WOLA: Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas
22 Feb 2005 | News

Central American Youth Gangs Report

WOLA hosted a conference on Feb. 23rd with three D.C. organizations on local initiatives and new research on gang violence.

Voices From the Field: Local Initiatives and New Research on Central American
Youth Gang Violence

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Voces de la experiencia: Iniciativas locales y estudios nuevos sobre la violencia juvenil en las maras centroamericanas
(Traducción de la conferencia en español será disponible)

 

February 2, 2005

 Dear Colleague,

We write to invite you to attend a conference on the problem of Central American youth gang violence to be held in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, February 23, 2005.  Entitled “Voices from the Field: Local Initiatives and New Research on Youth Gang Violence in Central America” the conference will feature diverse speakers that work on prevention and rehabilitation initiatives with young people in Central America and other parts of the Americas, as well as present research both from Latin America and from the United States on ways to address the problem of youth gang violence.  Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights Rapporteur on Children’s Rights, will deliver a keynote address as will Dr. Malcolm Klein, of the University of Southern California. 

The conference is organized by a coalition of organizations interested in the problem of Central American youth gang violence and in developing appropriate responses to it.  The sponsoring organizations are the Inter-American Coalition for the Prevention of Violence and the host of its Secretariat the Pan American Health Organization, the Due Process of Law Foundation, and the Washington Office on Latin America. 

A tentative agenda is below.  The conference will be held on Wednesday, February 23rd, from 8:45 AM to 5:30 PM at the Pan American Health Organization, 525 23rd St, NW in Washington D.C (Metro:  Foggy Bottom).  In order to facilitate entry to the conference, you will need to confirm your attendance with Ms. Maria Kegel, (email: kegelmar@paho.org  telephone:  1-202-974-3575). 

This is an important and timely conference.  Youth gangs present a challenge to public health, security, and development throughout the Americas. Central American countries face particular challenges in fashioning responses that deal with these issues while maintaining respect for human rights and the rule of law.  Youth gangs have emerged in response to the social and economic situation of young people in the region and programs of prevention and rehabilitation need to be crafted taking into account these realities.  This is the first of a series of activities we are currently developing on this critical issue.

 We look forward to seeing you on February 23rd. 

Lainie Reisman
Inter-American Coalition for the Prevention of Violence

 [1] The Inter-American Coalition for the Prevention of Violence is a group of  development agencies including the Inter-American Development Bank, Organization of American States, Pan American Health Organization, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, United States Agency for International Development, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Bank. 

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VOICES FROM THE FIELD:
Local Initiatives and New Research on Central American
Youth Gang Violence

February 23, 2005 –  PAHO Conference Room A  

8:45am              Registration 

9:00am              Welcome:  PAHO Representative 

9:15am              Opening Remarks:  Lainie Reisman, Inter-American Coalition for the Prevention of Violence 

9:30am              Keynote Address:  Prof Malcolm Klein, Emeritus Professor University of Southern California 
 

10:15am            Panel 1 – Promising Local Initiatives in Central America (20 minutes/speaker):   

          El Salvador – Alex Sanchez and Eduardo Linares, Homies Unidos

          GuatemalaEmilio Goubaud, Alliance for the Prevention of Crime

          HondurasErnesto Bardales, Jovenes Hondureños Adelante, Juntos Avancemos

          NicaraguaComisionado Mayor Hamyn Gurdian, National Police Youth Unit 
 

11:45am            Comments and Discussion on Promising Initiatives  
 

12:15pm            Panel 2 – International Initiatives (5 minutes/speaker): 

          Due Process of Law FoundationMargaret Popkin

           Inter-American Development BankJuana Salazar

           Pan American Health OrganizationAlberto Concha-Eastman/ Matilde Maddaleno

           Washington Office on Latin AmericaGeoff Thale

           Other OrganizationsTo be determined 
 

1:00pm              LUNCH 

2:00pm              Keynote Address: Prof Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Inter-American Commission
for Human Rights
 

2:30pm              Remarks, Questions and Answers  
 

2:45pm              Panel 3 – Emerging Sectoral Approaches (20 minutes/speaker):                                 

•           Law EnforcementChief Joseph Price, Northern VA Joint Task Force

•           Public HealthJoan Serra Hoffman, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

•           Sociology of GangsJose Miguel Cruz, Central American Univ. – UCA

•           Employment/Private Sector – Manuel Jimenez, Suspect Entertainment LA

•           Community MobilizationRubem Cesar Fernandes, VIVARIO (virtual)
 

 4:30pm              Comments and Discussion on Promising Practices – Panel 3

 5:00pm              Conclusions & Next Steps Discussion:  Moderated by Rodrigo Guerrero, Inter-American Coalition for the Prevention of Violence

 

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