The Socio-Political Context of Gang and Gender-Based Violence in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala

• In Event: Mujer y violencia en América Latina (parte I)

Abstract

Central America’s Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala) is recognized as one of the most dangerous regions in the world in which gang, state sponsored, and gender-based violence (GBV) are significant drivers of societal violence. Generally speaking, however, there is a limited and distorted understanding of the sociopolitical context within which violence occurs. This session will unpack a number of critical dimensions of the problem of violence including: the politicized nature of gang, state-sponsored, and gender-based violence; the multiple and overlapping factors that undermine the ability and willingness of governments to effectively address violence, and to protect the public; forced internal displacement and governments’ responses to it; and the social, cultural and economic variables that typically mitigate against internal relocation as a strategy for addressing risk.

Author

• Thomas J Boerman