Pathways to Justice

and international influencers on the levels of vi- olence in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras As the United States and the international com- (known as the Northern Triangle) and its impact on munity consider a comprehensive plan on Central migration, an adequate response to the gendered America and immigration reform, proposed strate- differences in the ways violence is perpetrated gies must. [...] Of the 25 most dangerous places in the world for women, 10 are in the Western Hemisphere, with Violence in all three Northern Triangle countries is Central American countries Honduras and El Salva- high, although women and girls face a “continuum dor near the top of the list, at numbers two and four of violence” that affects all areas of their lives and is respectively.5 distinctly gendered. [...] The lack of enforcement and access to justice for For example, even though El Salvador and Hondu- women and girls across the Northern Triangle has ras have joined other countries across the region direct implications for the asylum crisis along the in moving forward strict legislation prohibiting the southern border of the United States. [...] Additionally, with one of the highest estimated ad- Though violence against women and girls as an olescent fertility rates in the region, the prevalence issue is often viewed within a silo, it is both influ- of coercion, early unions, and sexual abuse sig- enced by and an influence on broader barriers to nificantly impact the ability of adolescent girls and stability and prosperity across the regi. [...] In the Middle East ed by the Centre of Information on the Rights of and North Africa (MENA) region, violence against Women and Children during the COVID-19 lock- women (VAW) is referred to as a silent cancer that down, with women’s rights groups warning that the often goes undetected and unreported.