Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1997 as one of the UN's specialized offices, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime fights against illicit drug trades, international crime, and terrorism. The committee is headquartered in Austria, Vienna, and was established by combining the Center for International Crime Prevention and UN Drug Control Program.

These three fields encompass a wide range of specializations that UNODC Member States are working to address. The committee deals with various matters, which include drug trafficking, criminal justice, international terrorism, cybercrime, or HIV and AIDS. Moreover, the policies implemented by UNODC are targeted towards the police, public prosecutors, judiciary, and prisons in each member state. The UNODC is also recognized for its annual World Drug Report, which details developments and improvements in the use and distribution of drugs around the world.

The UNODC pursues its goals through three main avenues. The Office supports the governments in the implementation of diverse regulations, international treaties and agreements, and laws against drugs, crime terrorism, and corruption. UNODC is also committed to providing countries with research, guidance, and support in the adoption of these international documents. Besides, UNODC helps countries in terms of technical and financial support to overcome their situations and challenges in those fields.

More recently, given the context of raising awareness about how prisoners are treated, the UNODC has undertaken the task of the prison reform. In this iteration of the UNODC, delegates should acknowledge the detrimental impact of imprisonment. Specifically, delegates will be asked to consider three main issues related to this topic: drug trafficking within prisons, healthcare including the HIV/AIDS crisis within prisons , and finally corruption within countries and how that's reflected in prison systems. In doing so, the UNODC will come closer to the attainment of a framework setting norms and standards for a fair and morally-ethical management of prisons.

The Dais is excited to meet all of the delegates at SSUNS 2021!

If you have any questions regarding the committee, please feel free to email us at gaecosoc@ssuns.org