Aims to improve design of policies and the effectiveness of the National Police, with major focus on preventing violence against women

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $20 million loan for Paraguay that aims to bring down the crime rate in high-violence areas, particularly in Asuncion and the Departamento Central, and includes a major component on preventing violence against women. 

The Integrated Citizen Safety Management Program aims to raise the effectiveness of the National Police in crime prevention and investigation, reduce violence against women within households and cut crime among youths. 

“Paraguay will enjoy a major boost in quality with the incorporation of research tools and strategies and intelligent prevention of crime, which have proved to effective in several countries worldwide and in the region in lowering crime rates,” said Jorge Srur, IDB project team leader. 

Among other things the program will finance a new crime research laboratory with state of the art equipment, including new DNA technology. Around 1,000 police investigators are to be trained. 

It will also be used to improve care of abused women at police stations, support a toll-free emergency hotline, raise awareness about this violence and prevent the repeating of criminal behaviors. 

The program is expected to help reduce violent crimes such as robbery, gender violence within families and homicide, and crime among young people. 

The IDB loan is over 25 years, with a grace period of four years and nine months and an interest rate linked to the Libor.