An annual study on Medellin released by Como Vamos Medellin on Tuesday found that deteriorating security conditions and violence affected the quality of life of the central Colombian city’s residents in 2009.
The 2009 study evaluates Medellin’s education, health, security, employment, housing, public services, environment, public spaces, transport, and public financing, in order to paint a picture of the overall quality of life for Medellin residents.
The report found that homicides increased by 107% and property crimes (robberies, vandalism, etc) by 23.7% in Colombia’s second largest city in 2009.
The report also highlighted Medellin’s need to reduce its mortality rate for children with acute respiratory diseases, which rose from 19.2 to 24.7 deaths per 100,000 births. A need to improve the city’s housing plans for its lowest-income families was also highlighted, after a registered increase in the shortage of available units for “Strata 1” in 2009.
In the employment sector, the study found that the creation of 108,000 formal jobs in Medellin was offset by large losses in the informal sector, resulting in an unemployment rate of 15.7%, up from 2008.
Some positive improvements noted in the report include the fact that not a single minor died in 2009 from malnourishment, successful uses of public financing to allow for social investments, and continued advancement in upgrading public transport vehicles.
The study analyzed the quality of life by neighborhood, with El Poblado and Laureles found to be the two best places to live, despite the fact that both included in the list of areas with the highest concentration of vehicular, motorcycle, residential and personal thefts.
The neighborhoods of Popular, Santa Cruz, Manrique, Villa Hermosa, and San Javier were found to be the areas with the lowest qualities of life, according to the study.
To view the full report, click here.
