Event information

13 December 2017, 12:00-14:00

Downloads

Flyer >

Armed gang violence: at the crossroad between armed conflict and law enforcement?

Geneva Academy Talks

Mexico, two persons walk in th street at night Mexico, two persons walk in th street at night

In recent years, Latin America has witnessed an increase in the rate of violence and the forced displacement of thousands of people due to insecurity and confrontations between state forces and armed gangs or between these gangs themselves.

This IHL Talk will address the political, sociological and legal dimensions of the issue of armed gang violence in Latin America, notably in Colombia, Mexico and El Salvador, countries that are severely scourged by the expansion of the phenomena of urban gangs, gang violence and organized crime.

Moderation

  • Jamil Chade, Correspondent for O Estado de São Paulo and Columnist

Panelists

  • Gloria Gaggioli, Assistant Professor and Grant Holder of Excellence at the University of Geneva
  • Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
  • Oliver Jütersonke, Head of Research at the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

About IHL Talks

The IHL Talks are series of events, hosted by the Geneva Academy, on international humanitarian law and current humanitarian topics. Every two months, academic experts, practitioners, policy makers and journalists discuss burning humanitarian issues and their regulation under international law.

Video

IHL Talk: Armed gang violence: at the crossroad between armed conflict and law enforcement?

In recent years, Latin America has witnessed an increase in the rate of violence and the forced displacement of thousands of people due to insecurity and confrontations between state forces and armed gangs or between these gangs themselves.

This IHL Talk addressed the political, sociological and legal dimensions of the issue of armed gang violence in Latin America, notably in Colombia, Mexico and El Salvador, countries that are severely scourged by the expansion of the phenomena of urban gangs, gang violence and organized crime.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

minorities News

Minority Rights in Russia, China, India, Egypt and Hungary Examined in New Research Brief

18 December 2024

Our latest research brief critically explores how, under the guise of national security, governments misuse laws and narratives to target minorities and suppress political opposition.

Read more

News

The Jean-Pictet Competition: Learning Beyond the Classroom

10 December 2024

Each year, the Geneva Academy sends a team of students to the Jean-Pictet Competition. Participating in this leading moot court is a life-changing experience and an integral part of our programmes.

Read more

Warzone Event

Advanced IHL Seminar for Academics and Policymakers

25-29 August 2025, 09:00-17:30

Co-hosted with the ICRC, this event aims to enhance the capacity of academics to teach and research international humanitarian law, while also equipping policymakers with an in-depth understanding of ongoing legal debates.

Read more

Event

Strengths and Challenges of Inter-State Applications Before the European Court of Human Rights

22 May 2025, 18:30-20:00

In this Geneva Academy Talk Judge Lətif Hüseynov will discuss the challenges of inter-State cases under the ECHR, especially amid rising conflict-related applications.

Read more

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Booklet Training

The International Human Rights Standards and System: Monitoring and Implementation Strategies at the National Level

7-11 July 2025

This training course will delve into the means and mechanisms through which national actors can best coordinate their human rights monitoring and implementation efforts, enabling them to strategically navigate the UN human rights system and use the various mechanisms available in their day-to-day work.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

Project

Follow-up Review Pilot Series

Started in November 2021

Read more

A session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

IHL Expert Pool

Started in January 2022

The IHL-EP works to strengthen the capacity of human rights mechanisms to incorporate IHL into their work in an efficacious and comprehensive manner. By so doing, it aims to address the normative and practical challenges that human rights bodies encounter when dealing with cases in which IHL applies.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more