Dominican Youth Tackle Gender-based Violence
Youth networks form neighborhood training and outreach programs to minimize crime and violence
Luisanny Cordero grew up in a humble family in Villa Riva, a town in the Duarte Province, located in the North of the Dominican Republic. Sometimes, while her mom was working, Luisanny had to take care of her sister and the house, all while studying. Now a 21-year-old medical student, she is volunteering in the hours she is not studying to a cause close to her heart: reaching young people who are at risk of engaging in illicit activities and promoting healthy and safe living.
In the Dominican Republic, around 20 percent of women around Luisanny’s age have had at least one child before the age of 18, making the Dominican Republic one of the countries with the highest rates of teen pregnancy in Latin America. High levels of femicide, sexual assault, and intrafamily violence impact young women across the country. Young people in the country represented more than 40 percent of homicide victims in 2018.
Many resort to crime, violence, early marriage or drugs as a way out of the difficult situations they face. Not Luisanny. She realized early on that she could help other young people change their minds about certain issues after getting involved in the workshops of USAID’s At-Risk Youth initiative and in the development of its youth network.
The At-Risk Youth Networks are groups of individuals between the ages of 11 and 24 who are identified during activities carried out by the USAID initiative. Most are from low-income communities, and being involved in the networks helps create opportunities for them to build a better future and break the cycle of crime and violence.
Started in 2012, today each Youth Network starts with a group of 25 youth who receive training on laws that affect youth, leadership, the structure of the network, conflict mediation, and life skills. Each of the 11 networks is composed of men and women, youth that live in high risk environments, members of the LGBTI+ community, people with disabilities, people in conflict with the law, previous perpetrators or victims of violence, previous drug users, and people without documentation.
In 2019, Luisanny was invited by the Ministry of Youth to a meeting at Universidad Católica Nordestana (the Northeastern Catholic University in English). “Since then I have continued to participate in the trainings that were being given about peace culture, life skills, conflict mediation, etc.,” she explains.
She learned about the At-Risk Youth Networks and their work in preventing crime and violence in the communities where they work, and soon after got involved.
Through her curiosity and willpower, and with the help of other young men and women in the At-Risk Youth Network, Luisanny has reached out to youth in the Duarte province.
“Without a doubt, the impact of our actions has been excellent. Through the network, we have changed the lives of many young people, changed their way of thinking and helped them understand their role in solving the problems of their communities. We have also been able to replicate the workshops around the Duarte province,” she said.
Overcoming obstacles
By the end of February 2020, rumors about COVID-19 infections started circulating around the Dominican Republic. The first case was confirmed soon after and the country started its curfew and quarantine process in mid-March. The At-Risk Youth Networks quickly adapted.
Youth leaders had to change the way they reach people to keep up their work. Luisanny says: “We have been able to continue impacting people through workshops on social media and digital platforms. Using social media has helped to enhance our reach to youth outside the network, to motivate them to join and participate.”
The networks have also held meetings online. The Santo Domingo West Youth Network, for example, held a virtual meeting with former National Police Director General Ney Aldrin Bautista to provide an update on the situation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and to update the status of their Crime and Violence Prevention Plan.
The plan, which was presented in January 2020, helps highlight the important role youth have in preventing crime and violence and promoting peace in their communities. The young people also talked about conflict mediation workshops they organized and pandemic donations they collected for people in the neighborhoods of Manoguayabo, Buenos Aires and El Café de Herrera, all located in the capital city.
Another example, this time in San Francisco de Macorís, Luisanny’s hometown, is the At-Risk Youth Network’s women’s rights conference, attended by more than 140 youth on International Women’s Day. This activity, along with others carried out by other networks around the country, helped promote female empowerment, equality and participation of women in all areas of society.
“Despite the progress, there are still obstacles that limit the empowerment of women,” says Luisanny. “The empowerment of all women and girls in our country is an important tool for change and gender equality. Empowering women is a key to the growth and development of any country.”
“I tell you, women, that the time is now to empower yourself and claim your rights in all areas.”
— Luisanny
She adds that “gender violence constitutes an offense against integrity, dignity, and freedom in any area that occurs. We must not remain silent in the face of any act of violence, as nothing justifies violence. (We have to) report it and be part of the solution.”
With a $25 million investment, USAID’s At-Risk Youth Initiative has impacted the lives of more than 145,000 young people in more than 500 vulnerable neighborhoods across the Dominican Republic.
About the Author
Brenda Silverio is the Social Media Specialist at USAID’s Mission in the Dominican Republic.
