UNITY: Preventing Violence within the Urban Context

Violence is preventable, not inevitable. Rooted in a complex set of underlying social and economic factors, violence is often a predictable behavior in unsafe urban environments where people live. Despite the complexity of violence, cities have employed approaches that respond to the problem after-the-fact. Thus, it is time to consider a new approach, in which broad-based strategies and multi-sectoral collaboration aim to prevent violence before it occurs. UNITY: Preventing Violence within the Urban Context presents a national initiative to support cities in preventing violence through the development of strategies, tools, and capacity to address the complex underlying contributors of violence. Further, this presentation will introduce the UNITY RoadMap a comprehensive framework for preventing violence.

Many cities do not have a collaborative plan or a clear strategy for preventing violence. UNITY (Urban Networks to Increase Thriving Youth) is designed to support cities to develop, implement, and/or evaluate strategic efforts to prevent violence, through consultations, trainings and a peer city network in which cities can share with and learn from each other. Further, to maximize existing resources and promote sustainability, UNITY proposes a paradigm shift – from not only programs to programs, policies and practices based on a comprehensive strategy. This strategy is highlighted in the UNITY RoadMap, a comprehensive framework, which delineates the WHO (partnerships), WHAT (prevention) and HOW (strategy) of preventing violence. The RoadMap includes protocols for data and evaluation; coalition building tools; links to effective programs, policies, and organizational practices; and guidelines for developing a strategic plan.