GPM Supports Statement of Solidarity: Advancing Health, Reinforcing Peace

Mayors stand in solidarity with one another on the frontlines of response to COVID-19. Inspired by the United Nations Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire and appeal for peace in homes, we:

• Urge an immediate cessation of all forms of violence in our cities;

• Commit to maintaining investments in violence prevention even as we address the immediate imperatives of providing COVID-19 health services;

• Reaffirm our commitment to one another through sharing lessons learned from responses to violence reduction during the pandemic;

• Highlight the urgent need for swift adaptation of and increased investment in evidence-informed violence reduction efforts across all sectors of society;

• Recognize that, like the virus, violence imposes unequal burdens on population groups – particularly women, children, and the disenfranchised – whose safety we commit to supporting especially in these most trying times.