Launch of “Safer Cities Guide”

CAF is inviting all interested parties to the launch of this guide, which addresses key security issues facing cities in the region. The document compiles concepts, evidence, promising experiences, lessons learned and best practices with local public policies to reduce crime, violence and fear of crime.

Over the last few decades, the importance of public safety in the public agenda has grown exponentially in Latin America. The flip side, insecurity, is the leading systemic social concern for most countries in the region. This is evidenced by a wide range of surveys, numerous research papers, as well as the constant demands of the populace for leaders, civil servants and public officials to provide better security in the areas where they live, travel, work or take part in leisure activities.

CAF’s security agenda proposes actions to help create safe and fear-free spaces, improve access to opportunities for the most vulnerable groups in critical territories; promotes crime and violence prevention policies to reduce crime and the fear it causes; promotes the use of quality data and information for decision-making; as well as security governance with local leadership and the gender perspective as cross-cutting issues, in order to ensure that the proposed solutions address effectively the demands and needs of women and diverse groups, while working to prevent adverse effects on these demographics.

This public safety guide is aimed at mayors, local government officials, those working in this field in other areas of the public sector; public, community and opinion leaders, as well as those interested in urban development.