On 11-12 April 2022, the second needs assessment workshop on strengthening youth crime and drug use prevention in was held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The workshop was organized by the Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, in cooperation with the OSCE Academy in Bishkek.
Dr. Alexander Wolters, Director of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, in his opening remarks, emphasized that education is the most effective way to prevent youth crime, organized crime, corruption and drug use. Eni Gjergji, Project manager, highlighted that in order to effectively prevent youth crime, organized crime, drug use, and cybercrime we need to expand the knowledge of young people to strengthen their immunity against these threads.
During the workshop, UNODC experts presented questionnaire findings, filled in by participants during the first needs assessment workshop on 17 March. Furthermore, participants of the workshop: representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of the RK; Anti-corruption Agency, Department for Combating Drug Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan Prosecutor's Office; as well as professors; teachers and civil society representatives discussed potential capacity needs in the field of preventing youth crime, corruption and drug use, as well as identified priorities and thematic areas for further trainings.
The event will be followed by the development of a needs-tailored training-of-trainers programme, which is designed to train state actors, teachers, professors, and members of civil society on the use of the UNODC Education4Justice and Global Programme on Prevention materials. The materials provide educators guidance on the effective ways of training youth on the threats of organized crime, corruption and drug use.
The workshop was held in the framework of the OSCE-wide project “Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption”. The project aims to prevent transnational organized crime, corruption and drug use, by complementing criminal justice efforts and promoting respect for the rule of law through education.
This extra-budgetary cross- dimensional project is funded by Germany.