Washington, D.C., August 27, 2026 – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), concluded, via a virtual session, the pilot phase of an online course focused on strengthening health services' response to violence against girls and adolescents in Latin America. Nearly 60 health sector representatives from 16 countries in the region participated.
Throughout the process, countries shared experiences and best practices on training health personnel. They made available their protocols for action and care, aimed at child and adolescent survivors of violence, among other materials.
Additionally, they reviewed the course in detail and provided feedback for its improvement, addressing both the content and the virtual platform itself. While they highlighted the comprehensive nature of the content, countries shared their good practice examples, including national protocols, prevention programs and health workforce training efforts, to help align the course with the realities and contexts of the region.
"Thanks to the active participation of the countries and the inclusion of their examples and experiences, the final course will be tailored to the needs and realities of the region's nations. We invite them to implement it once it becomes available, using it as a tool to strengthen the health sector's response to violence against girls and adolescents," said Britta Baer, PAHO Regional Advisor on Violence Prevention and Response.
PAHO will refine and adapt the course by incorporating feedback from the pilot phase, including examples and experiences from participating countries. The course is scheduled to launch on November 26, coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. It will be available free of charge on the PAHO Virtual Campus.
