Medellin looks to the future on security and coexistence with UNODC

On 4 September, the City Council of Medellin approved a policy on security for the next 10 years. This policy is a model of integrated local management of security and coexistence, which ensures the commitment of all relevant entities in order to achieve a long-term institutional strategy that goes beyond the current and forthcoming mayor's mandate.

The construction process of this policy began in 2012 under the technical assistance provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The main contribution for the formulation of the policy came from the implementation of the UNODC safety audit methodology.

"The methodology of safety audits is a tool developed by the Crime Prevention and Justice Area (PROJUST) of UNODC. In Medellin we found a favorable institutional setting and political will in order to achieve the most complete and advanced experience in the implementation of the methodology at country level in the Americas", stated Bo Mathiasen, Representative of UNODC in Colombia.

The creation of this policy involved a participatory process and open dialogue for achieving collective agreements among institutions, academia, private sector and civil society.

With the support and technical assistance of UNODC, the Medellin government is pioneering this innovative approach that provides decision-makers with strategic guidelines, joint implementation mechanisms and qualified planning and monitoring instruments. This new approach ensures a more comprehensive institutional response to the security challenges faced by the city.

The policy will allow future administrations of Medellin to develop plans, programs and projects in order to consolidate the achievements regarding security management, under the premise that security is a basic right that guarantees living conditions and fosters development.