The Peacebuilding and Inclusive Local Development PBILD joint programme is a United Nations initiative in South Serbia. PBILD is implemented by six UN Agencies working in partnership in the Pcinjski and Jablanicki districts: UNDP, UN-HABITAT, UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO and IOM. PBILD will undertake a range of activities aimed at strengthening capacity for peace and development, facilitating economic development and reducing unemployment, and improving public services for all social groups. At the central level, lead partner of the PBILD is the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self Government. At the local level, PBILD is implemented in partnership with the 11 municipalities of Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane, Vlasotince, Medvedja, Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo, Surdulica, Trgoviste and Vladicin Han, and the two cities of Vranje and Leskovac.

Two joint programmes comprise PBILD. One of them is the joint programme “Promoting peace building in South Serbia” funded by the Spanish MDG Achievement Fund. The main outcome of the programme Promoting Peace Building in South Serbia is increased community cohesion and human capital, in order for communities in south Serbia to be stronger, more integrated and better able to reduce inter-ethnic tensions and conflict risk. As one of the UN partner agencies working together on PBILD, UN-HABITAT will co-operate with the 13 local authorities to contribute to the achievement of this outcome through strengthening capacities of local administrations, institutions and civil society to engage in conflict/violence prevention planning through participation, dialogue and partnership for improved safety, and integrating safety concerns within development efforts, fostering long term stability, reintegration and good governance.

UN-HABITAT will adapt the methodology of its Safer Cities Global Programme (www.unhabitat.org/safer cities), already successfully used in other municipalities of Serbia in the frame of the SIRP Programme (http://www.unhabitat.org.rs/programmes/sirp/safer_cities.htm) , to provide a structured process of capacity building measures to support municipal administrations and civil society partners. This will help them develop and upgrade strategies and plans, through participation and partnership building (including with police), which will address issues related to safety, conflict and security concerns at local level and integrate them within the development efforts, fostering social cohesion, and conflict management capacities. Vulnerable members of the communities, as well as women, youth and ethnic minorities will be involved from the beginning in the planning process for the development of safety strategies and action plans and benefit of capacity building activities. These partnerships and coalition groups should become formal part of the municipal structures by the end of the programme. Small grants will support the implementation of key relevant pilot initiatives through partnerships, as identified by the local communities, targeting the community as a whole, including women, youth, minorities and vulnerable groups.

In the frame of the programme Promoting Peace Building in South Serbia and specifically Output 1.3 aimed at strengthening capacities of local self-governments LSGs, institutions and civil society to engage on conflict/violence prevention planning through participation, dialogue and partnerships for improved safety in municipalities’,

UN-HABITAT’s activities will aim at achieving the following results:

A) Baseline safety diagnosis carried out in the 13 cities/municipalities;
B)LSGs engaged in participatory planning processes and developed institutional mechanisms, instruments and tools to address community safety, conflict and violence prevention and integration;
C) partnerships established among key local actors, LSGs, Safety boards, local police, CSWs and CSOs, to improve community safety and interethnic dialogue through joint actions.