Human Rights Research
Human rights research is critical to promoting and protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of people everywhere, including Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Research can shed light on human rights abuses and help to hold perpetrators accountable. For example, Cristosal played a critical role in demonstrating the pervasiveness and the impacts of internal forced displacement due to violence. This research has helped to raise awareness of the situation and pressure the region’s governments to take action to address this situation.
When victims have active participation in research we can better identify patterns of discrimination and inequality and help to inform policies and programs aimed at promoting equality and inclusion. For example, our research on the violences that the LGBTIQ+ face helped shed light on the significant barriers to accessing education, healthcare, and other basic services. This research has helped to inform policies and programs aimed at promoting the rights and wellbeing of these communities.
We work to make our findings available to be used by everyone, whether they are infographics, videos, or published findings from specific research projects. We strive to make research a voice for marginalized and vulnerable communities, helping to ensure that their perspectives and experiences are taken into account in policy and decision-making. For example, our online platform to report a violation provides a direct way for people to report arbitrary arrests, police abuse, and even deaths of people detained under the state of exemption in El Salvador. This documentation has helped to raise awareness of the issue and guarantee that the situation will not be forgotten.
By documenting abuses, identifying patterns of discrimination and inequality, and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, our human rights researchers play a vital role in promoting justice and equality for all.