Protection
Victim protection is a fundamental part of any process of enforcing human rights. A comprehensive approach accompanies people through the process of rebuilding their lives. Victims of violence and human rights violations in northern Central America experience many obstacles to the restoration of their rights, including fear, discrimination, corruption, and governments unwilling or unable to protect them from further harm.
Survivors of violence and human rights violations need humanitarian, mental health, and legal assistance to access justice and re-make their lives. Adapted from international best practices in victim assistance, our program is designed to support the people who have directly suffered violence, their families, and their communities throughout the fight to become survivors and advocates for change.
As we walk alongside victims, we rely on allies and partners in other civil society organizations, public institutions, and the media to create more sustainable systems and durable solutions. Building a system of protection, especially at a local level, protects at the moment of crisis and creates pathways to address pervasive social problems by giving victims a voice in proposing solutions to decision-makers.
Cristosal develops strategies and models for comprehensive victim protection based on our experiences that can be studied and scaled to meet the needs of people throughout the region. Cristosal encourages the exchange of lessons learned and promotes public policy to improve outcomes for people who have suffered violence. We focus on reaching durable solutions and overcoming the conditions of vulnerability that are catalysts for forced migration.
Durable Solutions
For almost a decade Cristosal has been developing strategies to promote durable solutions for people who are victims of forced internal displacement. This experience has taught us many lessons that now guide our comprehensive victim protection programming. We lead the region in providing options and listening to individuals and their families to find solutions that meet their needs and dreams. Autonomy is lost when families are uprooted, our goal is to restore autonomy in conditions that are safe and hold the possibility of laying down roots for the long term.
Online Reporting System
Cristosal has an open, online platform for victims of human rights violations and forced displacement to report what has happened to themselves or someone close to them. Once a report is made, our teams follow up with information, accompaniment, or support depending on the needs and the capacity of our staff to respond. By registering human rights violations, the public contributes to our monitoring and analysis of patterns of abuse. Our reports on verified cases and patterns of human rights violations are distributed nationally and internationally. The personal data of those who file reports and the information that is contained in them is protected by our secure data systems.
If you or someone you know in El Salvador, Honduras, or Guatemala have a human rights violation you want to report, follow this link for the full form.
