Semilla, Hazel Erica B.

ABFS 201

International Organizations

Mr. Jumel G. Estrañero

A Glimpse on the Methods of Work of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
[UNODC]

I. Introduction

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is known to be the world
premier that fights against illegal drugs and other global crimes around the world. It is also
known to be the UN’s primary source of operational and regulatory aid in countering terrorism
efforts. When it comes to addressing the increasing danger of public safety created by the
alliance of criminal groups, smuggling of drugs, bribery and terrorist acts, the UNODC
empowers and encourages collaboration efforts. This particular organization strives to raise
awareness regarding the hazards of drug misuse around the global community and to boost
foreign efforts to combat manufacturing, distribution and other crimes related to illegal drugs.
(United Nations Brussels, 2017).

In 1997, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was formed with the
presence of the UN Drug Control Programme with the Centre for International Crime
Prevention. This UNODC undertakes review and study, offers advice and operational help to
countries in the ratification and usage of effective criminal, drug, terrorist, and graft accords, and
writes appropriate agreements and norms in order to achieve these objectives.(“The United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2021). Furthermore, according to Interport Police (2020),
UNODC has mainly focused on educating states and organizations about UNODC’s offerings to
the table. The outcomes have comprised some anti-terrorist act training workforce and
cooperative engagement in micro academic conferences.
 II. Body (facts and figures)

According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC] (n.d.), this
organization was already working to protect the global community against illegal drugs or other
known as narcotics, sort of crimes, bribery, and terrorist acts for more than 20 years. Although
these scopes of issues are frequently beyond large to countries in addressing it on their own,
UNODC provides comprehensive services and advocates multinational methods for response.
And as they support the 2030 Agenda it clearly understands that perhaps the legal system,
equal, functional, and equitable judicial processes, including the health-oriented approaches to
drug use, are both accelerators and components of long-term progress.

UNODC plays a critical part in integrating its law enforcement and defense missions
onto its United Nations system as a whole, as well as supporting Countries in putting their
pledges in effect. UNODC's strategy attempts to strike equilibrium between protracted structural
sustainable development goals and dealing directly with Countries to put principle priorities and
strategies into action in a real and impactful manner. (“Overview of the work of UNODC in
relation to organized criminal activities”, n.d.). The United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime's response to the illegal drug problem has numerous dimension and covers all facets of
the problem, with coordinated and targeted initiatives in sectors such as healthcare, cultivation,
and community security, and etc. Furthermore, UNODC promotes programmes for the
avoidance, medication, and rehabilitation of addicts, and even the precautionary measures
when it comes to the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) relating to the
usage of drugs, to minimize the increase of stipulation. (Liaison and Partnership Office in Brazil,
n.d.).

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the Commission on Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), both convene at various times throughout the years, are
UNODC’s two separated governing bodies. In this sense, UNODC is the UN agency that
comprised not more than one council. Moreover, operations done by UNODC are regulated by
actions taken by the assemblies of members to the Conventions combating Transnational
Organized Crimes and Corruptions. (Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden, 2008).

In a website entitled “UNODC: International Society of substance use professionals”

(2021), it stated that United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime composed of three pillars of
work programme.
 (1) Field-based technical cooperation projects, to enhance the capacity of Member
States to counteract illicit drugs, crime and terrorism; (2) Research and analytical
work, to increase knowledge and understanding of drugs and crime issues and expand
the evidence base for policy and operational decisions; and, (3) Normative work, to
assist States in the ratification and implementation of the relevant international treaties,
the development of domestic legislation on drugs, crime and terrorism, and the provision
of secretariat and substantive services to the treaty-based and governing bodies.

When it comes to conducting data analysis regarding convicted persons examined by

the criminal justice systems, a statistical data was presented by the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime (2010). The figure shows the offenders’ percentage as conviction that has
been made from 1996-2006. The trends that are shown are basically for adults, juveniles and
homicides.

Figure 1. Percentage of persons convicted per suspected offenders,

trends 1996-2006

In the figure it is shown that adults and homicides attrition appeared to be increased in
the year of 1996-2001. This particular trend had been reversed during 2001-2006 that results
following the level similar to 1996. But for juveniles, the attrition has surged in the whole period
of 1 decade. Therefore, this only means that some of the juvenile’s behavior has been gradually
changing that is certainly a propensity dealing with juvenile offenders more and more outside a
penal court.

The UNODC's mission is to make the global community secured from drugs, crime,

corruption, and terrorism, a method that contributes to international peace and security, civil
rights, and world progress. This five-year plan will equip UNODC to operate in a more
productive, systematic, and accountable manner, enhancing its commitment to Member States
in their ability to increase fair, accessible, and resilient communities in which no one will not left
behind. (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC], n.d.).

III. Analysis

Based on the researches provided, United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime is the
leading UN agency specializing combating global crimes such as drugs and other criminal acts
around the world. Furthermore, they seek to raise awareness about the harmful attributes of
drug misuse and boosting the global community efforts in combating this kind of issue. With its
establishment during 1997, UNODC together with UN Drug Control Programme with the Centre
for International Crime Prevention has been able to work together to ratify and reduced this
unethical acts namely illegal drugs, terrorism, and other criminal acts that has been one of the
global issues around the world. They are also conducting global conferences by anti-terrorist
act training workforce and cooperative engagement as a method of educating the states and
other organizations regarding their primary goal and purpose.

