Biblioteca Digital

Las primeras aproximaciones que tiene una persona con la sociedad en sus primeros años de infancia se dan en el marco de su ambiente familiar y escolar. Es en estos donde se aprenden e interiorizan los principios, normas y reglas por medio de las cuales se convive en la sociedad donde se vive. La reproducción de prácticas de segregación, desigualdad, maltrato y machismo en las instituciones educativas latinoamericanas lleva a índices de violencia infantil preocupantes. Dicha violencia funciona también como un mecanismo de perpetuación de las situaciones de segregación y desigualdad, llevando a las sociedades latinoamericanas a un círculo vicioso de violencia y exclusión.

The possibility of ending the armed conflict in Colombia will depend, to a large extent, on the state’s ability to prevent multiple criminal economies, and inhibit the actors who participate in them from damaging the implementation of the final peace agreements. This article analyzes criminal economies’ ability to destabilize and thereby damage the post-conflict phase, and identifies dilemmas the state must confront in responding to this situation. The article’s objective is to provide an analytical model to understand the complex relationship between actors involved in the peace process and criminal economies, and to thereby identify risks and possible models for intervention. The theoretical referent of this work is the discussion about peacebuilding in fragile states and literature that identifies organized crime as a spoiler. This is the first attempt to apply this perspective to Colombia, and to take the particular characteristics of the country into account while making comparisons with other countries that exhibit similar features in their own post-conflict and transitional phases. The article comes to the conclusion that in Colombia it is necessary to consider Interim Stabilization Measures, which allow the state to provide an effective response that takes advantage of
available resources without losing sight of the need to strengthen local institutions in the mid-term.

Latin America is one of the world’s most violent regions, with 40 of the 50 most violent
cities, but with only 8% of the world’s population, and a staggering 33% of global homicides.
At the forefront of these high levels of violence are gangs that are more flexible and persistent than
previously thought. This paper provides a discussion on gangs in one Latin American city, Medellin,
Colombia, where different non-state groups have contributed to changing patterns of homicide rates.
The paper presents preliminary findings to show how, despite the city experiencing a 90% reduction
in homicide rates in less than 25 years, violent non-state groups have become embedded as part
and product of their environment, acting as coherent, logical and functional players, linked to the
structural inequalities and institutional fragility of the larger society.

"Preventing and reducing violence is not only necessary, it is achievable. There are many examples of successful efforts to lower lethal violence. Declines of between 10-15 percent per year have been documented around the world, including in Latin America. The Instinct for Life campaign has set a goal of reducing the homicide rates of seven countries by 50 percent over the next 10 years. To achieve this goal this would require7 percent annual declines in the most violence-affected countries, states and cities. If successful, it could save as many as 365,000 lives."

The present report evaluates the results of World Vision’s strategy for violence against children in five countries of Latin America: Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Peru. The data shows all aspects of children and adolescents’ lives: from their experiences at home and school to the broad atmosphere of their communities. Changes in attitudes, perceptions, norms and laws are seen to be the key driving factors for the creation of safe spaces where children and adolescents can fully and freely develop. Taking into account that violence against children is a structural-caused phenomenon, all of the members of society have a share of responsibility in the issue, including children themselves. World Vision programs look for the empowerment of children to maximize their capacities of leadership and productivity, providing the tools for the future adults to be agents of change. In the meantime, families, government institutions, faith congregations and local communities must work together to enforce laws that prevent violence to happen and to modify the behavior of grown adults.