Youth crime is becoming an increasing challenge in the region, hindering sustainable development and economic growth. In this context, CariSECURE 2.0 was launched in Antigua and Barbuda under the United States Government's Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). The announcement coincided with the Eighth Meeting of the OECS Council Ministers of Human and Social Development, and the Eighth Meeting of the OECS Council of Ministers- Education.

Also launched at the April 18th event in Antigua and Barbuda was another CBSI Project, Opportunities to Advance and Support Youth for Success (OASYS) Project, to be implemented by the OECS Commission. Each Project is aimed at stemming the rise in youth involvement in crime in the Eastern Caribbean. 

Speaking at the launch Regional Representative USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Mervyn Farroe, gave an overview of the two ground-breaking projects, emphasizing the potential to transform the lives of at-risk youth in the region.

"USAID is committed to working with the government and people of Antigua and Barbuda to ensure that this country’s youth have the resources to reach their full potential and contribute positively to society. With our partners, we have strategically designed two programs to respond to the development priorities and challenges that Antigua and Barbuda is facing today.”

CariSECURE 2.0, a program implemented by the United Nations Development Program and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is a collaboration with the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Public Safety, Immigration and Labour. The project team will work with various agencies in Antigua and Barbuda to improve their capacity to identify, investigate, and prosecute cases of human trafficking. This project will also support policies and interventions that protect vulnerable populations, reduce crimes that exploit and dehumanise victims for profit, and hold perpetrators responsible. 

UNDP Regional Representative a.i, Ugo Blanco, highlighted the program's potential impact stating, “CariSECURE 2.0 builds on the work of its predecessor to use data to positively support Governments reduce incidences of trafficking in persons as well as reduce youth crime. With data, decision-makers are better able to inform strategies that will reduce incidences of trafficking in persons, crime and protect our youth.” Mr Blanco expressed his gratitude to the U.S. Government for its valuable support in tackling youth crime in the region.

***

CariSECURE 2.0 - Strengthening Evidence Based Decision Making for Citizen Security in the Caribbean, is a component of USAID’s Youth Empowerment Services (YES) project and is made possible by the support the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the technical assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The goal of the CariSECURE project is to improve youth crime and violence policy-making and programming in the Southern and Eastern Caribbean through the use of quality, comparable and reliable national citizen security information.