Preventive strategies for youths in El Salvador

The COAV Cities Project, or the Children in Organized Armed Violence working group, based in Zacatecoluca, El Salvador, proposes new strategies to prevent youth involvement with crimes. Creating opportunities and communitarian programs, strengthening family ties and supporting the creation of playing fields and cultural and sports activities are among the group’s policies for the prevention of adolescents involvement with armed violence.

Coordinated by Marlon Carranza, of the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas, and Ricardo Montoya of the Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho, the group formulated strategies for public policies based on the risks and influences mentioned in the book Neither War nor Peace, by Luke Dowdney, which studied youth in organized armed violence in ten cities.

The document is comprised of 12 strategies related to each point discussed at the work group meetings. In this interview, Carranza speaks about the process and the next steps of the Cities-COAV project in El Salvador

What were the goals of the COAV working group?

Our goals were to create opportunities for adolescents at risk for involvement with armed violence; to create mechanisms to reduce the cooptation by criminals; to foster actions to help reducing the violence inflicted by the State; to strengthen family bonds; to involve families in programs that help minimize the impact caused by members involved with gangs; to foster and promote projects that detect the problem and deter the youths; to reduce or stem influences outside family and education spheres; to reduce the gangs’ power to a minimum; to create cultural spaces for the adolescents to become agents of their own life story; and finally, to implement strategies to reduce the poor living conditions children and youths have in the cities and avoid their being recruited by gangs.

Which were the biggest challenges in the process?

The main difficulty was the fact that the process had started in January, in the middle of a political campaign for congressional representatives and mayors and the elections were in March. In Zacatecoluca we managed to meet with the Comité  Interinstitutional de Prevención de la Violencia which already existed and was coordinated by the Social Project Office of  City Hall. However, the political party with which we began the discussion was defeated and communication with the new local government was cut off.

Were there any surprises during the process or with the results?

The support of the National Civil Police Force (NCPF) was a surprise. For example, without the support of the local government that called the meetings, the NCPF took over this responsibility, began participating and made valuable contributions to all discussions. In addition, on some occasions we counted on influential police leaders who made communication among all participants flow easily.

Another big surprise was that at the end of both the discussion and the creation of the public policies to prevent gang-related violence, the new mayor guaranteed the committee his continued support.

How do you propose to continue mobilizing stakeholders in the process?

Strengthening the Comité Interinstitucional para la Prevención de la Violência, will be of extreme importance. Once this is being done, in addition to having the participation of the main actors in the process, we will have a group that is in agreement with the COAV project and understands its fundamental goals and theories. I also believe that the possibility of the project be implemented already mobilizes interested actors.

What are the next steps?

The most important step is to work closer to the local government. We already have the mayor’s commitment but we need someone else appointed by the government, preferably a member of the municipal council to take part in the committee.  Then there should be an official political event to formally present the implementation process.

Anything you would like to add?

Zacatecoluca has been one of the most violent cities in El Salvador for many years. The COAV Cities project is a response to a massacre allegedly carried out by a member of the gang “Barrio 18”. The possibility of adopting preventive strategies for adolescents at risk will demonstrate that in the long run, these strategies are more effective than repressive and controlling measures. This is undoubtedly the hope of the project participants and supporters. Participating institutions and actors must acknowledge how important it is for these programs be implemented in extremely vulnerable areas where they can have the greatest impact.

Translated by Cecilia Pessoa Piquet

From Comunidad Segura:

From the 10 country study "Neither War nor Peace": Chapter on El Salvador

Niterói city hall handed proposals for children at risk of gun violence

Kids, guns and urban violence seminar held in Rio

Read Further:

Policy Paper Zacatecoluca (In Spanish)

Chapter on El Salvador from the 10 Country Study "Neither War nor Peace"

More on the COAV Cities Project is at www.coav.org.br