USAID/Honduras Asegurando la Educación: Gender Analysis

The existence of school-based violence (SBV) such as bullying, extortion, gang activity, and gender-based violence (GBV) has led to disruptions within the classroom. Service providers in the education system do not have the ability or assets to face the daily challenges of providing a safe learning environment. Honduras suffers from the largest criminal gang presence in Central America, with an estimated 36,000 members belonging to as many as 100 local and transnational groups. There are high numbers of youth who are not in school or working, known as "ninis," who are at high risk for being conscripted into gangs and other criminal activity. The USAID/Honduras Asegurando la Educación (Asegurando) project seeks to address SBV by addressing factors in the school environment that hinder the proper delivery of education in Honduras to improve access, retention, and learning. By utilizing and strengthening existing education and community systems around violence prevention, Asegurando aims to reduce the incidence of SBV to improve learning outcomes. Asegurando is a five-year, $20-million-dollar flagship effort with four strategic project objectives: 1) Improve schools' ability to reduce SBV through creation of safe learning environments; 2) Strengthen local networks that increase school safety; 3) Increase the capacity of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and social protection actors to prevent, respond to, report on, and monitor SBV; and 4) Lower risk factors and enhance protective factors for students that qualify for secondary prevention services (SPS). The project targets schools in five municipalities: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Choloma, La Ceiba, and Tela. These municipalities are central to the 2015-2019 USAID/Honduras Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), under Development Objective #1 (DO1): Citizen security increased for vulnerable populations in urban, high-crime areas. The project is also an integral part of the 2014 Alliance for Prosperity, a $750-million initiative to reduce incentives for migration to the United States, and the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Through CARSI, USAID builds resilience to insecurity in high-crime, urban communities by improving access to public services, jobs, and justice. Asegurando's approach focuses on working with local networks to increase school safety and strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Education and social protection actors to prevent, respond to, report on, and monitor SBV. The project also aims to lower risk factors and enhance protective factors for students that qualify for secondary prevention services (SPS). By addressing SBV and improving the education system, Asegurando responds to USAID's Education Strategy Goal #3: Increased equitable access to education in crisis and conflict environments. The project's target population includes youth who are at risk of being not only victims, but also perpetrators of violence. With 50 percent of the Central American population under 25 years old, Asegurando focuses on addressing the root causes of violence and improving access to education, jobs, and justice for vulnerable populations. By strengthening the education system and addressing SBV, Asegurando aims to improve learning outcomes and reduce the incidence of violence in Honduras. Asegurando's four strategic project objectives are designed to address the complex issues surrounding SBV in Honduras. The project's approach is based on a comprehensive understanding of the factors that contribute to SBV, including the presence of gangs, poverty, and lack of access to education and job opportunities. By addressing these factors and strengthening the education system, Asegurando aims to create a safer and more supportive learning environment for students in Honduras.