Security and Humanitarian Action in Brazil's Favelas

A number of countries are exploring new approaches to securing areas affected by chronic insecurity and organized violence. While global attention has focused on traditional armed conflicts and civil wars in places such as Afghanistan and Libya, the reality is that 88% of lethal violence occurs in situations other than war. This is why national and municipal authorities throughout South America are undertaking multi-spectrum interventions designed to clear, hold, build, and shape favelas, shanty-towns, and townships in urban centres affected by chronic violence.

Many of these activities have implications for enhancing and scaling-up humanitarian and security practices at home, regionally, and internationally. Robert Muggah discusses this new reality by focusing on the path-breaking interventions that the Brazilian government has launched in 18 favelas to promote "pacification" in Rio. In doing so, he considers implications for International Committee of the Red Cross and for wider humanitarian action.