Central America

An increase of human rights violations can be observed in all of Central America. Violence and crime are everyday phenomena and the governments are trying to fight them using ever more repressive measures.

Unhealed wounds from long lasting civil wars are the cause for these incidents. Despite peace agreements, there was no reconciliation, poverty, unemployment and social injustice have grown and the people live in great insecurity. Ever more often, political analysts emphasise that the rule of law and the observation of human rights are being eroded.

Perspectives for peace

Innovative education, inter-ethnic exchange, interculturality and a culture of peace – these are the focal issues of PCF's commitment in Central America. In its programme countries Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, PCF improves children’s access to education and helps adolescents cope with the challenges of growing up in an environment where violence is rampant.

In Guatemala, PCF concentrates on bilingual and intercultural education; in El Salvador, emphasis lies on teaching adolescents practical and social skills that facilitate their transition from school to work, and in Honduras PCF focuses on improving education in rural areas.