Attitudes on corruption are shifting. Over the past decade, the position towards corruption has moved from one of hushed discussions to the proactive stance being witnessed today. Increasingly, there are signs that corruption is not being tolerated, and through combined efforts on the public and private fronts, a growing number of corrupt officials and executives are being tried and convicted.

The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) - which entered into force in December 2005 - is both a cause and an effect of this trend. Its provisions are the most comprehensive, universal and even-handed measures for tackling this global challenge, and through the Convention's subjection of all State parties to the same scrutiny, it sets clear and equal laws applicable to all.

On 9 December 2003, the UNCAC was adopted in Merida, Mexico. This critical move towards eradicating the scourge of corruption is now celebrated annually as the International Anti-Corruption Day and is regarded as a valuable opportunity through which to both promote the Convention as well as reflect on initiatives undertaken against corruption on a global, regional, and national level.

UNODC Regional Office for Southern Africa: Mandate

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs, transnational organised crime, terrorism, and corruption, and is the custodian of most of the related conventions, particularly:

The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its 3 protocols (Trafficking in Persons; Smuggling of Migrants; and Trafficking in Firearms); and The United Nations Convention against Corruption.

UNODC was set up in 1997, combining the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. It was established by the UN Secretary-General to enable the Organisation to focus and enhance its capacity to address the interrelated issues of drug control, crime, and international terrorism in all its forms.

The UNODC Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSAF) was established in 1997 and covers 11 countries in the Southern Africa region, namely: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Strategic Objectives

UNODC is committed to achieving security and justice for all, by making the world safer from drugs, crime, and terrorism. To assist countries in achieving this goal, the UNODC ROSAF has developed a Strategic Programme Framework for the Southern African region, structured around six key objectives:

Strengthening legislative and judicial capacity of Southern African countries for the ratification and implementation of international conventions and instruments on drug control, organised crime, corruption, terrorism and money laundering;

Assisting Southern African countries in reducing illicit drug trafficking and in the control of precursor chemicals;

Enhancing the capacity of Government institutions and civil society organisations in the Southern African region to counter drug abuse and related HIV/AIDS amongst the youth and other vulnerable populations, particularly juvenile prisoners;

Enhancing the capacity of Government institutions and civil society organisations in the Southern African region to counter trafficking in persons, the smuggling of migrants, and the trafficking in organs;

Creating awareness about, and reducing domestic violence in Southern Africa in co-operation with civil society and Governments; and

To promote Victim Empowerment by improving coordination, building capacity and strengthening relations between government and civil society in order to improve services to victims, especially women and children.

Current Initiatives

In support of the strategic objectives, the UNODC ROSAF have developed a portfolio of technical cooperation projects and mobilised funding from the international donor community. The projects are jointly implemented with Governments, regional bodies, other UN Agencies, and civil society organisations.

The following are a cross-section of some of our current projects:

REGIONAL & NATIONAL PROJECTS

Assistance in the formulation and implementation of the SADC Declaration Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons (Donor: USA)

HIV prevention, care, treatment and support in prison settings in Southern Africa (Donor: Sweden)

Development of effective law enforcement responses to violence against women in the Southern African Region (Donor: Austria)

MALAWI

Drug awareness campaign and capacity building (Donor: Sweden)

MOZAMBIQUE

Strengthening integrity and capacity of the Court System in Mozambique (Donors: Mozambique & UNDP)

SOUTH AFRICA

Establishment of a One-Stop Centre to counteract violence against women and children (Western Cape, North West, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng (Donors: Austria & Japan)

Drug abuse prevention and HIV/AIDS awareness creation amongst juvenile prisoners in South Africa (Donors: Luxembourg & USA)

National drug awareness and schools education programme (Donors: Sweden & Italy)

Support to the national anti-corruption programme in South Africa (Donors: Netherlands, Norway & USA)

Support to South Africa's Victim Empowerment Programme (Donor: European Commission)

Strengthening judicial integrity and capacity in South Africa (Donors: Germany & USA)

SWAZILAND

Strengthening of legal, institutional, and operational capacities to implement the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (Donor: Australia)

UNISA/UNODC Memorandum of Understanding

In March 2008, an MoU was signed between UNISA and the UNODC by the respective Principal and Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barney Pityana, and Executive Director, Mr. Antonio Maria Costa.

The MoU aims to strengthen co-operation and information exchange in the areas of research on criminal justice issues, particularly with regards to organised crime, corruption, trafficking of persons, terrorism and money-laundering.

Should you have any questions regarding UNODC's work in the region, please contact us via:

The United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime - Regional Office for Southern Africa

1059 Schoeman Street, 2nd Floor | P.O. Box 12673, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa

Tel: +27 12 342 2424 | Fax: +27 12 342 2356

E-mail: fo.southafrica@unodc.org

Web: http://www.unodc.org