Human rights research
The Human Rights Research program is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating qualitative and quantitative information on the extent and causes of human rights violations in northern Central America. Emphasis is placed on the importance of collecting and standardizing the data for the region on people in a situation of vulnerability or at risk of being so. We use different techniques are including interviews, focus groups, participatory action research, and surveys.
One of the tools used in the investigative process is the Regional Monitoring System, which collects sociodemographic information and access to rights of the population violated in their human rights, to contribute to the development of proposals for policies and programs that effectively meet victims needs, and protect their rights within the applicable legal frameworks.
Among the main areas of research are: human mobility, especially forced internal displacement and migration; rights violations against LGBTIQ+ people; the rule of law, citizen security, corruption and impunity in State institutions; and the rights of incarcerated people.
Why it matters?
For the optimal development of society, it is necessary to provide documentation and information on the different vulnerabilities suffered by the population in order to identify and make visible the protection gaps on the part of State institutions.
The ultimate aim of providing this information is to ensure that the State assumes its responsibilities and gives justices to the persons who have been violated need.
Human Rights Reporting System
The reporting system receives complaints of human rights violations and cases of forced displacement. Once the complaint is received, our teams provide guidance, accompaniment, or support on a case-by-case basis. The system also allows us to register and track complaints over time and produce national and regional reports on human rights abuses. The personal data of the people who report to our system are kept confidential.
In addition to this information, Cristosal gathers data collected by partner organizations for reporting on trends on issues such as forced internal displacement. These reports can be reviewed and downloaded in our virtual library.