THE murder of the documentary film-maker Christian Poveda last month, in El Salvador, brought a new light to an old problem: Central America’s youth is deeply threatened by gang violence. Short before his death, Poveda had just finished his documentary about the maras - Central American gangs formed by very young people and known by their extreme violence. The situation is so bad that, in 2005, the SICA – Spanish for the Central America Integration System- asked for international help to fight violence among the youth.
UNESCO had the idea to implement an already successful experience that was taking place in Brazil. They brought the idea of “open schools” – where kids and teenagers could do extra-curricular activities even during the weekends. Besides giving a better formation to the youth, it can also prevent them to join the gangs. “Open schools” have now spread to El Salvador and are starting to take place in Honduras. “We soon got to the conclusion that prevention is better than repression, in every aspect”, explains Daniel Coulomb-Herrasti, Assistant Program Specialist (Prevention of Youth Violence) of the Section for Youth, Sport and Physical Education section of UNESCO. The next step is transformitin this UNESCO program in a gouvernemental policy in this countries, as it happened in Brazil.
The project wants also to change the way Central-American society sees its youth. “People fear young adults and would hardly give them an opportunity, especially if they have tattoos (one of the maras marks)., says Coloumb-Herrasti. We want to change that with the media’s help”.
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