UN-Habitat and the Global Parliament of Mayors are proud to invite you to the webinar of the Global Network on Safer Cities Partners Consultative Meeting

Strengthening the Safer Cities Strategy while responding to COVID-19 

This two-day webinar will explore the impact of Covid-19 on urban safety and security in connection to the pre-Covid process on the implementation of the UN systemwide Guidelines on Safer Cities and Human Settlements. How cities are responding to the increasing crime and violence in their communities and how local stakeholders and cities can support each other in the delivery of safety for all inhabitants. The conclusion of this webinar will contribute to the next steps towards a workplan and WUF22.

WEDNESDAY 27 MAY

Session 1: 10.00-11.45hrs CET

OPENING DISCUSSION “SAFER CITIES FOR ALL” (10.00-10.45hrs)

High level reflections on the impact of COVID-19 on Safer Cities Approach and the recommendations of mayors to go forward on urban security

Discussion guideline documents: UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan and UN systemwide Guidelines on Safer Cites and Human Settlements
Dr. Shipra Narang Suri, Chief Urban Practices Branch, UN-Habitat, moderator

 

Opening

  • Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat
  • Mayor Peter Kurz of Mannheim, Chair Global Parliament of Mayors
  • Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women represented by Kalliopi Mingeirou, Chief Ending Violence against Women and Girls Section-UN Women
  • Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of UNODC represented by Bo Mathiasen, Deputy Director UNODC
  • Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF represented by Thomas George, Senior Adviser and Chief of Urban UNICEF

Maimunah Mohd Sharif

Peter Kurz

THEMATIC DISCUSSION “THE EMERGING LESSONS FROM COVID-19 ON VULNERABILITY AND SAFETY” (10.45-11.45HRS)

What are we learning about how this pandemic impacts what we need to do to mitigate vulnerability?

Position paper by Dr. Jaideep Gupte, Fellow, IDS, University of Sussex, and GCRF Cities & Sustainable Infrastructure Challenge Leader, UKRI
Discussion leader by Dr. Shipra Narang Suri, Chief Urban Practices Branch, UN-Habitat (moderator)

Global Panel

  • Mayor Ricardo Rio of Braga, Portugal, Treasurer Global Parliament of Mayors
  • Mayor Manuel de Araujo of Quelimane, Mozambique
  • Angela Mwai OIC, Team Lead Human Rights, and Social Inclusion Unit, Urban Practices Branch
  • Dr. Achim Wennmann, Executive Coordinator, Geneva Peacebuilding Platform
  • Yllaylee Das, Manager Global Safer Cities for Girls Programme, Plan International, India
  • Nomusa Shembe, Safer Cities Unit Manager, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa
  • Dr. Barbara Holtmann, Founder FIXED

Ricardo Rio

Manuel de Araujo

Shipra Narang Suri

Jaideep Gupte

Session 2: 14.00-15.30hrs CET

THEMATIC DISCUSSION “USEFUL TOOLS FOR SYSTEMIC AND SUSTAINABLE SAFER CITIES APPROACHES”

We look at the tools from the perspective of the current crisis while enhancing the achievement of long-term goals.

Position paper by Dr. Franz Vanderschueren, Director Urban Safety Programme, Urban Sociology, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile
Discussion leader by Juma Assiago, Specialist-Safer Cities, HR&SIU/Urban Practices Branch, UN-Habitat (moderator)

Global Panel

  • Mayor Steve Benjamin of Columbia, South Carolina, USA and Vice Chair Global Parliament of Mayors
  • Mayor Oscar Escobar of Palmira, Colombia
  • Dr. Elizabeth Johnston, Director General, European Forum for Urban Security (EFUS)
  • Elsa D’Silva, CEO Red Dot Foundation, Founder of Security App
  • Olenka Ochoa Berreteaga, Womenpeacemaker by IPJ-USDiego,UrbanThinkersCampus, Lima, Peru
  • Stefanie Chetty, Director Urban Policy Development and Management, Nat. Department of Cooperative Governance, South Africa
  • Thomas George, Senior Adviser and Chief of Urban UNICEF

 Steve Benjamin

 Óscar Escobar

 Juma Assiago

 Franz Vanderschueren

THURSDAY 28 MAY

Session 3: 14.00-15.00hrs CET

THEMATIC DISCUSSION “INCLUSION, SOCIAL COHESION AND SAFER URBAN ENVIRONMENTS”

Advocacy and outreach on safer cities highlighting and scaling up community voices and actions on safety in partnership with local government.

Position paper by Professor Doris Sommer, Harvard University, USA
Discussion leader by Cecilia Andersson, Specialist/Coordinator Global Public Space Programme UN Habitat
(moderator)

Global Panel

  • Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda of eThekwini, Durban, South Africa, GPM Mayor
  • Deputy Mayor Adham Darawsha of Culture Palermo, Sicily, Italy, GPM Mayor
  • Denise Bax, Head Communication, Cities and Event Unit/Culture Sector UNESCO 
  • Dr. Sipho Sithole (Ph.D.), Research Fellow, University of Johannesburg
  • Rainer Kern, Director UNESCO City of Music Mannheim, advisor Mayor Mannheim
  • Professor Eric Corijn, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium, Cosmopolis, Centre for Urban Research
  • Jordi Pascual, Coordinator Culture UCLG
  • Dr. Ege Yildirim, ICOSMOS Focal Point for the SDGs, Istanbul, Turkey

Mxolisi Kaunda

 Adham Darawsha

 Doris Sommer

 Cecilia Andersson

Session 4: 15.30-17.15hrs CET

THEMATIC DISCUSSION “INTEGRATED BENCHMARKING AND MEASUREMENT TOOLS FOR SAFER CITIES” (15.30-16.30 HRS)

How will COVID-19 impact longitudinal studies? The 50% Violence Reduction Target spearheaded under the framework of the Peace in our Cities Campaign.

Position paper by dr. Robert Muggah, CEO Igarape Institute Brazil and Co-Chair GPM Advisory Committee (moderator)

Global Panel

  • Mayor Marvin Rees, Bristol, United Kingdom, member of GPM Executive Committee
  • Dr. Rachel Locke, Director, Impact: Peace, University of San Diego and co-facilitator of Peace in Our Cities Initiative
  • Dr. Irvin Waller, Emeritus Professor, University of Ottawa
  • Robert Ndugwa, Officer in Charge of the Global Urban Observatory Unit, UN-Habitat
  • Petronella Lehtela, Specialist Urban Safety, City of Helsinki, Finland

Marvin Rees

Robert Muggah

Closing Panel (16.30 – 17.15 hrs)
Next steps towards a workplan Safer Cities Programme and WUF2022

Global Panel

  • Raf Tuts, Director, Global Solutions, UN-Habitat leading discussion and representing Victor Kisob Deputy Executive Director, UN-Habitat
  • Bo Mathiasen, Deputy Director, UNODC
  • Mayor Peter Kurz of Mannheim, Germany, Chair Global Parliament of Mayors
  • Deputy Mayor Mariusz Skiba of Katowice, Poland, GPM Mayor and Host WUF 2022
  • Felix Munger, CEO, Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention

Final Remark and Wrap Up

  • Juma Assiago, Specialist-Safer Cities, HR&SIU/Urban Practices Branch, UN-Habitat

Rapporteur for all sessions
Chrystie Swiney (JD/Ph.D. (ABD)), Attorney Adviser, Legal Scholar Sunwater Institute, and doctoral fellow for the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative

Raf Tuts

Bo Mathiasen

Peter Kurz

Mariusz Skiba