Femicide – the systematic killing of women based on their gender – is the most extreme form of violence against women, and it is on the rise in Mexico and Central America. These murders are often accompanied by torture, mutilations and rape. Families of victims, together with women’s and human rights organizations, are drawing public attention to these crimes and the unacceptable lack of government action to protect women.

Elda Veraliz Ramos was murdered in June 2009 by her former partner on a public street in San Salvador

Violence against women is a stark reality in Mesoamerica; it includes rape, abuse, harassment, forced prostitution and murder. The causes of this violence are complex: they are based in a patriarchal culture where women are severely discriminated against, coupled with recent violent armed conflict, and the fact that authorities consistently fail to bring those responsible to justice.

What’s Horizons Doing?

Femicide and violence towards women are social problems and demand social, governmental and citizen responses. In 2008, Horizons and a number of our Southern partners launched a regional project to combat violence against women. Coordinated by the Central American Feminist Network against Violence towards Women.

Gender Workshop

The first phase of the project (2008-2010) included two main components: the production of  a qualitative study on femicide in five Central American countries  (published in March 2010) and the training of Social Promoters who are leading prevention initiatives among grassroots populations in each country.

A second phase of the project, initiated in 2010, focuses on access to justice for women victims of violence. The goal is to help increase citizen pressure towards governments to improve their policies, judicial and education services to end violence against women.