Mexico Crime and Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) Quarterly Report (February-March 2012)

The program aims to strengthen the capacity of the Government of Mexico (GOM) to prevent and reduce crime and violence. CVPP is being implemented by Tetra Tech ARD under Contract No. AID-523-TO-12-00001. The program has established a close working relationship with key GOM counterparts, including the Pillar IV Working Group and its technical secretariat, the Centro Nacional de Prevención del Delito y la Participación Ciudadana (CNPDPC). CVPP has also introduced the program to key counterparts in the three target cities, representing the three levels of government: federal, state, and local. CVPP has initiated coordination efforts with other USAID implementation partners working in the program target cities, including MSI Justice and Security Program, National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the International Youth Foundation (IYF). Additionally, CVPP has made significant progress in the recruitment of program staff in Mexico City and in the three regional offices, and established a temporary office in Mexico City. In the programmatic area, CVPP has initiated support to the CNPDPC to draft the by-laws (Reglamento) to the General Law for the Social Prevention of Crime and Violence (Ley General para la Prevención Social de la Violencia y la Delincuencia). CVPP has also selected two organizations to develop the Crime Prevention Master Plans for the nine target communities and provided conceptual guidance for the development of a uniform methodology in the nine communities in close coordination with the CNPDPC. CVPP has initiated contacts with private sector organizations such as CEMEX, Prudential, Walmart US, the MetLife Foundation in Mexico, and FEMSA to promote public-private partnerships in the nine target communities. CVPP has also initiated contact with all three target municipalities to start the application of the International City Management Association's (ICMA) institutional capacity assessment tool (ICAPI) in mid-April. The program has achieved several results during the eight-week period of this report, including establishing a close working relationship with key GOM counterparts, introducing the program to key counterparts in the three target cities, initiating coordination efforts with other USAID implementation partners, submitting the first program deliverables, making significant progress in the recruitment of program staff, and developing the foundations for the program's financial management system and the Monitoring and Evaluation System. CVPP will finalize the start-up phase and will firmly engage in the implementation effort in all 10 activities under both IR1 and IR2 during the next quarter of the program. The program will continue to work closely with the GOM and other stakeholders to achieve its objectives and make a positive impact in reducing crime and violence in Mexico. CVPP has established a strong foundation for its operations, with a core team of senior staff in place and a temporary office established in Mexico City. The program has also made significant progress in the recruitment of program staff in Mexico City and in the three regional offices. CVPP will continue to build on this foundation and work towards achieving its objectives in the coming quarters. The program's financial management system and Monitoring and Evaluation System are being developed, and CVPP will continue to work on these systems to ensure that they are effective and efficient. CVPP will also continue to work closely with the GOM and other stakeholders to ensure that the program is aligned with the GOM's priorities and objectives. CVPP has initiated support to the CNPDPC to draft the by-laws (Reglamento) to the General Law for the Social Prevention of Crime and Violence (Ley General para la Prevención Social de la Violencia y la Delincuencia). This is an important step towards strengthening the GOM's capacity to prevent and reduce crime and violence. CVPP will continue to work closely with the CNPDPC to ensure that the by-laws are developed in a timely and effective manner. CVPP has also initiated contacts with private sector organizations to promote public-private partnerships in the nine target communities. This is an important step towards leveraging resources and expertise from the private sector to support the program's objectives. CVPP will continue to work closely with these organizations to ensure that they are engaged and committed to supporting the program's objectives. In conclusion, CVPP has made significant progress in the first quarter of the program, establishing a close working relationship with key GOM counterparts, introducing the program to key counterparts in the three target cities, initiating coordination efforts with other USAID implementation partners, submitting the first program deliverables, making significant progress in the recruitment of program staff, and developing the foundations for the program's financial management system and the Monitoring and Evaluation System. CVPP will continue to build on this foundation and work towards achieving its objectives in the coming quarters.