criminal justice reform

SPSSI’s 75th Anniversary Celebration

Program will include remarks from:
  • Ambassador Maritza Chan, Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations 
  • Mr. Rio Hada, Chief of the Equality, Development, and Rule of Law Section, UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights – NYC  
  • Lily Gray, Senior Liaison Officer, UNESCO  
  • Daniel Seymour, UN Women 
  • Levi Bautista, President, CoNGO  
  • Patrick Sciarratta, President, Global NGO Executive Committee 
  • Houry Geudelekian, NGO Committee on the Status of Women
This is an invitation-only event. If you plan to bring a guest, please ask them to RSVP to this invitation as well so that they will be on the guest list (or RSVP for them separately after you submit your own RSVP).

Please RSVP here by the end of the day on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. For more information on the NGO Committee on Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.org.

Geneva Peace Talks: End Racism. Build Peace.

Dear NGO Representatives,

The United Nations Office at Geneva, Interpeace, and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform are pleased to invite you and your staff to attend the 10th anniversary edition of the Geneva PeaceTalks. Marking the International Day of Peace, the Geneva PeaceTalks will take place on Wednesday, 21 September 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. in Room XVIII at the Palais des Nations and online. The event will be followed by a reception at the Bar Serpent.

The 2022 edition revisits the original theme of the first Geneva PeaceTalks in 2013 to ask again: “What does peace mean to you?” The meaning of the word “peace” can indeed vary according to the context, and its significance is different according to people and their experiences. This event will be an opportunity to explore this question. In addition, for International Day of Peace 2022, the theme is “End Racism. Build Peace.”

The event will feature speakers from a wide range of backgrounds, from the media to peacebuilding, the creative sector and the police service. We will hear from Commissioner Ann-Marie Orler from the UN’s Standing Police Capacity; Ibaa Abusin, a Horn of Africa Social Media Expert at the Centre of Humanitarian Dialogue; Amad Mian, the co-founder of Pakistani creative platform Dastaangoi; Wasim Almasri and Eran Nissan, a peacebuilding duo from Palestine and Israel; Maged Al-Kholidy, a Yemeni activist and founder of a peacebuilding NGO; Amadou Dabitao, founder of the media platform Banlieusard Nouveau; and Ukrainian opera singer, Daria Mykolenko.

Due to COVID-19, the wearing of masks is mandatory in conference rooms and strongly recommended in all public areas at the Palais des Nations. Early registration for in-person participation is recommended as it will be closed once the maximum capacity is reached. To follow the event online or to register, please use the following link: www.peacetalks.net/pt/geneva-2022.

This year’s Geneva PeaceTalks are co-organized, once again, by the United Nations Office at Geneva, Interpeace and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform. This year’s edition is made possible in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, and with the generous support of B8 of Hope, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Mirabaud, Salesforce and Second Peninsula.

With best regards,

NGO Liaison Unit

———————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Cher(e)s représentant(e)s d’ONG,

L’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, Interpeace et la Plateforme de Genève pour la consolidation de la paix ont le plaisir de vous inviter, ainsi que votre personnel, à participer à l’édition du 10e anniversaire des Pourparlers de Genève pour la paix. Marquant la Journée internationale de la paix, les Pourparlers de Genève pour la paix auront lieu le mercredi 21 septembre 2022, de 16h00 à 17h15, dans la salle XVIII du Palais des Nations et en ligne. L’événement sera suivi d’une réception au Bar Serpent.

L’édition 2022 revisite le thème original des premiers Pourparlers de Genève pour la paix en 2013 pour demander à nouveau : “Que signifie la paix pour vous ?”. Le sens du mot “paix” peut en effet varier en fonction du contexte, et sa signification est différente selon les personnes et leurs expériences. Cet événement sera l’occasion d’explorer cette question. En outre, pour la Journée internationale de la paix 2022, le thème est “Mettre fin au racisme. Construire la paix“.

L’événement accueillera des intervenants issus d’horizons très divers, des médias à la consolidation de la paix, en passant par le secteur créatif et le service de police. Nous entendrons Ann-Marie Orler, commissaire de la Force de police permanente des Nations Unies; Ibaa Abusin, experte en réseaux sociaux de la Corne de l’Afrique au Centre pour le dialogue humanitaire; Amad Mian, cofondateur de la plateforme créative pakistanaise Dastaangoi ; Wasim Almasri et Eran Nissan, un duo de construction de la paix venus de Palestine et d’Israël ; Maged Al-Kholidy, un activiste yéménite et fondateur d’une ONG de construction de la paix ; Amadou Dabitao, fondateur de la plateforme médiatique Banlieusard Nouveau ; et la chanteuse d’opéra ukrainienne, Daria Mykolenko.

