The 35th session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) is taking place at a time of historic change, with transnational organized crime on the rise. Hosted by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), under the leadership of the newly appointed executive director, Monica Juma, the conference will be chaired by the Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN in Vienna. The event is an opportunity to engage with the multilateral system as it develops its response to organized crime in a changing environment.   

The session was originally scheduled to take place after the 15th UN Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi, which has instead been postponed until September due to the ongoing conflict in the region. A limited number of resolutions have been tabled on key issues such as fraud, ‘sextortion’ and trafficking in persons. However, the range of issues that the international community needs to address to effectively combat organized crime is much wider.   

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) will actively engage throughout the CCPCJ and take part in the following events, presenting its latest research to promote a deeper understanding of the key issues on this year’s agenda. These include human smuggling and trafficking, the crucial role of civil society in building resilience to organized crime, ‘sextortion’, environmental crimes and the surge in scam centres.  

Key GI-TOC events and engagements

Tailoring international responses to address contemporary human smuggling

1 June 2026 | 13:00–14:00 CEST 

Organized by the GI-TOC and supported by the UK, the Netherlands and the African Union 

This event will examine current trends in global human smuggling, as well as the responses of states and multilateral institutions to these trends. Smugglers have become a key part of migratory journeys, with informal networks making way for specialized transnational criminal ecosystems operating along entire routes. These organizations increasingly rely on subcontracted specialists and encrypted digital tools to evade law enforcement. As a result, states are facing growing challenges in adapting their responses, leading to new approaches such as targeted financial and visa sanctions, AI-enabled border surveillance, and stronger multinational cooperation through established institutions and ad hoc coalitions. 

Venue: M7, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

Resilience building in a changing world

3 June 2026 | 11:30–12:30 CEST  | [CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FLYER]

Organized by Norway and co-sponsored by the GI-TOC, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland 

The Resilience Fund was launched in the margins of the CCPCJ in May 2019 and has been involved in activities at every subsequent CCPCJ. The Fund is a unique civil society support mechanism that builds resilience around the world through community-led initiatives. At last year’s  CCPCJ session, the GI-TOC published the report ’Resilience in action: Civil society’s role in preventing and combating organized crime’, which was submitted as a contribution to the 15th UN Crime Congress. Since the report was published, the circumstances faced by civil society organizations working to counter organized crime have become even more challenging and unstable in many parts of the world.   

This event will provide a key platform for civil society representatives from the Resilience Fund network to reflect on their recent experiences and share updates with CCPCJ participants regarding the challenges they face amid global and local instability, and the ongoing expansion of organized crime.     

Venue: M5, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

Turning the tide: Ending transnational sextortion of children

1 June 2026 | 13:30–14:30 CEST 

Organized by the US 

Venue: Boardroom A, Vienna International Centre  

Civil society priorities for the CCPCJ, Crime Congress, UNTOC COP and beyond

1 June 2026 | 15:00–16:00 CEST 

Organized by the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and co-sponsored by the GI-TOC and others 

Venue: M2, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

Multistakeholder priorities for a new protocol under UNTOC on crimes that affect the environment

1 June 2026 | 16:30–17:30 CEST  

Organized by the Igarapé Institute and supported by the GI-TOC, the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Brazil, France, Peru, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Wildlife Justice Commission, the UK’s Environmental Investigation Agency and the International Council of Environmental Law   

Venue: M7, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid)  

The nexus between corruption and human trafficking

2 June 2026 | 15:00–16:00 CEST  

Organized by the UNODC Thematic Support Section of the Corruption and Economic Crime Branch, with the support of the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section 

Venue: M5, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

The national security cost of crimes that affect the environment  

2 June 2026 | 16:30–17:30 CEST  

Organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society and supported by the GI-TOC and the Royal United Services Institute 

Venue: M7, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

Building resilient communities: Collective efficacy and a culture of lawfulness for women, children and youth 

3 June 2026 | 10:00–11:00 CEST  

Organized by the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders  

Venue: M5, Vienna International Centre 

Bringing justice closer to the people: Survivor-centred and human rights-oriented principles for responding to gender-based discrimination and violence

3 June 2026 | 10:00–11:00 CEST  

Organized by Zonta International with the support of the UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Section, Afrikanische Frauenorganisation, African Action on Aids, the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Dominicans for Justice and Peace, Everfree/Willow, Graduate Women International, the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, LEFÖ Interventionsstelle für Betroffene von Frauenhandel, Movimento dos Artistas Huni Kuin, the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development Vienna, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women Vienna, and Servas International 

Venue: M7, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

Protecting people in situations of vulnerability in camps from transnational organized crime and trafficking in persons

3 June 2026 | 15:00–16:00 CEST  

Organized by Switzerland and supported by the GI-TOC, the UNODC and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees    

Venue: M0E79, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

Promoting synergies: Leveraging multilateral efforts to tackle crimes that affect the environment

4 June 2026 | 13:00–14:00 CEST  

Organized by the International Council of Environmental Law, co-sponsored by Brazil, Peru, the Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime, the ADM Capital Foundation, the Born Free Foundation, Freeland and the International Council for Capital Formation  

Venue: M6, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid) 

Behind the screens: Unmasking scam centres for better victim protection and justice

4 June 2026 | 15:00–16:00 CEST  

Organized by Canada with the support of the Philippines, the UK, the UNODC Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch, INTERPOL, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the GI-TOC 

Venue: M2, Vienna International Centre (Hybrid)