three priorities for UNODC in carrying out its work: 1) research and analysis; 2) assistance to countries regarding implementation of international law and development of domestic legislation, and assistance to treaty-based and governing bodies, and; 3) technical cooperation projects in the field. UNODC developed, in collaboration with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), the Global Programme Against Trafficking in Human Beings (GPAT) in 1999. The primary goal of GPAT is “to bring to the foreground the involvement of organized criminal groups in human trafficking and to promote the development of effective criminal justice-related responses.” It focuses primarily on collecting information, assessment and technical cooperation. Under this programme, the UNODC produced a Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (PDF, 250 pages) in 2006.

UN Office of the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI)

The United Nations Office of the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) was established on 1 March 1997 to “promote and strengthen the effective implementation of the Millennium Declaration, the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW) held in Beijing in 1995 and the Outcome Document of the special session of the General Assembly on Beijing +5.” OSAGI provides advice and assistance on gender issues to the Secretary-General, represents the Secretary-General at functions on gender issues, advocates for gender issues and gender mainstreaming in the United Nations, aids in structuring policies to improve the status of women in the United Nations, and provides leadership to the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Women, Peace and Security, and other task forces.