Montreal, Ottawa, 16 March 2016 --- At the invitation of the Safer Cities Programme Partners in Canada (the Women In Cities International, the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime, the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalisation, the University of Ottawa, the University of Montreal, the City of Montreal, the Ministry of Public Safety and the Ministry of Global Affairs), to revive the partnership we have with the Government of Canada, particularly with the Public Safety Canada and City of Montreal towards a "Canada- Global Partnership Framework on Safer Cities".
- Montreal, Canada
The meeting with the City of Montreal and Canadian-based International Partners of the Safer Cities Programme in Montreal commenced with a presentation made by the City of Montreal reviewing its role in the Global Network on Safer Cities (GNSC). Denis Coderre, the Mayor of Montreal has confirmed his acceptance to lead the Global Network on Safer Cities as a Co-Chair representing the North America region in the Steering Committee.
- Ottawa, Canada
The partners session received and discussed the presentation of UN-Habitat on the Safer Cities approach in the New Urban Agenda (Safer Cities 2.0) that will inform the development of the Canada - Global Partnerhsip Framework on Safer Cities on the Road to Habitat III and Beyond.
Following the meeting with the City of Montreal and partners, a follow-up meeting took place at the Global Affairs Offices in Ottawa with the two Ministries of Public Safety and the Global Affairs Canada to further provide elements towards the Canada- Global Partnership Framework on Safer Cities
Key points discussed:
- The City of Montreal is a key founding city of the Safer Cities Programme approach and hosts several international institutions that are partners of the UN-Habitat Safer Cities Programme and its Global Network on Safer Cities, notably ICPC, WICI, and CPRV. Together, it forms a solid global hub to advance the knowledge and practice on safer cities.
- Montreal is aspiring to be a global player. Therefore, the city has to be at the table of decision-making and having the head plate we can command from them, a world where urban security is very present and the city must be part of the global debate and play a crucial role. The framework of the Global Network on Safer Cities (GNSC) can provide the base to structure dialogue and learning from other cities with Montreal.
- It was proposed that the Canada- Global Partnership Framework on Safer Cities be developed with a dual approach that was proposed to the Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa:
- A prioritisation in content and focus of safety on the tested approach to 'Urban Crime Prevention' as well as Women Safety advancement drawing from the competency of UN-Habitat's key international partners in Canada - the ICPC and WICI.
- The leadership role of Canada as an anchor of applied policy and practice on safer cities to the global level - and as a contribution to the implementation of the UN-Habitat 'Safer Cities 2.0' (Safer Cities in the New Urban Agenda)
- The partners meeting reviewed the consultation process on Habitat III issue paper on safer cities and draft of UN guidelines on safer cities and the preparations towards the 2nd international conference on the State of Safety in the World Cities in Geneva ( 6- 8 July 2016)
- The partners open dialogue recommended that the Safer Cities Programme and approach at the city level cannot tackle all types of crime in cities, only those that deal with petty crime and incivilites that a local government's core functions can address . However, the need for a coordinated multi-level governance on safety approach involving all levels of government would best address the context of safety in cities from the broadest perspective of the prevention of crime, violence, conflict and insecurity at the local level.
- The UN-Habitat Global Safer Cities Programme should not only to encompass cities in the 'global south' but also in the 'global north' as the approach and learning from practice is indeed mutually reinforcing, based on the 20 years of practice since the ECOSOC 1995 Guidelines on Urban Crime Prevention.
- The SDG 11: "Making Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable" is a landmark recognition of the important role cities have played and continue to play in the prevention of urban crime as reflected in the 20 years of the UN-Habitat Safer Cities Programme.