The report of the Board of Trustees of UNICRI was prepared pursuant the decision of the Board taken at its meeting held on 16 and 17 January 2019 to report to the Economic and Social Council, through the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. The report contains information on the work of, and the results achieved by, the Institute, in accordance with its Statute (Council resolution 1989/56, annex).
The report also contains substantive information on the UNICRI Strategic Programme Framework for the period 2019-2022, as approved by the Board of Trustees. On the basis of the report, the Commission was requested to welcome the implementation of the Strategic Programme Framework, which contains the tools and approaches used by UNICRI to carry out its activities, as well as the Institute’s six strategic priorities, and to invite Member States to cooperate with UNICRI and make voluntary contributions to various activities for the implementation of the Framework. Within the broad scope of its mandate, to develop and implement improved policies in the field of crime prevention and control, the mission of UNICRI is to advance justice and the rule of law in support of peace and sustainable development.
UNICRI works in specialized niches and selected areas within the fields of crime prevention, justice, security governance, and the risks and benefits of technological advances. In 2018, UNICRI continued to deploy a wide range of tools through partnerships and the provision of technical assistance to multiple actors worldwide, tailoring its approach to the particular dynamics of specific countries, regions and local contexts.
The work undertaken by UNICRI in 2018 was funded exclusively from voluntary contributions. Its primary donors were Canada, Chile, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Thailand, the United States of America, the European Commission, the European Union, and several private companies, foundations and international organizations.
The work of UNICRI made a broad impact at the country, regional and international levels, and the beneficiaries of its technical assistance were wide-ranging. Its programme of activities was delivered through UNICRI headquarters in Turin, Italy, and an extended network of offices, including the Liaison Office in Rome, the project offices in Brussels and Geneva and the centres of excellence on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risk mitigation in Algiers, Amman, Manila, Nairobi, Rabat, Tashkent and Tbilisi.
Reflecting the threats and challenges identified, the new Strategic Programme Framework for the period 2019–2022, focuses on the following strategic priorities:
The criminal justice, security and governance issues highlighted within the Strategic Programme Framework have been carefully crafted to support and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. Implementing the strategic priorities established in the Framework reflects the aspirations embedded within the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Institute has the tools and expertise related to research, training delivery, capacity-building, technical assistance and policy support to assist intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations in achieving the goals. The Institute’s priorities are aligned in particular with Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which entails the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice and building effective and accountable institutions, as well as Goals 2 to 6, 8, 9, 11, 14 and 15.