{"id":158,"date":"2011-03-17T11:24:29","date_gmt":"2011-03-17T10:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/interpeace2026.wpenginepowered.com\/2011\/03\/17\/interpeace-launches-12-strategies-for-youth-and-youth-gang-violence-prevention-for-guatemala\/"},"modified":"2015-07-31T16:02:00","modified_gmt":"2015-07-31T14:02:00","slug":"interpeace-launches-12-strategies-for-youth-and-youth-gang-violence-prevention-for-guatemala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.interpeace.org\/fr\/2011\/03\/interpeace-launches-12-strategies-for-youth-and-youth-gang-violence-prevention-for-guatemala\/","title":{"rendered":"Interpeace Launches '12 Strategies' for Youth and Youth Gang Violence Prevention for Guatemala"},"content":{"rendered":"

In response to the urgent need for prevention policies to address youth and youth gang related violence in Central America, Interpeace has released the document \u201812 strategies' for Guatemala, the first report in a series of policy proposals that will cover the region.<\/p>\n

Central America is now considered the most dangerous place in the world. Young people are most at risk from violence either as victims or perpetrators. There is now an urgent need for holistic and inclusive policies to address this pressing issue.<\/p>\n

In Guatemala alone, over an 11 month period last year, 433 children under the age of 17 suffered violent deaths.\u00a0 3,337 young people between the ages of 28-35 also died due to violence.<\/p>\n

The first in a series of preventative policy proposals to cover the region, this document marks the culmination of a multi-sector dialogue process in which more than 200 representatives from 37 institutions, 59 organizations and 35 civil society and youth organizations took part. The majority of the dialogue process took place between October 2009 and September 2010 and was facilitated by Interpeace.<\/p>\n

Download the full report Spanish<\/a><\/p>\n

The presentation of the report, held in Guatemala, was attended by over 400 people, including representatives of organizations involved in the process. During the event an emotional tribute was made to all those young people who were involved in the dialogue process that contributed to the development of these recommendations, but who have since lost their lives.<\/p>\n

A Government representative who received the report stressed the importance of violence prevention.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognize that youth related violence is a major problem in our country, and we\u2019re going to take this document very seriously. We understand this is a great contribution to the Vice-Ministry, as it is this institution that is responsible for prevention\u201d
\nstated Mrs. Lorena Guerra, Deputy Minister for Community Support.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cFor Guatemala, a country where over 70% of the population is under the age of 30, violence affecting youth as victims and perpetrators is a priority issue. Youth related violence is more than simply a question of public security. It is the result of social, public, political and economic problems that run deep within society,\u2019\u2019 explains Isabel Aguilar, Interpeace Director of the Regional Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Programme.<\/p>\n

The search for solutions to the problem must be based on a holistic approach that addresses the factors that contribute to violence and, in turn, promotes strategies that foster the welfare and development of adolescents and youth. The responses to the problem of youth related violence have been largely reactive and repressive, and are not proving effective as they do not address the structural causes of the problem.<\/p>\n

A traditional approach to addressing youth and adolescent related violence has been to take a repressive \u2018mano dura\u2019 approach. Isabel adds \u2018\u2019Violence breeds violence\u2019\u2019, which rings true as this approach includes actions that violate human rights, including:<\/p>\n