Safer Cities Dar es Salaam: Joining Forces to Combat Crime and Violence Against Women and Children
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - In a bid to address the growing concerns of crime and violence against women and children, local government authorities have launched a comprehensive program aimed at building capacities at city and municipal levels to prevent crime.
Program Background
The Safer Cities Dar es Salaam program was initiated in 1997 and launched in 1998 by the then Dar es Salaam City Commission. The program has since been institutionalized into the four Dar es Salaam local government authorities, including the Dar es Salaam City Council and the municipalities of Ilala, Kinondoni, and Temeke.
Program Objectives
The objectives of the program are to:
- Build capacities at city and municipal levels to address crime and insecurity
- Contribute to the establishment of a crime prevention culture and adherence to the law
To achieve this, four strategies were identified by stakeholders as key to realizing the program’s objectives:
- Institutional capacity building
- Support to community crime prevention initiatives, with special emphasis on security groups, groups at risk, and victimized individuals (women, youth, and children)
- Strengthening law enforcement
- Documenting best practices and supporting other local government authorities in the country
Program Activities
During its implementation, the program has undertaken various activities aimed at promoting safety and security in Dar es Salaam, including:
- Sensitization and awareness creation
- Establishment of Safer Cities units in the four local government authorities
- Networking and collaboration with other agencies
- Youth integration into Dar es Salaam local government authorities
The program has also supported income-generating projects for women, youth, and victimized individuals; conducted safety audits for women; supported neighborhood watch groups (Sungusungu); and provided support to young victims of drug abuse.
Establishment of the National Task Force
In a related development, a National Task Force was established to prepare a national strategy on urban crime prevention for Tanzania. The task force is mandated to consider the broad concept of safety and security informed by the global definition, local experience, and realities in Tanzanian Local Authorities.
Goal and Purpose of the National Strategy
The aim of the national strategy for urban crime prevention is to improve the quality of life of urban dwellers, particularly the poor, and support sustainable urban development. The purpose is to develop capacities at the national level to support municipalities and towns in Tanzania to prevent urban crime by reducing incidents and impacts of victimization in urban communities.
Citizens Assured of Safe Environments
The mission of the program is to build capacities of urban Local Government Authorities and of other local and national institutions that are responsible for enforcement of law and order, and for delivery of justice, and of communities to design and implement strategies for crime prevention to enhance safety and security.
The primary objective of the program is to build safe local environments where citizens are assured of living in peace and harmony, without fear of crime or domestic violence, and where there will be security for their property in order to achieve sustainable development.