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PMI IMPACT's Third Round of Funding welcomes projects that aim to reduce illegal trade, prevent it and counter the negative consequences of illegal trade for individuals, their families, and communities.
Applicants can be based anywhere in the world, however all proposals must address the Third Funding Round Theme and focus on one of the following proposed topics:
Sea, land and air borders play a central role in deterring illegal trade, and modern equipment and technologies are necessary to adequately monitor border zones, as well as effective border control management and policy. This topic includes three sub-topics:
Capacity building is the process by which individuals and organizations develop competencies and skills in order to make them more effective in fulfilling their mission. Two sub-topics are proposed: training for police and judges and support to system dynamic models.
Restorative justice programmes (RJP) refer to a range of initiatives to allow victims and offenders and their families to repair the emotional harm caused by a crime. RJP are provided both by the Justice Administration and by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). RJP are based on the fundamental principle that criminal behavior not only violates the law, but also injures victims and the community1 . RJP is often based on cooperative processes that allows victims and offenders and their families to meet.
A central aspect of the concept is its integral approach: 1) it provides an opportunity for victims to obtain reparation, feel safer and seek closure; 2) it allows offenders to gain insight into the causes and effects of their behavior and to take responsibility in a meaningful way2 . This in turn can facilitate reintegration; 3) it enables communities to understand the underlying causes of crime, to promote community wellbeing and to prevent crime.
The proposed project could support NGOs implementing specific initiatives in the field of restorative justice. It could also be projects implemented by justice authorities and aiming at reinforcing their Human Rights and Restorative Justice capacity.
Victims support refers to the services provided by governmental and nongovernmental actors to the victims of crime. Services provided usually include information relevant to the rights of the victims, information on specialized support services, emotional support, financial and legal advices, and advises to prevent repeat victimization. In some case it can also include childcare or emergency accommodation (shelters) for victims.
The Third of Funding Round of PMI IMPACT will focus on the victims of illegal trade. Projects could include the renovation of victim support facilities, the training of staff at victim's centers, the awareness of judiciary and police officers on the right of victims and other.
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1 The role of the community is central for RJP. RJP assume that crime is the result of severed or damaged social bonds between individuals or between offenders and the larger community. These bonds must be repaired to ensure victim reparation and offender reintegration.
2 Contrary to criminal justice, restorative justice is based on the idea that offenders take responsibility for their action.
An effective way to reduce illegal trade and its negative consequences is to make public or policy-makers aware of illegal trade and its impact on economy, public health and on security. Consumer awareness is also effective in addressing the demand for illegal goods. This topic aims at promoting diplomatic engagement through the development of networks and knowledge partnerships. It also aims at increasing international judiciary and law enforcement cooperation. Possible proposals could include public awareness projects, or projects aiming at supporting exchanges of good practices among judiciary and police authorities on issues related to illicit trade. It could also include initiatives supporting network engagements and cooperation among organizations recipients of funding from PMI IMPACT
Organized crime has been active for years in the space of fake medicines, medical supplies and, most recently, personal protective equipment (PPE). International law enforcement organizations, such as Europol, and governmental bodies, such as the US Department of Homeland Security, had issued warnings on potential risks of organized crime profiting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, Europol announced the potential harm of offline and online scams, including alleged versions of the COVID-19 vaccine. These projections were later confirmed in Europol's November 2020 report, where it was identified that the distribution of substandard and counterfeit pharmaceutical products, including fake COVID-19 vaccines, had remained a consistent pandemic -related criminal activity.
It is feared that criminals will share disinformation to defraud individuals and companies alike. There have already been cases of advertisements on dark web marketplaces using the brands of genuine pharmaceutical companies that are already in the final stages of testing. These counterfeit vaccines may pose a significant risk to public health, given their uncontrolled and unregulated production. These fake or substandard vaccines may circulate on illicit markets or be introduced to the legal market for distribution.
Owing to the importance to health and security, PMI IMPACT Third Funding Round is open to project proposals that can address the threat of illicit COVID-19 vaccines, medical equipment and PPE. Two sub-topics are proposed:
A piecemeal approach to tackling such a multi-faceted problem is no longer sufficient. Achieving long-term results requires global action and solutions that address the issue in its entirety.
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