Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling at the 35th Session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
VIENNA--Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling has concluded a week of engagements in Vienna where she represented St. Maarten at the 35th Session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), held from June 1 to 5.
Throughout the session, Minister Tackling participated in plenary meetings, contributed to side events and held discussions with United Nations agencies, international experts and Kingdom partners aimed at advancing key justice priorities for St. Maarten.
A major focus of the visit was the Detention Sector Reform Program (DSRP). In meetings with senior officials of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), progress under the programme was reviewed, with discussions centring on rehabilitation, reintegration, staff development and other non-infrastructure aspects of ongoing reforms.
Beyond detention reform, the minister engaged with specialists working in areas including border management, cybercrime, firearms trafficking, wildlife trafficking, organised crime, corruption prevention, criminal justice reform, youth violence prevention, justice statistics and institutional capacity building. These exchanges provided insight into international approaches to addressing shared challenges and identifying potential areas for further development within St. Maarten’s justice sector.
Minister Tackling also visited the UNODC narcotics laboratory, where she was briefed on global efforts to detect emerging drug threats, strengthen forensic analysis and respond to evolving trends in illicit substances.
Given rising concerns around youth violence and illegal firearms in the region, several discussions focused on prevention strategies, including early intervention, education, mental health support, community engagement and reducing youth involvement in criminal activity.
St. Maarten also contributed to international dialogue through two side events. At Advancing Access to Justice for Women Through the Implementation of the Bangkok Rules, the minister underscored the importance of gender-responsive justice systems and highlighted the need to integrate rehabilitation, reintegration, mental health support and family connections into justice responses for women and girls.
At another session, Advancing Penal Reform in Island Contexts: Perspectives from the Caribbean and the Pacific, Minister Tackling shared St. Maarten’s experience with the Detention Sector Reform Program, stressing the importance of locally driven solutions tailored to the realities of small island jurisdictions.
The visit also included discussions with H.E. Ambassador Peter Potman, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Vienna, focusing on opportunities to further elevate Caribbean justice priorities within Kingdom and international forums.
Reflecting on the mission, Minister Tackling said participation in the CCPCJ goes beyond attendance at international meetings, but is about ensuring St. Maarten remains engaged with global expertise, partnerships and best practices that can strengthen local institutions and enhance public safety.
The Ministry of Justice said it will continue to follow up on the outcomes of the discussions and assess how international expertise and best practices can support ongoing reform efforts in
St. Maarten.
