Publications

Voices of Resilience: A Gender Needs Analysis on Preventing Violent Extremism in the Sahel - November 2023

  The Sahel represents one of the most unstable areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Widespread violence and limited access to resources, essential services and means of subsistence contribute to increased fragility and impact the everyday life of women, girls, men, and boys. Endemic poverty, inequality – particularly gender inequality – and human rights abuses are among the multiple factors that have a strong impact on the security of the region. Since 2015, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) has been implementing projects to prevent violent extremism (PVE) in this region. During the implementation of such projects, it has become evident that PVE strategies in this context must rely on the assumption that the interactions between men, women a...

SDG 16 - Through a digital lens

Our world is increasingly digital, interconnected, and reliant on technology, and as we journey further into the 21st century, the transformative potential of digitalization becomes ever more undeniable. It touches all aspects of life, altering how we communicate, conduct business, and govern our societies. In this ever-evolving landscape, it is imperative that we strive to harness the power of digitalization to create a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, comprised of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a commitment to address the world's most pressing challenges. Our work at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) falls under the umbrella of SDG 16, which seeks to promote peac...

CBRN Proliferation Financing: A Perspective from Southeast Asia - October 2023

  This groundbreaking report delves into the complexities of proliferation financing, a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of the wider proliferation process. The report is the result of rigorous research, extensive interviews, and data analysis conducted by a dedicated team of experts. It represents a project by UNICRI aimed at enhancing the understanding of risks associated with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapon proliferation financing. The project also strives to raise awareness of and adherence to relevant international norms, ultimately identifying priority actions at national and regional levels to bolster countries' capacities in effectively mitigating proliferation financing risks. The report is expected to serve as the foundation for subsequen...

Handbook to combat CBRN disinformation in Ukrainian - Посібник з боротьби з дезінформацією натему РХБЯ загрози - September 2023

  Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) disinformation is defined as intentionally misleading and deceptive information about CBRN threats that can potentially cause serious political, financial, and physical harm to governments, international organizations, the scientific community, academia, industry, and the population at large. In recent years, non-state actors (including terrorists, violent extremists, and organized criminal groups) have exploited vulnerabilities in the social media ecosystem to spread false information and manipulate people in relation to CBRN threats. Countries in the Southeast and Eastern Europe region of the European Union CBRN Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative, especially Ukraine, have been significantly impacted by the dissemi...

Guide for Policymakers for the Use of Sport for the Prevention of Violent Extremism - July 2023

The Guide has been designed by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) within the framework of the Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events and Promotion of Sport and Its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism (PVE). Sport is universally recognized as a way to promote diversity, respect, tolerance and other values that support positive relationships between people, regardless of faith, race or culture. Beyond its capacity to unite people at local, national, and global levels, sport is increasingly used as a vehicle to empower women and men of all ages; to i...

Toolkit for Responsible AI Innovation in Law Enforcement

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world, and policing is no exception to this: law enforcement agencies in many parts of the world are already developing, acquiring and using different types of AI systems, tools, and technologies to support an increasingly broad range of activities. Whether for image, text and speech analysis or risk assessment, AI is already essential for many agencies, and it is on its way to becoming one of the fundamental operating tools of policing.The Toolkit for Responsible AI Innovation in Law Enforcement is a tailor-made set of resources for the global law enforcement community, developed by INTERPOL and UNICRI with the financial support of the European Union. Its objective is to support law enforcement agencies to navigate the complex task of insti...

دليل المدعي العام لجرائم الكيمياء والأحياء المجرمة - A Prosecutor’s Guide to Chemical and Biological Crimes - June 2023

 The purpose of the Guidebook (now available in Arabic) is to provide police and civil prosecutors, and relevant investigative agencies, with guidance to support the successful prosecution of incidents involving the deliberate use of a chemical or biological agents. The Guidebook aims to provide awareness and insight into the current and emerging challenges related to the investigation and prosecution of such crimes. Foreword by the Director of UNICRI Antonia Marie De MeoThe world we currently live in is complex and ever changing. Criminal entities are responding to evolving threat landscapes and advancing technology with ease, presenting a multitude of challenges to those who investigate and prosecute crime. Particularly challenging crimes involve the deliberate acquisition and ...

New UNICRI Report Delivers In-Depth Analysis on Afghanistan's Security Landscape Post-Taliban Takeover, May 2023

  The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) announces the release of a comprehensive new report offering a critical analysis of the evolving security landscape in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover in 2021. The report identifies key trends and examines the implications for regional and global peace, security, and stability. This timely assessment is essential for policymakers, humanitarian organizations, and all stakeholders in addressing the complex challenges associated with the current Taliban rule. The report details three major security trends in Afghanistan: (1) fragmentation within the Taliban; (2) the presence of regional and global terrorist and violent extremist organizations; and (3) the emergence of anti-Taliban resis...

Руководство для прокуроров по преступлениям, связанным с применением химических и биологических веществ - A Prosecutor’s Guide to Chemical and Biological Crimes - May 2023

  Мир, в котором мы сейчас живем, сложен и постоянно меняется. Преступные структуры с легкостью реагируют на меняющиеся ландшафты угроз и прогрессирующие технологии, создавая множество проблем для тех, кто расследует и осуществляет судебное преследование за преступления. Особо сложные преступления связаны с преднамеренным приобретением и использованием опасных химических и биологических веществ с целью причинения вреда людям, животным, окружающей среде или для нарушения нашего образа жизни. Зачастую химические и биологические вещества использовались преднамеренно для нанесения вреда людям и окружающей среде. Например, мир был потрясен преднамеренным применением иприта против гражданского населения в городе Халабджа на севере Ирака в 1980-х годах, которое повторилось в Дамаске пр...