En raison du COVID-19, le port du masque est obligatoire dans les salles de conférence et fortement recommandé dans tous les espaces publics du Palais des Nations. Il est recommandé de s’inscrire rapidement pour participer en personne, car les inscriptions seront closes lorsque la capacité maximale sera atteinte. Pour suivre l’événement en ligne ou pour vous inscrire, veuillez utiliser le lien suivant : www.peacetalks.net/pt/geneva-2022.

Cette année encore, les Pourparlers de Genève pour la paix sont co-organisés par l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, Interpeace et la Plateforme de Genève pour la consolidation de la paix. L’édition de cette année est rendue possible en partenariat avec la Mission permanente de la Suisse auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies et des autres organisations internationales à Genève, et grâce au généreux soutien de B8 of Hope, du Centre pour le dialogue humanitaire, de Mirabaud, de Salesforce et de Second Peninsula.

Bien cordialement, 

Le bureau de Liaison avec les ONG

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit  ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@yahoo.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit  ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Language and Languages, please email the co-chairs at fmhult@umbc.edu or tonkin@hartford.edu.

Nelson Mandela International Day

What is Mandela Day?

On 18 July every year, we invite you to mark Nelson Mandela International Day by making a difference in your communities. Everyone has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better! Mandela Day is an occasion for all to take action and inspire change.

Since November 2009, in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom, the UN General Assembly has declared 18 July “Nelson Mandela International Day.” Resolution A/RES/64/13 recognizes Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity in: conflict resolution; race relations; promotion and protection of human rights; reconciliation; gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups; the fight against poverty; the promotion of social justice. The resolution acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.

To learn more about how and why the UN commemorates Nelson Mandela International Day, please visit un.org/en/events/mandeladay.

The Mandela Rules

In December 2015, the General Assembly decided to extend the scope of Nelson Mandela International Day to also be utilized in order to promote humane conditions of imprisonment, raise awareness about prisoners being a continuous part of society, and to value the work of prison staff as a social service of particular importance.

General Assembly resolution A/RES/70/175 not only adopted the revised United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, but also approved that they should be known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules” in order to honour the legacy of the late President of South Africa, who spent 27 years in prison in the course of his struggle.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@yahoo.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com.

Criminalising Ecocide: A New Deterrent to Crimes that Affect the Environment

You’re invited to this important side event of the 31st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)!

Register here: unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/session/31_Session_2022/registration.html

The regular thirty-first session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice is scheduled for 16-20 May 2022. The provisional annotated agenda will be published on the website of the Commission following the present arrangements. The present proposed organizational arrangements were drafted in response to the recent
developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into consideration the regulations by the host country, Austria, and the guidelines of the Vienna International Centre. Based on the developments of the global health situation and to possible changes to the regulations by the host Country Austria, arrangements may be revised closer to the regular session.

Organization Format
The sessions will be conducted in a hybrid format, in the M-building of the Vienna International Centre. The meetings of the plenary and COW will be held in parallel. The plenary meetings will be held in the plenary hall of the M-building. The meetings of the COW will be held in Boardroom A.

In-person participation will be possible for a limited number of delegates from United Nations Member States, UN Entities, IGOs and NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC. Due to COVID-requirements the number of seats in the room is limited and as such only a limited number of in-person participants can join. In-person participants are required to confirm adherence to relevant provisions contained in the COVID guidelines for participants and are expected to provide supporting documents as necessary.

Participation In line with the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, Member States, as well as representatives of UN Entities, IGOs and NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC can participate in the session.

More information about this specific side event, and the full schedule of events, will be provided here at a later stage: unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/session/31_Session_2022/session-31-of-the-ccpcj.html

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Likewise, for more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-New York, please visit . For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com.

1st Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Human Rights Conference

Join us for the First Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Human Rights Conference, sponsored by the Fannie Lou Hamer branch of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF US)!

Saturday, December 11th, 10AM -2PM Pacific, 1PM – 5PM Eastern

WILPF US awarded a mini grant of $1,500 to the Fannie Lou Hamer branch for this conference.

The conference will consist of an opening plenary, breakout sessions, and discussion.
Topics will be: Ending Mass Incarceration, Abolishing the Death Penalty, Immigration Justice, the UN International Decade for People of African Descent / Reparations, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

For more information contact Theresa El-Amin at theresa@projectsarn.org or 919-824-0659.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@yahoo.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org.

