PROJECT LAUNCHED FOR CRIME AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

SAN SALVADOR–With the goal of increasing the security of Salvadorans, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security launched USAID’s Crime and Violence Prevention Project. This project directly supports the Partnership for Growth agreement between the U.S. and Salvadoran governments to increase security for Salvadoran citizens.

USAID will invest a total of $24.8 million over a five-year period (March 2013 to March 2018) to help reduce crime in high-crime municipalities. The project will provide technical assistance and training to the Salvadoran Government for implementing the National Strategy for Violence Prevention in 35 municipalities, and establishing and strengthening municipal prevention observatories (the project will establish a minimum of 15 new observatories and strengthen a minimum of 10 existing observatories).

The project will also develop and strengthen Municipal Prevention Councils in 20 high-risk municipalities and support prevention initiatives in 115 communities.

# # #