Analysis of the state of the violence and citizen security first quarter 2020

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the world is facing a COVID-19 pandemic. This document is being published in this context, and the UNDP Regional InfoSegura Project continues working on information and knowledge management, and, as is the case with all UNDP efforts the resulting outputs of these efforts have been adapted and taken to scale, as per the requirements and demands of this emergency.

In the Central American region, the reduction of poverty and inequality has been slower than in the rest of Latin America, and its people are still victims of an epidemic of violence, despite the downward trend over the last four years. The impact and consequences of COVID-19 have come to compound the series of overlapping and concurrent vulnerabilities and deficiencies facing a large section of the Central American population.

During these initial months, the overall analysis has focused on health and socioeconomic impacts caused by the public policy measures and actions governments have taken. InfoSegura, along with the governmental institutions in charge of citizen security in their corresponding countries, are now focusing on understanding the changes and new dynamics in terms of insecurity and violence stemming from the measures that were implemented.

This document brings together the work of analysts and heads of public security institutions in each country, who have worked with InfoSegura to continue this effort under unprecedented conditions and limitations imposed by the lockdown measures. It is worth noting that InfoSegura had already accrued experience

working remotely and providing online accompaniment, thus ensuring the efficiency in the processes and quality in the results presented herein.

During the period analyzed, homicides in the region continued a downward trend in the first four months of 2020. This reduction was almost immediately compounded by the restrictive measures affecting mobility and confinement that all countries have implemented, as of the second half of March. However, in the month of April, there were signs of a trend reversal. Simultaneously, other forms of violence, particularly violence against women, have increased in the period under review, particularly during confinement.