This strategy paper has been developed in the context of UN-Habitat’s Safer Cities Programme, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). It forms part of UN-Habitat’s work on urbanization, the inclusive city, the problems of urban youth, and issues of governance and youth participation.

It is in keeping with the Millennium Development Goal of achieving a significant improvement in the lives of urban slum dwellers by 2020.

The special needs of children and young people have to be part of urban development and planning - from the beginning and not as an afterthought. Children and young people must be listened to. They must be allowed to take an active role in the community and local life, and have a say in the decisions that will affect their lives and futures.

Architects and city planners can best make a difference if they work together with local stakeholders and the community. These were some of the points discussed by the speakers at the seminar "A Better Childhood in the City".

Preventing Gender-based Violence in the Horn, East and Southern Africa : A Regional Dialogue. Raising Voices and Safer Cities Programme 2004.

In 2002, the Government of Papua New Guinea with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and technical assistance from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) launched the Safer Port Moresby Initiative with the express aim of addressing the underlying causes of crime that have accompanied the unprecedented urban growth of Port Moresby.

The Safer Port Moresby Initiative (SPMI) is a citywide crime prevention initiative that is built on partnerships with public, private and popular (sector) institutions that can contribute towards crime reduction in the city. The initiative is presently being run from the offices of the Department for Community Development, formally known as the Department of Social Welfare and Development and works closely with the City Government (National Capital District Commission – NCDC).

This publication is part of the Safer Nairobi project, funded by UNDP, which is working towards a city-wide crime prevention strategy.

This survey is a diagnosis on both crime itself and insecurity surrounding crime in Nairobi. A fundamental requirement of a prevention-oriented approach to crime is the availability of extensive and reliable data and to this end the UN-HABITAT Victimisation Survey of Nairobi is the most comprehensive undertaken to date, being administered in two discrete phases between May and August 2001.

Throughout the study over 10,500 ordinary residents of Nairobi contributed their effort by offering opinions and attitudes to a number of different issues concerning safety and crime.

Violent crime and delinquency threaten the quality of life of urban dwellers in Dar es Salaam. During the 1990’s the annual crime increase in Dar es Salaam was 8,1%. Not only does this divert scarce resources from urban social development, but it also constitutes a serious impediment to the city’s economic development. Globally, crime patterns are changing.Offenders are getting younger and violent crime is becoming more common.

Previous research indicates that violence and crime in urban areas is escalating. The roots of such violence may not be clearly understood but declining incomes and work opportunities,and the consequent frustration, particularly for youth, are important factors. Violence, crime and anti-social behaviour are thought to be products of social inequality, social exclusionand a lack of institutional and social control.