1- SC Communication Strategy, June 2011, Safer Cities The Urban approach to Crime and Violence Saskia Sassen, 1992. The Global City: New York, London, Tokio. Mike Davies, 2006. Planet of Slums. Safer Cities Overview – the Urban World • For the first time in human history, as many people now live in cities as in rural areas. • By 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities – in what is defined as “The Urban Century” • Conceptions of local and global governance are changing • With a third of all urban dwellers living in ghettos, slums, favela, rapid urbanisation is also reshaping the family, the school and the community. Urbanization has regional character Urban Population Percent Source: UN Consequence of rigid zoning Why? Why we should focus on urban safety… Safer Cities Urban Insecurity – The Facts • Violence and crime has soared in many urban centres • Violent crime accounts for 25% to 30% of offences in cities • Has deep impacts on individuals and communities, in particular the poor • Has strong social, political and economical implications • Violence attacks the social fabric of cities • The inability of the state to deliver efficient security services or to implement violence prevention strategies contributes to feelings of insecurity. • With poor urban governance, it is difficult measuring crime as many crimes go unreported • Violence is reconfiguring social and spatial relations in urban areas Safer Cities Urban Insecurity – The Impact • Economic costs of lost investments, • Abandonment and stigmatisation of neighbourhoods • A climate of fear that threatens the social and economic development of the city • Inequality, social exclusion and marginalization • Vulnerability to crime and violence by those who make their living in public spaces The poor are less likely to be able to insulate themselves from crime and insecurity Institutional responses – police action and law enforcement may increase levels of insecurity & break ‘safety networks’ Safer Cities Urban Insecurity- The Realisation • It is now known that delinquency rates are clearly higher in the cities than in rural areas, and not because urban areas create criminal surroundings or because of the size of urban agglomerations, but due to the poor urban management that has characterized many cities and inadequate urban services. New ideas are emerging… • New Urban Planning • Open spaces • The creative city The 21st Century Urban Model – IPS21c The city is made of people, stones and rules Traditional response vs new approach • Focusing on the criminal justice system (police, tribunals, prisons) • Focusing on major crime, leaving petty crime and ‘incivilities’ without response • Targeting effects instead of causes - reactive instead of preventive • Often short term and non sustainable results 14 • Safety as ‘common good’ and key to good governance • A role for everybody in building local safety, respecting everybody mandates • Need to target causes to reach lasting results • Prevention is better than cure How? How to achieve safer cities… 15 Safer Cities The Urban Approach to Violence • The urban approach makes possible to reach the neighborhoods and to understand their meaning for residents. It makes easier to understand all types of internal conflicts, such as gender conflicts, inter-generational conflicts, conflicts for social integration, for entering the labor market, for having access to consumption or to services, for status, for values, for real territorial control Safer Cities UN support – The Safer Cities Programme In 1996 UN-HABITAT established a ‘urban crime prevention programme’ to assist cities to develop crime prevention initiatives and thereby reduce incidence and impact of crime and violence in cities. The Programme operates through: – Direct support to cities that intend to formulate and implement crime prevention strategies – Support to networking and city-to-city collaboration – Development and dissemination of tools – Advocacy and policy development on crime prevention issues gender, youth-at-risk, role of local government Safer Cities Three pillars of prevention SOCIAL PREVENTION LAW ENFORCEMENT Youth and Women AND CJS REFORM • Youth empowerment • targeted visible police patrols • Victim support • conflict resolution • recreational facilities to • neighborhood watch occupy youth • by-law enforcement • developing victim support • improve relationships and URBAN DESIGN accessibility • supporting street layout •improving street lighting • designing streets, buildings, parks etc. to reduce opportunities for crime • reorganize markets or terminals Towards Human Settlements New multi-dimensional integrated approach Vulnerability Reduction Security of Tenure • targeting land and housing evictions and associated violent conflicts Natural Disasters • targeting risk reduction, preparedness and resilience Crime, Violence & Social Cohesion • targeting urban vulnerability reduction to crime and violence • building on social capital of communities • focusing on social interventions Safer Cities Process: Key Elements For Effective Implementation A security diagnosis • challenges • risk factors • community resources Regional and (inter)national networks for exchange and replication A strategy and action plan • establish priorities • identify model for practices • target actions on risk factors • balance short & long term actions A COALITION • with leadership • assembling all key partners • sensitive to age, gender & cultural differences • supported by a secretariat • engaging citizens • a communication strategy Evaluation & Feedback • process evaluation • impact evaluation • tools development Implementation • training • co-ordination of partners • actions Safer Cities Achievements • Formulated Prevention Projects in various cities in Africa and Latin America • Tools adapted, tested, documented and disseminated on the local approach and on prevention issues • Networks of cities active in this field • Acknowledgment of the role of local authorities in the international and national debate • Enabling National policies in support to local community-based interventions • Growing understanding within the UN on the local articulation of the prevention of violence and crime Police – Youth Project in Rio de Janeiro Lessons learnt Towards sustainable urban safety • Institutional change is required – pay attention to take advantage of restructuring processes • National framework and support is important – legal and political mandates – decentralization • Multisectoral integrated approach requires coordination – take advantage of existing mechanisms (IDP) • Capacity and knowledge need to be built and ‘stored’ • Building a culture of prevention is a long term process • Civil society, if involved, can greatly assist in maintaining the momentum • Exchange of experiences is vital for innovation Safer Cities Strategic Plan 2008 – 2013 • Upscaling fo the SC approach, leveraging through partnerships • Better integration of the safety approach in the planning, management and governance systems of the city How? Towards the Global Network on Safer Cities… 25 Partners The International Centre for the (Canada) Prevention of Crime (ICPC) Jagori (India) European Forum on Urban ITDG (Kenya) Safety (EFUS) National Crime Prevention The Institute for Security Studies Council (United States) (ISS), Huairou Commission Crime Prevention Centre of the UN Women CSIR The World Bank Institute UNICEF The Royal Government of the UNDP Netherlands UNODC Italian Co-operation WHO Sida (Swedish International UNESCAP Development Agency) United Nations Volunteers Belgian Development Agency (UNV) German Development CITYNET Cooperation (GDC) Slum Dwellers International Small Arms Survey (SDI) Urban Sociology Laboratory ACHR – Asian Coalition on (Swiss Federal Institute of Housing Rights Technology Lausanne, University Alberto Hurtado EPFL/LaSUR) (Chile) Geneva International Academic Women in Cities International Network (GIAN) National Crime Prevention Council (Canada) Federation of Canadian Municipalities) Leo Lagrange (France) World Scouts Bureau Dutch Youth Council (Netherlands) University of Melbourne United Nations Institute for Training and Research Institute of Public Safety and Security (Barcelona) Swedish National Police Board Ville de Montreal Police Inter American Coalition in Violence Prevention (IACPV) Darua Youth Platform Specific Objectives and Key Products* 1. Make safer cities know-how and experience accessible to the whole international community 2. Build capacities in local and national governments to address urban safety challenges • www.safercities.org, Global Safer Cities Resource Facilities and Networking Platform • The Handbook of Safer Cities • The Safer Cities Certification • Measuring urban safety and prevention. Safer Cities Ranking • The Safer Cities Tool Box • Safer Cities Training Modules • Safer Cities Academic Formations * For Consolidating Safer Cities Gains based on Lessons Learned Specific Objectives and Key Products** 3. Build urban safety through the Reduction of Urban vulnerabilities • Framework for reduction of Urban Vulnerabilities to crime and violence through a multirisk approach • Analytical and Solving Problem Oriented Framework on Urban Vulnerabilities Reduction vis a vis different specific challenges • Frameworks for addressing urban safety and prevention through socio-cultural tools • Strategies on migrations, urban vulnerabilities, conviviality, public spaces and social inclusion 4. Build urban safety through Urban Planning and Management • Methodology and applications on developing urban safety through urban planning • Methodology for Safety and Conviviality Impact Assessment for Urban Development Projects • Empowerment for urban safety stakeholders (youth, gender) • Institutions strengthening for prevention and safety management ** For Developing a New Cross-Cutting Agenda • Framework for managing urban safety/conviviality in particular cases/situations Specific Objectives and Key Products** 5. Develop the governance of urban safety • Urban Safety Governance Analytical and Problem Solving Framework • Decentralisation and Urban Safety Framework and Best Practices • Framework and Platform for Police Action in Urban Development • Methodology for addressing Fear of Crime in Urban Environments 6. Develop Regional Strategies and Frameworks for action on Urban Safety and Social Cohesion. ** For Developing a New Cross-Cutting Agenda • Regional Framework for Action on Urban Safety and Social Cohesion • National Strategies on Urban Safety • Strategies for Advocacy Messages and Support Urban Safety Decisions and Policies Safer Cities Future key step • Regional and national launches of the Global Network on Safer Cities – with emphasis on the integration of safety in National Urban Policies • Road Map from 2012 to World Urban Forum 2014 in Medellin to HABITAT III SUMMIT 2016 Thank You UN-HABITAT P.O Box 30030 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: 254-20 7623771 Email: juma.assiago@unhabitat.org http://www.unhabitat.org/safercities