Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of Habitat, launches second phase of the Safer Cities:

Dar es Salaam/Nairobi, 7 July 2001: The Executive Director of UNCHS (Habitat), Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka today launched the second phase of the Safer Cities, Dar es Salaam project which is being supported by the Government of Sweden. The signing took place in Dar es Salaam and was presided over by Ambassador Hon. Sten Rylander. Also in attendance were the Mayor of Dar es Salaam City Council, Honorable Kleist Sykes and by the City Director of Dar es Salaam City Council, Mr. Wilson Mukama.

"Urban crime threatens the quality of life for all city dwellers everywhere. It diverts scarce resources from social and economic development and it is the poor who suffer the most. Women and children are threatened on a daily basis," said Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka. "As a one time citizen of Dar es Salaam, I am particularly pleased that the Government of Netherlands and now the Government of Sweden is supporting the Safer Dar es Salaam Project. Together the local authorities, the National Police and grass roots communities have developed a crime prevention strategy and the funding of the second phase will ensure that it will be implemented. This will make the streets of Dar es Salaam safer for all its citizens."

For the last four years, with funding from the Government of the Netherlands, Habitat has been working with the City Council of Dar es Salaam in implementing an innovative approach to crime and insecurity in the city. The Safer Cities: Dar es Salaam project uses a bottom-up approach, building awareness and sensitizing the communities on safety and security issues. It seeks to create a culture of crime prevention and safety through pilot projects at neighborhood level initiated by the communities themselves.

The new phase will focus on consolidating the achievements of the past four years, this will include providing assistance and guidelines to other Tanzanian towns interested in developing crime prevention activities. The second phase will also develop new initiatives such as improving access to justice and other mechanisms of conflict resolution that are closer to ordinary citizens, particularly residents in the poorer neighborhoods.

UNCHS (Habitat) and its partners in this initiative are aware that safety and security concerns must go beyond addressing symptoms to addressing the root causes of crime, gender violence and vandalism. Responses must be found within communities, on the basis of local culture and supported by local resources and capacities of the various stakeholders. Cities have an increasingly proactive role to play in leading the efforts to build a culture of prevention in which security is seen as a common good and the responsibility of each urban dweller.

Background:

Results of the victimization survey conducted in Dar es Salaam in March 2000 showed that in Dar es Salaam, between 1995 and 2000, 43% of the residents were victims of burglaries, and 32% of muggings. Feelings of insecurity were also high, with 61% of the residents reporting that they felt unsafe in their homes after dark.

Feedback from surveys was used to design a process of appraisal and identification of priorities with the participation of community leaders, local NGOs and the residents. This led to the development of a crime prevention strategy based on local culture, administrative structures and the involvement of local communities. Youth, crime, alcoholism and violence against women were identified as particular priorities.

During the past four years, communities have become more aware of their role in security. the relations between the Police and the population have been the object of specific action and the local authority has become more and more committed in working on prevention at the city level. A number of civil society organisations, religious groups, NGOs have participated in the improvement of security by providing their ideas and resources.

Among the successful initiatives established under phase one are the following:

The Sungusungu groups provide security services by patrolling their neighborhoods. The success of these groups have made them a reference group for other youth in the area. The second phase of the project will support the replication of these ideas to other areas within the city.
Employment generation projects developed at ward and sub-ward level provide idle young people with opportunity for working for the community while generating income. The new project will work towards generalizing this approach in support of youth in other areas of the city in collaboration with a wider range of partners.
Safety audits for women living in unplanned settlements have been carried out. This included community leaders and the municipal departments who have taken exploratory walks with these women in order to identify those areas that are insecure and what can be done to improve the security. The ideas for improved infrastructure are then presented to physical planners within the City Council. The second phase of the project will work towards the implementation of the recommendation from these audits in order to create safer urban environments for women in the city.
An Auxiliary City Police was recently created and is soon to become operational. The second phase of the project will work with the City Council to develop clear tasks and capacities for this new service. This will have an important impact on law enforcement and security in the city.

The second phase of the project will take up new challenges,. This includes improving access to justice and creating mechanisms of conflict resolution that are more accessible to the poor residents in unplanned settlements. For example, the ward tribunal system will be analyzed and avenues for its revitalization will be identified. The role of the justice system vis-a-vis young offenders will also be analyzed, as a follow up to the ‘youth offender profile survey’ conducted a year ago.

For further information, please contact:
Mr. Sharad Shankardass, Spokesperson
or Ms. Zahra A. Hassan
Media & Press Relations Unit
UNCHS (Habitat)
Tel: (254 2) 623153
Fax: (254 2) 624060
E-mail: habitat.press@unchs.org
Website: www.unchs.org

Ms. Anna Mtani, Project Coordinator
Safer Cities Dar es Salaam
City Hall (Sokoine Drive-Morogoro Road)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: (007) 22 2130959
Fax: (007) 22 2130961 or 22 2125589,
E-mail: saferdsm@raha.com