Formalized in Abu Dhabi, the institutional agreement links grassroots family welfare initiatives with global crime prevention and drug control programs.
ABU DHABI : The General Women’s Union (GWU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, establishing an institutional framework to advance women’s empowerment and strengthen community-level crime prevention.
The bilateral accord, signed in the presence of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National Anti-Narcotics Authority, links the UAE’s national social development apparatus directly with the UN’s primary agency for illicit drugs and transnational crime control.
Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union, and Monica Juma, Executive Director of the UNODC, formalized the agreement during a signing ceremony in the capital.
Under the terms of the partnership, both bodies will pool specialized resources, exchange technical research, and field joint initiatives designed to shield vulnerable community groups from illicit substance exposure and criminal exploitation. The framework provides structured pathways for regular consultation, targeting cross-sector challenges that affect family stability and social protection.
Noura Al Suwaidi stated that the agreement reinforces the Emirates’ commitment to building actionable partnerships with the United Nations. The initiative, she noted, establishes a shared technical platform that brings field experience to the forefront of community safety and preventative interventions.
The agreement also positions female practitioners and Emirati civil institutions within international decision-making circles. By institutionalizing policy coordination between Abu Dhabi and the UNODC headquarters in Vienna, the initiative integrates gender-responsive strategies into broader regional and multilateral crime-prevention mandates.
Both entities will begin detailing specific operational tracks and joint working sessions in the coming weeks, focusing on community awareness campaigns, frontline training, and cross-border development programs.
