SAFE COMMUNITY CHALLENGES AND SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY; CASE STUDY IN IRAN

Abstract

Despite the growing trend of the safe community movement in the world, very limited evidences have addressed its challenges and sustainability factors. This study aimed to qualitatively investigate the safe community movement in Iran based on the experts' opinion. Using qualitative approach, an open-ended goal-driven questionnaire was used for data collection filled by countrywide safe community experts (n=8) in 2016. Moreover, 2 in-depth interviews were done. Study participants were selected using cherry picking method, firstly, and then we used snowball method to identify the SC experts in the country. Content analysis method was used for themes extraction. It was discussed that beside the increasing tendency to join the safe communities' network, communities must pay more on the main goal of safety promotion. Lack of national attitude, unclear inter-sectoral collaborations, high turnover of city managers and weak community participation were raised as safe community challenges in Iran. Moreover, long-term planning, country-wide policymaking and improving public participation were discussed as the main sustainability factors of a safe community. Despite the growing trend of SC movement in Iran, like other developing countries, it was faced with a chain of challenges including weak inter-sectoral collaboration, funding problems, political support and other factor. The results provide useful information for other countries, especially Low and Middle income countries, to adapt their local policies to effective safe community movement leading.