Coordinate the Different Approaches

When designing a programme, safe cities for women partners should look for ways to coordinate approaches in order to save time and resources. Coordinating approaches ensures that partners are working together and learning from each other. Coordinating approaches is also more likely to give way to successful and lasting end results. For example, if the partners are taking an environmental approach (redesigning local parks), a health services approach (increasing access to healthcare for abused elderly women), and a housing approach (subsidized quality housing for women survivors of domestic violence), there should be discussion about what kinds of possible overlaps these approaches might have – could parks that are being redesigned for safety be integrated into subsidized housing projects that are also being designed for safety? Could subsidized housing be designed in a way that improves residents’ safe access to health services? These kinds of considerations ensure that each approach reinforces the positive benefits of the other. If possible, designate someone from among the partners to be solely responsible for coordination (Safe Women Project, 1998).