Agenda Item: Dismantling the Social Legitimacy of Criminal Networks Functioning as Shadow Economies and Pseudo-Governance Structures in Marginalized Urban Settlements

In many marginalized urban settlements, criminal networks no longer operate only as illegal groups functioning as parallel systems of power. By providing informal employment, protection, and basic services, these networks build social legitimacy, gradually replacing state authority and trapping communities in cycles of poverty, violence, and dependency.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime recognizes that dismantling these structures requires more than law enforcement alone. Sustainable solutions demand strengthening state presence, expanding economic opportunities, restoring public trust in institutions, and addressing the root causes that allow criminal groups to present themselves as providers and protectors.

If criminal networks continue to fill governance and economic gaps, they will further entrench instability and weaken the rule of law. Breaking this cycle is not only a security priority, but it is essential for sustainable development, social justice, and lasting peace.