Working with marginalised communities: Innovative programs and police partnerships from around the world

In September 2022, the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association held a major event series called the ‘Marketplace of Ideas’, which showcased practical and innovative approaches to addressing public health issues that have traditionally been criminalised or over-policed, with a particular focus on policing and policing alternatives.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime was a major supporter of the event series. This report summarises the key learnings and discussions stemming from the event’s session on ‘Working with Marginalised Communities’ in which three exciting programs from around the globe were selected to present their unique approaches to protecting the health and human rights of minority and marginalised communities.

In this report, we look across these case studies to examine the key elements of the programs, to discuss their common characteristics, and to demonstrate the importance of collaborating across sectors to change perspectives and improve community safety, health, and wellbeing outcomes. This report is part of a seven-part series published by the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association (GLEPHA) with funding support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Open Society Foundations, and the University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health.

Read and download the report