UN,
Brazil To Address Urban Insecurity
VIENNA, 24 April (UN Information
Service) -- The Government of Brazil and the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have agreed to initiate a comprehensive
co-operation strategy to reduce urban insecurity in Brazil, within the
broader context of strengthening cooperation to counter drugs and crime.
The strategy will be incorporated in the UNODC-Brazil Strategic Programme
Framework for 2003-2006, presently under formulation.
The UNODC will assist the
Brazilian authorities in coordinating with other relevant international
agencies, and with strategic policy planning on drug control and crime
prevention. It will also promote the exchange of know-how and international
"best practices" between Brazil and other countries, including
South-South cooperation.
The two parties have agreed
to develop a multi-year programme for technical co-operation in the
following priority areas:
- Social crime prevention, focusing on
youth at risk and their families;
- Strengthening of NGOs working with youth
at risk, community-based crime prevention in urban areas affected
by drugs trafficking, and conduct of victimization surveys;
- Juvenile justice reform, with emphasis
on reintegration of juveniles in conflict with the law, through social
and educational activities, as well as employment opportunities;
- Improved access to justice for juveniles
in conflict with the law, with legal and psychological support adapted
to their needs;
- Police reform, including the modernization
of police forces, strengthening of police professionalism and improvement
of working and living conditions, as well as police training on interactions
with juveniles and social minorities;
- Judicial cooperation, aimed at strengthening
the countrys capacities to counter organized crime, human trafficking,
firearms and corruption, and strengthening capacities to prevent money-laundering
and recover assets.
The agreement calls for
technical cooperation to address the whole range of issues of illicit
drugs abuse.
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