organized crime — Philippa Garson

Jan 31
Jan 31 Time to get tough on human trafficking and sex slavery

After Amira’s husband was killed in the Syrian war, she found herself adrift in Lebanon. Barred from working and with two young children to feed, she resorted to marrying off her nine-year-old daughter and putting her 12-year-old son to work.

Jan 31
Jan 31 Outflanking the war on drugs?

Philippa Garson

It’s widely acknowledged that the “war on drugs” has failed. A militarised approach based on prohibition and incarceration has stoked staggering levels of violence and misery, cost billions of dollars, and failed to reduce either supply or demand.

Jan 31
Jan 31 Women paying price of Latin America drug wars

Philippa Garson

As growing numbers of women languish in Latin American jails on drug-trafficking charges, their role in organized crime is under the spotlight - as is the prison system that incarcerates them, and the patriarchal society that appears to be failing them.

Jan 31
Jan 31 Drug policy shift no relief for victims of the war

Philippa Garson

Easing up on drug prohibition will not solve the plight of the thousands of people displaced by the drug wars in Colombia, Mexico and other countries.

Jan 31
Jan 31 Balloons and sausages – understanding the global drugs trade

Philippa Garson

What turned Guinea Bissau and other West African countries into drug-trafficking routes to Europe more than a decade ago? Why did the drug wars move from Colombia to Mexico?

Jan 31
Jan 31 Shake-up under way in global drugs policy

Philippa Garson

With waning enthusiasm from the USA for the costly and failed war on drugs, experts detect a seismic shift under way at the global policy level.

Jan 31
Jan 31 Calls for a ceasefire in the war on drugs

Philippa Garson

Despite growing acknowledgement that the war on drugs has failed, global consensus on the way forward remains elusive. Nevertheless, some detect a “paradigm shift” among many players at the forefront of the debate.

Jan 31
Jan 31 When fear of being criminalized locks out healthcare

Philippa Garson

Drug users will avoid a needle exchange programme if they spot a police car cruising nearby, and sex workers will readily toss their condoms in the trash if they risk getting arrested for soliciting. Around the world, the most marginalized groups in society – from Roma to HIV-positive people to sex workers to drug users – are reluctant to access basic health services because they fear arrest, intimidation and harassment.

Jan 31
Jan 31 Push to tackle corruption in post-2015 agenda

Philippa Garson

With the realization that corruption is undermining development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), experts are lobbying the UN to adopt goals and targets on good governance and transparency in the post-2015 development agenda.