Youth Local Council Leader Participates in International Conference on Violence Prevention

Youth Local Council Leader Participates in International Conference on Violence Prevention
Leyla Chavez, the President of the Youth Local Council (YLC) in Tela, Honduras, recently participated in the International Conference for Prevention and Safe Public Spaces. Organized by the Honduran Ministry of Security, the two-day event included experts and community leaders from around the world to share evidence-based approaches, tools and best practices to make public spaces safer.

During the event, information, knowledge and lessons learned were exchanged on matters of violence and crime prevention through environmental design and creation of safe public spaces for youth. Ms. Chavez participated in a panel discussion and shared her experience as the leader of the Youth Local Council of Tela and their work on violence prevention in their municipality. Specifically, she addressed their experience working with local governments and the role of youth and citizen participation to curb and prevent violence.

Building on the successful establishment of Youth Local Councils in Palestine, Global Communities adapted the model for Honduras and has been working to create councils in the municipalities of Tela and La Ceiba on the northern coast and in San Pedro de Tutule and San Jose in the central part of the country. The councils bring together youth aged 15-25 to encourage active participation in local development, government and civil society by providing local youth with leadership roles in shaping the violence prevention activities that are designed to benefit their communities. By fostering youth leadership, the program aims to create an organized, credible platform at the municipal level that facilitates responsive local governance to reduce youth violence. At the same time, it teaches young people how to plan and support initiatives, voice their demands and exercise their rights.