High Level Conference on Sustainable Development, Crime Prevention and Safe Societies in Southeast Asia
05 มีนาคม 2018 UN Conference Centre Bangkok
In September 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, incorporating crime prevention and criminal justice, and related issues, into the global development framework. These goals will only be achieved with the cooperation of a broad range of stakeholders, including many that were not involved with, or aware of, the pre-vious Millennium Development Goals. In Southeast Asia a significant effort will be required to integrate related initiatives into national and regional development plans, drawing in criminal justice and public security experts and organisations as well as civil society.
The inclusion of Goal 16 ‘Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions’ in the 2030 Agenda is a recognition that sustainable development requires the promotion of peaceful and inclusive so-cieties, the provision of access to justice for all, and the building of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
At the same time, the 2030 Agenda acknowledges that the prevention of crime and the fair humane and effective operation of the criminal justice system requires progress in achieving other goals, including those related to health, climate change, gender equality and community development. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been working to promote related agendas and initiatives in the region through the work of the Political-Security Community and the Socio-Cultural Community.
Alongside other agendas, ASEAN focusses the region on addressing non-traditional security challenges such as those associated with transnational organized crime and trafficking, as well as factors in society which can contribute to violent ex-tremism and other forms of violence, including violence against women and children, and different forms of crime. While these efforts of ASEAN relate to the 2030 Agenda, the connection to sustainable development is often not clearly made, and the right mix of stakeholders will need to be engaged across the region if progress is to be achieved.
Conference on Sustainable Development, Crime Prevention and Safe Societies
The Conference, building in part on conferences and initiatives including the Southeast Asia Regional Colloquium co-organized by UNODC and the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), the Bangkok Dialogue on the Rule of Law, and the experience of the Member States and UN-affiliated partner institutes like the TIJ, will provide an opportunity to reflect on the challenges facing the Southeast Asia region that require a crime prevention or criminal justice response. It will look at the intersection of community safety and key Sustainable Development Goals, and consider the contributions that will be necessary from governments and others. The Confer-ence will also consider lessons learned from within the Southeast Asia region that can be con-sidered and shared to help advance the 2030 Agenda, particularly as they relate to goals and targets associated with preventing crime and ensuring safety.
The Conference will:
- Reflect on challenges facing Southeast Asia that require a criminal justice or public security response
- Consider the relationship of crime prevention to the Sustainable Development Goals
- Bring together national, regional and international experts and partners that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals related to crime prevention and ensuring safe so-cieties, including those that have not traditionally thought of their work as contributing to development
- Share promising crime prevention and criminal justice practices in the Southeast Asian region.
Meeting Participants/Representatives from:
1. High level criminal justice policymakers from Southeast Asia
2. Participants and fellows from the TIJ Executive Program on the Rule of Law and Devel-opment
3. Diplomatic missions
4. Academia
5. UNODC Regional Programme partner organizations and donors
6. UN, international and regional organizations
7. Civil society and non-government organizations
8. Key participants from the Thai Government, including the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Attorney-General’s Department
