For information only - not an official document
UNIS/CP/807
25 February 2015
NEW YORK/VIENNA, 25 February (UN Information Service) -Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York today, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov, said that the rule of law and reductions in crime and violence were fundamental to people's daily lives.
Mr. Fedotov was speaking at a High-Level General Assembly Thematic Debate on "Integrating Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in the Post-2015 Development Agenda" proposed by Qatar, Thailand, Italy, Mexico and Morocco. Other participants in the debate included President of the 69 th Session of the UN General Assembly Sam Kutesa, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, President of the Economic and Social Council Martin Sajdik and the former President of Slovenia and Visiting Professor of Law, Danilo Turk.
The rule of law, Mr. Fedotov said, helps "…protect the vulnerable from exploitation, stop corruption from eroding public services, and free young people from the downward spiral of poverty, drugs, crime and violence."
The UNODC Chief stressed in his speech that UNODC's work, as part of the overall UN system's efforts, was to support the post-2015 development agenda by addressing crime, drugs, terrorism and corruption. UNODC's response, Mr. Fedotov said, offered comprehensive and long-term crime prevention strategies that maintained the safety of communities, while protecting people's rights.
Mr. Fedotov said, "UNODC's integrated country, regional and global programmes promote effective, rights-based crime prevention and criminal justice responses to address these challenges. Our broad mandate includes stopping human traffickers and migrant smugglers, as well as going after drug lords. It encompasses promoting health and alternative livelihoods."
Between 12-19 April, in Doha, Qatar, the United Nations will hold the 13th Crime Congress, which brings together the largest and most diverse gathering of policymakers and practitioners in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice, as well as experts from academia, IGOs, NGOs, and the media. The theme of this year's congress is "Integrating crime prevention and criminal justice into the wider United Nations agenda to address social and economic challenges and to promote the rule of law at the national and international levels, and public participation."
To read the speech, please go to: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/speeches/2015/ga-cpcj-250215.html
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For further information, please contact:
David
Dadge
Spokesperson, UNODC
Telephone: (+43- 1) 26060-5629
Mobile: (+43) 699-1459-5629
Email: david.dadge[at]unvienna.org
