HEUNI at the 15th UN Crime Congress

HEUNI experts will take part in the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, held from 26 September to 1 October 2026. Across Congress workshops and ancillary meetings, we will share research and practical tools on labour exploitation, forced marriage and fair participation in digital criminal proceedings.

Saturday, 26 September

Abu Dhabi 16:35 – 17:50 | Workshop 1: Protecting people and planet through innovative and evidence based crime prevention strategies

Workshop organised by the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI). HEUNI’s Anniina Jokinen will speak on “Protecting at-risk children and victim-centred methodologies for survivors of human trafficking.” Her contribution will focus on recognising children at risk of exploitation and responding in ways that protect and support them.

Monday, 28 September

10:00 – 11:00 | Enhancing Response and Support to Victims of Forced Marriage
Hybrid ancillary meeting, Room 2C, Microsoft Teams

Organised by HEUNI with the support of Finland. Forced marriage is often under-reported, and its links to human trafficking can be difficult to identify. Anniina Jokinen will join speakers from SOLWODI, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and La Strada International to discuss how to recognise forced marriage and support those affected. The meeting will also share practical tools developed through the EU funded EASY project.
Programme and speakers (pdf 1.3MB)

Helsinki 09:00 – 10:00 | Brussels 08:00 – 09:00 | London 07:00 – 08:00


13:00 – 14:00 | Preventing Crime, Promoting Knowledge: A Global Scan of National Crime Prevention Efforts
Hybrid ancillary meeting, Room 1A, Microsoft Teams

Organised by Finland with the support of the Netherlands, the UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Section, the European Crime Prevention Network and HEUNI. This meeting brings together national perspectives on crime prevention and the use of evidence to guide policy. HEUNI’s Dr Julia Korkman will contribute remotely.
Programme and speakers (pdf 470kB)

Abu Dhabi 13:00 – 14:00 | Helsinki 12:00 – 13:00 | Brussels 11:00 – 12:00 | London 10:00 – 11:00

Abu Dhabi 15:00 – 18:00 | Workshop 3: Getting ahead: strengthening data collection and analysis in order to better protect people and planet in times of new, emerging and evolving forms of crime
Workshop organised by the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ).

HEUNI Director Dr Natalia Ollus will speak about data held by government agencies outside the criminal justice system. Labour exploitation does not always appear in crime statistics: it may instead come to light through labour inspections and other administrative processes. Drawing on Nordic research, her presentation will show why these sources matter when assessing the scale of exploitation and society’s response to it.

Tuesday, 29 September

Abu Dhabi 15:00 – 18:00 | Workshop 4: Turning the digital age into an opportunity: promoting the responsible use of technologies in crime prevention and criminal justice

HEUNI presentation is in Panel 2, “Digital trust and strategies to leverage technology for data analysis and strengthened criminal justice functions.” Natalia Ollus will share findings from the HEUNI coordinated E-ViVi project. The research examines how remote hearings affect communication, participation and fairness, and what helps digital proceedings work well for the people involved.

Wednesday, 30 September

16:30 – 17:30 | Falling Between the Cracks: Victims of Labor Exploitation and Trafficking for Forced Labor
Hybrid ancillary meeting, Room 2B, Microsoft Teams

Organised by HEUNI with the support of Finland. How can authorities better recognise labour exploitation, and what stands in the way when affected workers seek justice and remedies? Dr Ollus will discuss Nordic experiences alongside speakers from KU Leuven, the Australian Institute of Criminology and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The meeting will consider practical challenges in oversight, prevention and access to remedy.
Programme and speakers(pdf 1.5MB)

Abu Dhabi 16:30 – 17:30 | Helsinki 15:30 – 16:30 | Brussels 14:30 – 15:30 | London 13:30 – 14:30