Multilateral agencies and “citizen security” approach in Latin America

Abstract

Multilateral development agencies have played a highly important role in the prevention and reduction of the violence in Latin America, particularly in the shift from a “public security” approach focussed on maintaining public order to a “citizen security” one of prevention and strengthening institutions. While the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has the broadest portfolio of projects and has been the pioneer since the end of the 1990s, the World Bank has financed interventions as part of its general development agenda, and the United Nations has participated in different areas through its various agencies. The interventions include comprehensive plans related to the modernisation of the State, as well as specific strategies aimed at reducing homicides. Although the participation of multilateral agencies is significant, diverse challenges to implementation remain, including monitoring and evaluation.

Keywords

• multilateral agencies
• citizen security
• monitoring and evaluation
• IBD
• World Bank
• UN