SANTIAGO, Chile – Chile is a nation known for its robust economy which has experienced significant economic growth in recent decades. This prosperity is underpinned by strategic trade partnerships and a favorable business climate. However, this economic success is tempered by a persistent challenge, rising crime rates – including organized crime – which threaten to undermine social stability and hinder the nation’s progress.
As part of its obligations as a signatory to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), Chile is undertaking an assessment of its implementation of the Convention and its Protocols. In December 2022, Chile also approved its National Policy against Organized Crime, which aims to reduce organized crime activities by dismantling criminal gangs and organizations and weaken their financial and economic power. The involvement of civil society in these efforts is essential.
After one and a half years of planning and two days of constructive discussions between representatives of civil society, the Chilean government and the municipalities have concluded, and it’s now the turn of participants to present their findings.
Valentina Nuñez Ramos, project coordinator of the Association of Municipalities of Chile (AMUCH), Emilia Rioseco Quadri, Researcher at the Centro de Estudios en Seguridad Ciudadana of the University of Chile, Catalina Valdés, a research assistant with “Fundación Chile 21 and Alba Zambrano, director of the department of psychology at the University of Frontera, take the floor to share their groups’ proposed solutions for addressing Chile’s growing insecurities. The solutions are aimed at addressing four priorities identified by all stakeholders (the government, local municipalities and civil society) in the months prior to the event, focusing on legislative participation, new technologies and cybercrime, the development of human capital and prevention of organized crime.
These issues are widely shared among the Chilean community. While policies are in place to combat transnational organized crime, their development and practical implementation often miss out on the involvement of civil society. Local communities require increased support due to the limited capacities of local governments and the inadequate legislative frameworks for addressing organized crime at the national level. At municipal level, local government leaders would benefit from a more coordinated approach with civil society and academic institutions.
To address the issues, participants presented four comprehensive solutions, each addressing one priority.
These were: (i) a comprehensive and differentiated citizenship education that target the general population, with the view to promote education on legislation; (ii) training and awareness-raising for municipalities on human capital development, considering their territorial particularities, with the aim of strengthening the understanding for evidence-based decision-making; (iii) the creation of an observatory of information on the prevention of organized crime from the communities; and (iv) the creation of a municipal platform of social data for violence and crime prevention and insecurity perceptions.
María José Torres Macho, the UN Resident Coordinator in Chile shares:
“In Chile, citizens have determined that the main concern at the moment, in the country is citizen security. This presents a strategic opportunity to utilize the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) to facilitate collaboration between Chilean communities, civil society, and the State in the implementation of tangible crime prevention measures.”
Both non-governmental stakeholders and the government – though they bring distinct approaches and experiences – share a common goal, the wellbeing of all Chilean citizens.
UNODC helps harmonize these perspectives and leverages the strengths of both sides including through supporting the effective implementation of the UNTOC and the Chilean National Policy against Organized Crime.
Adopted in 2000, UNTOC provides a global legal framework for combating organized crime. The Convention and its Protocols empower states to update their laws to better investigate and prosecute criminal organizations. However, its provisions must translate into tangible benefits for victims, and the UNTOC Review Mechanism, established in 2018, emphasizes the importance of collaboration between civil society and governments.
Despite challenges, the Chilean government is making commendable efforts: a national policy to coordinate anti-organized crime measures was created in 2022 with support from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the review process of the UNTOC is progressing.
“We need to collect data to reduce organized crime in Chile and design solutions that are implementable and can be monitored, said Gayle Mac Lean Carrasco, director justice and prevention unit, Paz Ciudadana Foundation. “There is no need to reinvent the wheel, we should leverage the tools and good practices of UNODC and the United Nations.”
Chile’s Voluntary Pilot Initiative (VPI), a unique collaborative space involving government, local municipalities and civil society, is a significant step forward in implementing UNTOC and the Chilean National Policy against Organized Crime.
The VPI has facilitated coordination among civil society and established a channel for communication with the government and municipalities, enabling the exchange of recommendations, concerns, and achievements. It has also empowered the government to prioritize actions based on community needs.
The Chilean Civil Society Alliance, a direct outcome of the VPI, is a group dedicated to maintaining an active dialogue with the government and municipalities in monitoring the implementation of agreed-upon commitments.
With the launch of this VPI, Chile becomes the first country in South America to embark on this journey, setting a powerful example for the region, and demonstrating the potential of government-civil society collaboration.
As a symbol of this partnership, a signing ceremony was held to launch the initiative at the headquarters of the AMUCH in Santiago, symbolizing the bond between these three forces working constructively for a safer and more prosperous Chile.