Throughout the years, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime are continuously
working to protect the world against illegal drugs, organized crimes, terrorism and even
corruptions. These certain issues are quite difficult for states to manage it on their own that’s
why UNODC provided their services and advocates multinational methods to respond and
resolve this unraveling problem. They also make sure to conduct data analysis regarding these
global issues if it has been gradually increasing or reducing. Moreover, this UN agency is the
only one who comprises two major governing bodies namely the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
(CND) and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). With the
presence of this UNODC, it is evident that United Nations really make sure that this global
issues like terrorism and illegal drug usage and smuggling are being prioritize and eliminated as
much as possible for a better peace and security and global development.

IV. Recommendation

This study entitled A Glimpse on the Methods of Work of United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime [UNODC] has reached the end of this phase. Here are some
recommendations for future researchers who wish to enhance the study:

This study aims to provide information about this particular agency known as United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the process of work they have been doing for the past
few years, also how they are established. Furthermore, it also wants to enumerate some of the
accomplishments that this agency has been able to achieve throughout the years. This study
can be very helpful on being aware of what particular organization should be seeking for help to
resolve these issues like corruptions, illegal drugs, etc.

For the future researchers, the researcher suggests that he/she must have insights
regarding the historical framework of this organization. Moreover, further looking for its
designated task and other missions and their pros and cons in the community may do so.

When it comes to advancing this study enhancing it by providing more detailed facts
regarding its purpose and role in the global community can be helpful. Also, providing more of
the issues that had been able to resolve or take action must be added. Lastly, including some of
the future outcomes of this organization in addressing the issues that may about to come as
time pass by for the justification if it really contributes to the resolving of the global issues or not,
making the study even stronger.

V. Conclusion

Based on the premises provided, the researcher therefore conclude that, United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is one of the UN agencies that comprises a lot of tasks to
resolve some of the global community issues that keeps on unraveling as time goes by. It also
has a significant role when it comes to combining law enforcement and defense missions of the
UN system. They make sure that their operations are being regulated and the issues about
illegal drugs and others are being resolved. Another, they seek to make sure that they are being
able to monitor the global community when it comes to the crimes happening on them and
evaluating if its increasing or not to be able to look for possible strategies in order to reduce or
eradicate this problem. They also assure that a just, attainable and resilient community is
evident in every nation and that no one must be left behind for the global communities’
development.

VI. Way Ahead

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s presence in the UN agency is very helpful
for the United Nation to be able to address the issues of the global community more
respectively. The goals and missions they exhibit primarily prioritize the maintenance of the
global security of the states. In succeeding years, their objectives for the betterment of the
society has been gradually achieved and the designated issues addressing to them especially
this unending issues about corruptions, terrorism and drug misuse has been able to reduce or
eradicate. Also, cooperating with other organizations to unite as one in seeking the better global
community is also been able to accomplish. Lastly, for the upcoming problems to the global
community, this organization may still be manage to resolve this unraveling issues and
overcome the challenges they may face in finding solutions for it to be permanently eradicated.
VII. Reference

Interport Police. (2020). UNODC. Retrieved from https://interportpolice.org/unodc-2/

Liaison and Partnership Office in Brazil. (n.d.). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Retrieved from https://www.unodc.org/lpo-brazil/en/drogas/index.html

Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden. (2008). The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) (Article No: UD 09.018). Swedish assessment of multilateral organisations.
Retrieved from
https://www.government.se/49b74f/contentassets/def0a254c51b448abd2338d411c2ee9d/
the-united-nations-office-on-drugs-and-crime-unodc

Overview of the work of UNODC in relation to organized criminal activities. (n.d.). Retrieved
from https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/organized-crime/work-of-unodc-crime.html

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (2021). Retrieved from
https://complyadvantage.com/knowledgebase/the-united-nations-office-on-drugs-and-
crime/

United Nations Brussels. (2017). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Retrieved
from https://www.unbrussels.org/united-nations-office-on-drugs-and-crime-unodc/

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC]. (n.d.). About UNODC. Retrieved from
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/about-unodc/index.html

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2010). International statistics on crime and justice
(Publication Series No. 64). Vienna, Austria: European Institute for United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Crime Prevention and Control

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (n.d.). COVID-19 | dataUNODC. Retrieved from
https://dataunodc.un.org/content/covid-19

UNODC: International Society of substance use professionals. (2021). Retrieved from

https://www.issup.net/about-issup/international-partners/unodc?page=1
Message for Mr. Jumel G. Estrañero

First of all, I would like to say thank you for this memorable and wonderful semester with
you sir Jumel. Despite of your busy schedule, I am very happy that you still manage to give us a
priority and give us a lot of knowledge that we can be able to nurture and probably use for our
future career paths. Thank you for guiding us and understanding especially through the times
that we are having difficulties due to this situation. Also, thank you for keeping your patience to
us and lighting up our virtual classes by sharing some of the words of wisdom and some
experiences you encounter throughout the years. We hope to meet you in person very soon sir.
It is an honor for me to be able to be mentored by you sir. You are an inspiration to us. I am
very amazed on how you were able to do multiple works every day. Always keep safe sir and I
hope we can be able to meet you again by the time we have been able to accomplish this
college years or perhaps being able to work with you. Thank you very much once again sir
Jumel, I hope you won’t forget us. God bless always sir.