Addressing Urban Violence through Participatory Research with Youth in Colombia and South Africa
Urban violence disproportionately affects young people from marginalized communities, yet their voices are often excluded from public debates and policy responses. Dominant narratives tend to portray youth either as a threat or as passive recipients of intervention, reinforcing stigma, deepening exclusion, and straining relationships with institutions and police.
This project seeks to challenge those narratives by placing young people at the centre of knowledge production and policy dialogue.
At its heart, this project is about listening to and working with young people to understand and address the root causes of violence, develop more effective and rights-based local security strategies, and strengthen institutional accountability through youth-centred evidence and actionable knowledge.
About the Project
A Participatory Approach to Urban Security
This project aims to tackle urban violence and enhance local responses by co-producing knowledge with young people. We focus on communities affected by poverty, marginalisation, and the presence of gangs or criminal networks in Medellín and Cape Town.
By centring the voices of youth and working alongside local actors, the project seeks to generate practical insights into how cities can become safer and more inclusive - without undermining the rights and wellbeing of their youngest citizens.
Research Questions
Our work is guided by four core questions:
- What are the local dynamics that make young people vulnerable to violence and criminal group influence?
- How do current violence reduction strategies affect youth rights and their exposure to harm?
- What interventions can reduce vulnerability while protecting the rights and wellbeing of youth?
- Which indicators matter to young people when assessing local security policies and prevention programmes—and how can these be used to increase institutional accountability?
Who We Are
We work closely with local institutions, community-based organisations, and young people themselves to shape the research and inform future strategies.
Funding & Support
This project is funded by the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD).
Contact Us
Are you working on youth inclusion, local security, or violence prevention?
We welcome opportunities for collaboration, learning, and exchange.
Contact:
Alexandra Abello-Colak – A.L.Abello-Colak@lse.ac.uk
Gareth A Jones – G.A.Jones@lse.ac.uk