May 30, 2023 – Panama City, Panama. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Latin America and the Caribbean in alliance with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - through its Infosegura initiative -, has launched Sara in Central America, a chat free and confidential that aims to prevent violence against women, girls and adolescents. Sara provides information and guidance for those who may be at risk of violence and is part of UNDP's efforts in the region to promote safer and more inclusive societies.

During the year 2022, an estimated 1,019 women were victims of homicide in Central America and the Dominican Republic, which represents a decrease of 6.1% compared to the previous year, according to official data and Infosegura estimates. Despite this reduction, the homicide rate for women has decreased at a slower rate (-44.4%) than that for men (-51.4%) over the past seven years. It is important to take into account the so-called "continuum of violence" that affects men and women differently throughout the entire life cycle. In the case of women and girls, sexual violence (the manifestation of violence most frequently recorded among girls and adolescents) and intra-family/domestic violence are the crimes suffered most frequently, while in the case of men focus on homicides.

Sara is available 24 hours a day to chat and provide a safe, anonymous, and confidential first contact to people. This allows them to assess their situation and make use of institutional or civil society support services available in their country. In addition, Sara offers legal advice and helps to create an emergency plan, as well as emergency numbers and contacts for victims.

Sara employs artificial intelligence and machine learning and receives ongoing training from specialists to ensure information and guidance are tailored to each location's specific context, form, and language. Gender violence continues to hinder the progress of women, girls, and adolescents within our societies and hinders the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Through this tool, UNDP reaffirms its commitment to strengthening institutional capacities for preventing and caring for violence. violence against women and girls, in line with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information about Sara visit: http://chatbotsara.org/ and https://infosegura.org/ 

About UNDP: UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crises and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for all. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer a global perspective and local knowledge to help empower lives and build resilient nations. http://www.undp.org

About Infosegura: The Infosegura Regional Initiative is the first strategic alliance between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to work together with national institutions to improve the cycle of management and analysis of information on citizen security in Central America and the Dominican Republic. More information: https://infosegura.org/.