For 75 years, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been the cornerstone of modern international law and human rights protection around the globe.
The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), based in Italy, is mandated to improve crime prevention and criminal justice and to protect human rights. Human rights are indispensable to preventing crime and promoting justice, peace, security, and the rule of law; human rights are at the core of all of UNICRI’s action-oriented research, training, and capacity-building. Moreover, UNICRI’s unique focus on niche, emerging, and sensitive areas of crime and justice help to inform the future of human rights protection.
UNICRI is guided by its strategic priorities which are anchored in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, related to peace, justice, and strong institutions. Our five strategic priorities encompass some of the most challenging human rights issues:
- Preventing and Countering Transnational Security Threats and Terrorism;
- Countering Criminal Enterprises, Illicit Financial Flows, and Corrupt Practices;
- Promoting Responsible Use of Technology to Address Crime and Exploitation;
- Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization; and
- Promoting the Rule of Law and Safeguarding Access to Justice.
For the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNICRI pledges:
- First, to promote knowledge-development and awareness-raising on human rights standards, law, and mechanisms through our education and training activities, such as UNICRI’s two LLM programmes in Transnational Crime and Justice and Cybercrime.
- Second, to publish cutting edge research on emerging topics related to the rule of law, security, and human rights, including research on how innovation and technology can transform monitoring and reporting on human rights abuses and violations.
- And third, to partner with national, regional, and international stakeholders to better understand how major global developments, such as climate change, conflict, and emerging technologies, impact crime, terrorism, and security in our communities, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable among us.
Everyone at UNICRI reaffirms our commitment and dedication to fundamental human rights for everyone everywhere, and we are proud to join the United Nations Human Rights 75 Initiative.
