UNAFEI Side Event at the 34th Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Theme: Fostering Resilience among Women, Children and Youths in the Criminal Justice Context
Effective criminal justice systems cannot operate in isolation. Relying on state institutions and public sector agencies alone to address complex and intersectional needs that drive women towards crime and incarceration does not provide the long-term sustainable solutions which can successfully reintegrate women back into society. It calls for a shift away from punitive responses toward approaches that support recovery, adaptation, and reintegration. By addressing the unique risks and needs faced by these groups—whether as victims or as individuals in conflict with the law— the door to more humane, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to justice is opened. It is a guiding principle of the Thailand Institute of Justice that successfully building effective systems for rehabilitation and reintegration of women requires a new and innovative model which places cross-sectoral partnerships at their heart.
In partnership with the Office of the Attorney General of Thailand, the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice (KICJ), the Norwegian Police Service, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), TIJ participated at the side event “Innovation in Criminal Justice Responses: Digitally and Socially” on Tuesday 20th May 2025 during the 34th Meeting of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). Uniquely, the panel featured the involvement of the very first representative of the Thai business community to speak at CCPCJ, Mr. Noppol Chuklin, an alumnus of TIJ’s Rule of Law for Development (RoLD) executive programme, along with TIJ Executive Director Dr. Phiset Sa-ardyen.
Dr. Phiset emphasised the need to move beyond traditional models of cooperation within the criminal justice system and instead leverage the latent potential and capacity that can be found outside of typical criminal justice actors, such as within civil society or private enterprises. He drew upon the example of TIJ’s own Restart Academy as one model in which different sectors and actors have been brought together in new partnerships to provide effective, people-centred solutions for supporting the reintegration and rehabilitation of former prisoners.
Mr. Noppol Chuklin echoed these sentiments and shared his own experiences as a private sector employer of formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as provider of training opportunities for current prisoners. In particular, Mr. Noppon said of his views on the role of each stakeholder in the process, “The private sector cannot just think of this as charity, but as an investment in human capital. But this cannot be accomplished by one sector alone. We need the government to support this through targeted incentives and appropriate regulations. We need an environment of collaboration between business, government, and society working in partnership. Because justice is not truly served unless we restore lives—not just punish them”.
This marked the first time that a representative of the Thai private sector had participated in such a side event at CCPCJ, and provided a much needed personal perspective and best practice on Mr. Chuklin’s successes and lessons learned from his programmes, which have involved hundreds of prisoners and ex-prisoners.
Following on from this, on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ) joined the side event “Fostering Resilience among Women, Children and Youths in the Criminal Justice Context”, hosted by the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI). The panelists include representatives from TIJ, UNAFEI, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI), and Tithandizane Comfort Home.
The discussion emphasized that fostering resilience within the criminal justice context requires comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approaches that address the unique needs of women, children, and youth. Speakers highlighted the importance of reducing risks and harms through inclusive, evidence-based strategies. For children and youth, the emphasis was on addressing social disorganization and protecting against exploitation, while for women, the focus was on gender-responsive policies that consider trauma, caregiving roles, and pathways into crime. Across all groups, strong partnerships that provide sustained support—such as housing, employment, and counseling—were identified as essential to successful reintegration and resilience.
Chontit Cheunurah, Director of the Office for the Bangkok Rules and Treatment of Offenders at the TIJ, spoke about the resilience among women in conflict with the law. She highlighted the complex and intersecting challenges they face, including financial insecurity, trauma, stigma, and barriers to reintegration. To address these needs, TIJ launched the "Restart Academy," a holistic reintegration initiative that provides vocational training and life skills development. Based on a "Social Partnership Model," the program brings together public, private, and civil society sectors to empower women and enhance their resilience. With measurable impacts—such as improved financial independence and reduced drug use—the initiative demonstrated a strong social return on investment (SROI) of 7.7, reinforcing the value of cross-sectoral support in fostering long-term reintegration and reducing recidivism.
“We need to build more bridges to connect women with the support and opportunities they need to thrive. Our effort requires more than goodwill—it demands a whole-of-society approach. This includes governments, civil society, and, critically, the private sector working together to create inclusive reintegration pathways.” Professor Kitipong Urapeepatanapong, Board Member of TIJ and Chairperson of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), said in his presentation. In his remarks, he highlighted the vital role of the private sector in supporting the sustainable reintegration of women prisoners through social impact investment. A key example is SET’s collaboration with TIJ via SET SE Co., Ltd., which provides funding and facilities to support the Restart Academy. This partnership exemplifies how private sector engagement can create shared value and champion second chances.
The side event reaffirmed that building resilience in the criminal justice system requires meaningful investment in people, not just policies. By strengthening cross-sectoral partnerships, we can build systems that empower women, children, and youth to reintegrate and thrive.
