Guidelines on Crime and Violence Prevention in Southern Africa

1. The Southern African Development Cooperation Framework: Towards Guidelines on Crime and Violence Prevention Kelly Stone African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum

2. Challenges to Safety across the SADC Region • Challenges to safety are both complex and severe, with some of the major drivers of crime and violence being: • Rapid urbanisation • High levels of unemployment • Severe income inequality • Poor health and educational outcomes • Social and economic impact of climate change • Systemic corruption • These challenges threaten public safety throughout the region, exact a high cost in terms of health and security, and undermine attempts by government to address sustainable development, poverty, and severe levels of inequality.

3. Developments in Crime and Violence Prevention across the SADC Region • Challenges to safety require broader, holistic interventions that extend beyond traditional criminal justice responses • Developmental approaches directed at the underlying causes of crime and violence are needed to complement the efforts of the police and other actors within the criminal justice system, (i.e. courts and correctional services) • Success in promoting such responses often require integrated, multi-sectorial interventions - driven by communities themselves – in order to reduce risks factors at the individual, relationship, community and societal levels • UN’s Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) Guidelines on Crime and Violence Prevention provide a useful starting point, but were written more than 15 years ago, do not reflect the African normative framework, and do not speak to the specific challenges of the African region due to its colonial legacy, resource and infrastructure constraints, and its geo-political location in the world. A context-specific Guideline rooted in the experiences and expertise of African practitioners is better suited to guide safety initiatives.

4. Promoting Safety across the SADC Region • Since 2016, APCOF has been working with countries across SADC to adopt long-term developmental strategies to promote safety at both a national and regional level • Supported by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) to:  • Develop a growing network of safety practitioners across the region to support the development of integrated and holistic strategies for crime and violence prevention; • Develop guidelines and evidence-based tools to strengthen community safety and ensure they are available across the SADC region; and • Demonstrate the linkages between crime and violence prevention and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals SDG Goals 5, 11 and 16 at both national, regional and international levels.

5. Rationale for Developing Crime and Violence Prevention Guidelines • September 2016: APCOF hosted a Reference Group Meeting with practitioners from across the region as a platform for shared learnings and experiences in promoting community safety and to identify key values and principles for crime and violence prevention initiatives across the region • December 2016: APCOFsubmitted a position paper to SADC Secretariat arguing that a credible and consulted set of guidelines on crime and violence prevention for Southern Africa was both urgent and necessary. • Motivated that Guidelines could be used to establish accepted principles for implementing crime and violence prevention interventions - from policy to local delivery - which could potentially support implementation of safety initiatives more broadly, and in accordance with other SADC protocols. • Recommended SADC to collaborate with an emerging collective of regional crime and violence prevention experts and practitioners in drafting and consulting on a set of regional guidelines to support crime and violence prevention initiatives throughout the region.

6. Time-line for Developing Zero Draft Guidelines • March 2017: 1st Crime and Violence Prevention Conference with a wide range of stakeholders to explore potential synergies between local practice and regional organs • April 2017: Joint Declaration submitted to SADC calling on the different entities to facilitate the development of a Guideline with partners throughout the sector • August 2017: SADC Secretariat directs the Legal Sub-Committee of SARPCCO to develop a Zero Draft Guideline • October 2017: Zero Draft Guidelines on Crime and Violence Prevention is developed • November 2017: Zero Draft is presented to SADC, followed by a regional consultation on the Zero Draft with other stakeholders

7. Joint Declaration to SADC • At the conclusion of March 2017 conference, participants prepared a Joint Declaration calling on SADC institutions, such as the Organ for Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (Organ) and the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Committee (SARPCCO), to facilitate the development of guidelines for crime and violence prevention • The Joint Declaration included a set of principles and values for crime and violence prevention to be promoted in the region, including: • Local ownership and evidence based approaches • Learning and ongoing reflection • Gender-sensitivity and Multi-stakeholder/inclusive approach • Political leadership and clear accountability mechanisms • Capacity-building based on the needs • Participation, not just consultation • Age, gender and diversity (including culture, race, disabled, etc.) • Long-term/short-term issues to be identified and prioritized • Collaboration and mutual trust

8. Emerging Framework to Support Crime and Violence Prevention Guidelines • African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want • Aspiration 4 - peaceful and secure Africa • Sustainable Development Goal’s • Goal 5 • Goal 11 • Goal 16 • UN Habitat’s New Urban Agenda • Sections 100-103 • SADC Treaty and Protocols • Protocol on Gender and Development (2008) • Protocol on Facilitation of Movement of Persons (2005) • Protocol on Firearms, Ammunition and Other Materials (2001) • Protocol against Corruption (2001) • Protocol on Trafficking in Illicit Drugs (2001) • Strategic Plan of Action on Combatting Trafficking in Persons especially Women and Children (2009-2019)

9. Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want • The African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, provides a plan for achieving the AU’s vision of ‘an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena’ by the year 2063. • Aspiration 4 calls for a peaceful and secure Africa, and provides a list of specific targets aimed at achieving that aspiration, including: • (1) mechanisms for promoting and defending the continent’s collective security and interests; • (2) improved human security with a sharp reduction in violent crimes; and • (3) safe and peaceful spaces for individuals, families and communities • The Guidelines have the potential to bring substance to Agenda 2063 by providing a clear and uniform set of norms and standards against which crime and violence prevention initiatives can be measured, and by creating a platform for increased coordination and cooperation to enhance safety between Member States.

10. Sustainable Development Goals SADC, as a regional economic community (REC), will be asked to provide input on implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout the region. • Goal 5 – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls • Goal 11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable • Goal 16 – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice, and build effective, accountable and transparent institutions of governance Follow-Up and Review (FUR) at the Regional Level: • Guidelines could provide meaningful safety indicators at the national and regional level, underpinned by the realities of the region, which could assist Member States in tracking meaningful progress towards achievement of the SDGs at the national level.

11. New Urban Agenda • Section 100: Supports the provision of well-designed networks of safety, inclusive for all people to enjoy public spaces and a healthy environment • Guidelines promote community-based action, shifting the focus from counteracting crime to building safer communities by involving non-state actors to address the drivers of violence • Section 101: Integrates measures relating to disaster risk reduction and climate change and promotes cooperation and coordination across sectors • Guidelines advocate for a multi-sectoral response that considers all potential risks to safety, and encourages an approach which involves coordination and collaboration across different sectors • Section 102: Improves capacity for urban planning and design and providing training for urban planners at national, sub-national, and local levels. • Guidelines encourage capacity building processes by which individuals, organizations, institutions and societies develop the necessary abilities (individually and collectively) to perform functions, solve problems, and achieve objectives, which builds independence and increases competencies • Section 103: Integrates inclusive measures for urban safety by engaging with relevant local communities to ensure that vulnerable and marginalised persons are considered in the development of public security strategies • Guidelines encourage programmes for vulnerable groups to be prioritised at all levels of planning, and that the specific needs of such persons are addressed in a holistic and developmental manner

12. Next Steps • 6 November 2017: High level presentation of the Zero Draft Guidelines to the Legal Sub-Committee of SARPCCO • 7-8 November 2017: Regional Consultation on the Zero Draft Guidelines with practitioners from across the SADC region • 30 November 2017: Amendments and any other necessary changes will be made to the Guidelines and submitted to SARPCCO for final approval • 2018: Take direction from SADC on the next steps towards adoption; likely to be presented to the parliamentary branch of SADC in March 2018, which will provide a clearer time-frame for adoption