Our Mission

Despite impressive economic growth rates in recent years, Latin America and the Caribbean have yet to successfully address a significant concern that affects everyday life: the need for much improved citizen security.

A recent survey found that although four out of five Latin Americans are satisfied with their homes, around 60 percent said they felt unsafe walking the streets at night. Homicide rates have soared in some countries. Citizens want safer streets and neighborhoods.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life by bringing about greater levels of public safety, stressing violence prevention through comprehensive and integrated approaches, and the protection of human rights. Often this involves using knowledge as a crime-fighting tool.

The IDB was the first multilateral financial institution to offer major financing for citizen security – a $57 million loan approved in 1998 to Colombia. Since then the Bank has approved an additional 12 loans to support citizen security in 11 other countries for a total of $314 million. The IDB has also supported more than 40 technical cooperation grants for $14 million. Some countries and municipalities have dramatically improved citizen security with IDB assistance despite seemingly impossible odds. More will be able to do with persistence, long-term investments and expertise.

Bank Instruments

• Investment and policy-based loans
• Grants to strengthen operations and generate knowledge
• Technical assistance, best practices guidance and evaluation systems
• Framework for regional policy dialogue
• South-South cooperation platform

 Our four main areas of action are the following: institutional strengthening, social and situational prevention, preventive police, and judiciary and rehabilitation.