African forum appoints Esther Passaris

Woman Rep Esther Passaris (pictured) has been appointed to the Africa Forum for Urban Safety to enhance the role and capacity of local governments in Africa to deliver urban safety for all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable.

As the new executive member of the Political Bureau of the forum, Passaris is expected to provide guidance and advocate for the forum's objectives in East Africa and beyond.

The Africa Forum for Urban Safety was created to support the continent's cities and local governments to develop and implement urban safety and crime prevention policies and programmes.

The policies are built on UN-Habitat’s Safer Cities practices in Africa and across the world.

Passaris, currently in Durban, South Africa, to formally accept her designation, described the appointment as “an honor and a great opportunity to contribute towards making African cities safe for women and girls”.

She is most famous for the Adopt-a-Light project, which was started in 2002 to light up Nairobi, then nicknamed “Nairobbery”.

The muti-million-dollar project was well received in slums where a reduction in crime incidence was noted.