Developed in partnership with desco (Peru), the initiative brings together teams from higher education institutions in six Latin American countries to strengthen institutional capacities and promote academic environments free from violence and committed to academic freedom
The Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA), in partnership with desco – Centre for the Study and Promotion of Development (Peru), has launched the training programme “Preventing and Combating Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education Institutions in Latin America.” The initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of higher education institutions to develop, implement, and improve comprehensive protocols and policies for preventing and addressing gender-based violence.
Held virtually between June and August 2026, the training brings together teams from higher education institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, and Mexico. Its purpose is to foster the exchange of experiences, collaborative learning, and technical support to strengthen sustainable institutional responses to gender-based violence.
The programme is grounded in the recognition that gender-based violence in higher education constitutes a violation of human rights and also undermines the exercise of academic freedom. Harassment, discrimination, and gender-based violence create conditions that restrict the participation of faculty members, researchers, students, and staff, encourage self-censorship, and weaken the production of critical knowledge.
“Our goal is to reaffirm our commitment to promoting higher education institutions where gender equality, human rights, and academic freedom are inseparable pillars for advancing knowledge and democracy in Latin America,” said Camilla Croso, Executive Director of CAFA.
Democratic Universities: Preventing Violence
From this perspective, the training integrates the principles of gender equality, human rights, and academic freedom, recognizing that building democratic universities requires institutions capable of preventing and responding effectively to all forms of violence.
The programme is organized into three modules. The first two combine conceptual foundations with the analysis of legal frameworks, public policies, and institutional experiences from across the region. The third module provides tailored support to each participating institution in designing or strengthening practical tools, such as response protocols and institutional gender equality policies, adapted to their specific contexts.
In addition to strengthening the capacities of participating institutions and fostering the exchange of experiences and lessons learned, the initiative will help systematize knowledge and good practices to inform future regional training and advocacy efforts. Ultimately, it seeks to contribute to the development of safer, de-patriarchalized, more inclusive universities that are firmly committed to the right to academic freedom.