Public authorities should work to ensure that the neighbourhoods that young people live in are safe, and that support systems are in place for the victims and perpetrators of violence.

What is the situation?      

Young people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods:

  • Are often the victims and perpetrators of violence, both inside and outside the home.
  • Experience prejudice and discrimination that results from a climate of fear associated with violent crime in their neighbourhoods.

What should public authorities do?

  • Provide opportunities for dialogue with young people living in disadvantaged communities to identify the causes of violence and to agree strategies to deal with violence. These opportunities should also include youth representatives; national, regional and local authorities; police, justice and probation services; and youth organisations and youth workers.
  • Introduce formal and non-formal education programmes to deal with bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based violence, and other forms of violence.
  • Provide support programmes to aid the recovery of young victims of violence and provide information through youth-friendly communications.
  • Encourage victims to report violence against them, including gender-based violence, to the police.  Make sure that victims of violence have access to services that can guarantee their safety and the safety of their families, including, if necessary, re-housing, counselling and financial support.
  • Ensure that members of police forces, the legal profession and the staff of other relevant public bodies involved in dealing with violence in disadvantaged neighbourhoods are trained in gender-sensitive human rights.
  • Encourage police officers to protect young people living in disadvantaged communities from violence. Clear and effective sanctions should be in place for not doing so.
  • Introduce initiatives to support the rehabilitation and social re-integration of those young people who commit acts of violence and other young offenders. Set up initiatives to prevent hate-speech and hate-crimes.

Examples from the Enter! Project

In Sweden, Megafonen worked with young people to create a magazine platform where young people aged 16-25 from the suburbs of Stockholm could discuss issues such as racism, violence and discrimination. During the project 6 young people were hired and paid for their work by the local council and 12 young people developed their competences in journalism through participation in a training course. The magazine which was produced by young people was distributed to over 3,000 young people in suburbs of Stockholm and helped raise young peoples’ knowledge and awareness of their rights, in particular about discrimination, violence, employment, education, participation and housing.

In Denmark Ungdommens Rode Kors (The Red Cross Youth) trained youth mediators and detached (street-based) youth workers to prevent crime and support young people to access opportunities available to them in the city of Copenhagen.