Human Rights and Drug Policy Across the United Nations: Commemorating International Human Rights Day

Drugs and drug policy do not exist in a vacuum, and communities are impacted in diverse ways that stretch across the silos of the UN system. The annual drugs omnibus resolution – titled, “International cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem” reflects the UN system-wide relevance of drug-related matters. In commemoration of International Human Rights Day, this event will showcase key developments that took place during 2021 from diverse UN entities that can support system-wide coherence between drug control and the UN pillars of peace and security, development, and human rights, as well as the Sustainable Development Agenda.
Speakers:
  • Opening Remarks: H.E. Mrs. Alicia Guadalupe Buenrostro Massieu, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Mexico to the UN
  • Zaved Mahmood, Human Rights and Drug Policy Advisor, OHCHR
  • Ninan Varughese, Senior Advisor, UNAIDS
  • Marie Nougier, Head of Research and Communications, IDPC
  • Penny Hill, Deputy Secretary, Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs
  • Moderator: Nazlee Maghsoudi, Chair, NYNGOC
Contact newyorkngoc@gmail.com with any inquiries.

Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMocOCsqz4tEtehkU7yPUCQJX6V653aNDaO

Event organized by the New York NGO Committee on Drugs (NYNGOC), in collaboration with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, and International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC).

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: The New York NGO Committee on Drugs is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Likewise, more information on the NGO Committee on Drugs-Vienna, please visit vngoc.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org

Stemming the role of criminal groups in contemporary forms of slavery within Nigeria

Jubilee Campaign is hosting a side event this Friday, October 29, 2021, 9:00 am to 11:00 am EST on “Stemming the role of criminal groups in contemporary forms of slavery within Nigeria.” This event is in light of the soon to be released report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Tom Obokata. His report will be presented on the 27th and this event will further explore this issue with a particular emphasis on Nigeria and the enslavement of women and children.

To register for this event, please click this link.

Co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the United Nations Office at Geneva

__________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief, please visit unforb.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons, please visit ngocstip.org.

International Day for People of African Descent

The International Day for People of African Descent will be celebrated for the first time on 31 August 2021. Through this Observance the United Nations aims to promote the extraordinary contributions of the African diaspora around the world and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent.

International days reflect the values that society shares. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their societies. Any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust, and dangerous and must be rejected, together with theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races.

The United Nations strongly condemns the continuing violent practices and excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies against Africans and people of African descent and condemns structural racism in criminal justice systems around the world. The Organization further acknowledges the Transatlantic Slave Trade as one of the darkest chapters in our human history and upholds human dignity and equality for the victims of slavery, the slave trade and colonialism, in particular people of African descent in the African diaspora.

Learn more about how and why the UN commemorates this observance at un.org/en/observances/african-descent-day.

For further information on the International Decade for “People of African Descent: recognition, justice and development” (2015-2024), please visit un.org/en/observances/decade-people-african-descent.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org

RE-JUST Towards a victim-centered criminal justice system: talking about trauma

The final conference of the RE-JUST project is a forum for discussion criminal justice systems and improving victims’ access to justice. Join our online event on 17th September to be inspired by knowledge and ideas from experienced professionals in the fields of law, criminology, and psychology.

We will first discuss structural issues for developing more victim-centered criminal justice systems, such as legislation, multidisciplinary cooperation, and how to provide victims with information on their rights. Then, we move on to understand how trauma can manifest in the criminal justice system and how criminal justice actors can in practice provide justice in a trauma-informed manner.

The event will be participated by a variety of speakers: Prosecutor General of Finland, Raija Toiviainen, President of Association Pro Refugiu, Silvia Antoaneta Berbec, Adjunct professor, and co-leader of a research group in legal psychology at Åbo Akademi University, Dr. Julia Korkman, Professor of procedural law at University of Turku, Johanna Niemi, and many more. View the full program here.

Register here

______________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice , please visit crimealliance.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. 

World Drug Report with focus on Asia & Europe

Webinar on the World Drug Report with focus on Asia and Europe

The Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) together with the UNODC Civil Society Unit will be holding two webinars to present and discuss the World Drug Report 2021, which was launched on 25th June. The yearly publication is the most comprehensive source of facts and knowledge on drugs and the world drug market, sourced straight from evidence-based studies and data compiled by UNODC experts. The participants of the webinars will learn about the newest trends, both global and regional. The first webinar will be held on 13th July 2021 (10:00-11:30, CEST, Vienna) and will comprise welcome remarks from VNGOC and UNODC, a formal presentation of the World Drug Report 2021 with a respective focus on the different regions by UNODC experts, two civil society panelists, and an open question and answer session. 

Register here:https://bit.ly/3pyC5t1

Interpretation in Russian and French will be available. The full agenda can be viewed on the VNGOC website.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Drugs-NY, please visit nyngoc.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Family-NY, please visit ngofamilyny.org.

1 2 3