Instituto Sou da Paz is a non-governmental organization* that has worked for over 25 years to reduce levels of violence in Brazil. Our mission is to contribute to putting into practice public policies for security and violence prevention that are efficient and guided by the values of democracy, social justice and human rights.
Violence has multiple causes and manifests itself in many ways. Therefore, there is no single solution; rather, efforts need to respect the specific characteristics of each problem. Starting with diagnoses that allow us to gain deep knowledge of the dynamics of violence, Sou da Paz defends and implements a systemic public safety model – one that includes actions to prevent incidents but also suggests what needs to be done by the public safety and criminal justice systems to respond to these cases.
Sou da Paz's working method consists of:
- Knowledge: Identifying the dynamics of violence, carrying out diagnoses on causes, circumstances, actors and impacts, and analyzing public security statistics.
- Innovation: Creating and implementing viable and efficient solutions; and advising governmental instances in their implementation.
- Mobilization: Monitoring public policies and legislative proposals, participating in forums where policies are developed, and informing public opinion through knowledge sharing. Our activities emphasize joint efforts with other civil society organizations, government officials and public security specialists, which, we believe, strengthen our efforts and help us achieve more meaningful results.
Strategic objectives 2024 - 2028
To reduce risk factors for homicide in Brazil, especially those affecting the black population, including:
- Combating homicide impunity
- Address racial bias in public security
- Strengthening the control of guns and ammunition
- Promoting school violence prevention
To engage society in defending preventive evidence-based public security policies, including:
- Promoting civil society engagement
- Supporting the professionalization of the police
- Strengthening successful security policies
* Sou da Paz has the title of OSCIP (Civil Society Organization for the Public Interest), granted by Brazil's Ministry of Justice.
