---
title: "NRC in El Salvador"
description: "El Salvador has a long history of violence and over 750,000 people are now thought to need protection. The danger – combined with inadequate access to basic services, food insecurity, disasters and climate change – has forced many families to leave their homes, or even flee the country altogether."
url: "https://www.nrc.no/countries/south-america/el-salvador"
language: "en"
published: "2025-03-20T15:31:06Z"
modified: "2026-09-22T13:35:38Z"
---

# NRC in El Salvador

A mural in El Salvador. Photo: Ingrid Prestetun/NRC

El Salvador has a long history of violence, and over 700,000 people are now thought to need protection. These dangers, the threat of extreme weather events and persistent food insecurity have forced many families to leave their homes or even flee the country altogether.

Published 20. Mar 2025 Updated 22. Sep 2026

[El Salvador](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=50)

Today, it’s estimated that nearly one million people – almost a fifth of the population of El Salvador – need humanitarian support. At the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), we’re doing everything we can to help them.

## What’s happening in El Salvador?

El Salvador has historically had one of the highest crime rates in northern Central America. Although homicide rates have reduced in recent years, violence against women, girls and other vulnerable groups continues to drive people from their homes.

Many others flee disasters, especially now that climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events. More than 88 per cent of El Salvador is considered a “risk zone”, prone to environmental hazards – and 95.4 per cent of the country’s population live within this area.

These conditions not only cause internal displacement but also force people to leave the country. In recent years, many Salvadorans have also returned after trying to build a life abroad, creating additional challenges for communities and support services that have faced significant funding cuts

## Our response

We’re working with our partners in the following areas:

- **Education:** working with local partners to help vulnerable young people develop skills and gain work experience, supporting out-of-school children and youth at risk of dropping out to access education, and strengthening schools’ and teachers’ disaster preparedness.

[Download the factsheet for NRC in North of Central America and Mexico](https://www.nrc.no/resources/fact-sheets/ntca)

## Our operations

**NRC office established:** 2014

**Areas of operation:** La Libertad, Santa Ana, San Salvador and La Paz

**Country Director:** Giorgio Lentini

**Contact:** [nrc.ncaym@nrc.no](mailto:nrc.ncaym@nrc.no)

## Our impact

In 2025, we assisted 7,660 people through our programmes in El Salvador:

- 1,929

  Education
- 70

  Livelihoods and food security
- 2,546

  Protection from violence
- 3,219

  Information, counselling and legal assistance

***Note:** some people received more than one type of assistance.*

### News and stories

Press release

## [​​Central America: Displaced face increasing abandonment​](https://www.nrc.no/news/2025/december/central-america-displaced-face-increasing-abandonment)

02. Dec 2025 | America|El Salvador|Guatemala|Honduras|Mexico

## [“I was blinded by fear and panic”](https://www.nrc.no/feature/2024/i-was-blinded-by-fear-and-panic)

06. Feb 2024 | Feature

## [The world’s most neglected displacement crises in 2022](https://www.nrc.no/feature/2023/the-worlds-most-neglected-displacement-crises-in-2022)

01. Jun 2023 | Feature

[More news and stories](https://www.nrc.no/search?searchCategories=123,125,172,335,50&searchMethod=1)

### Publications

## [The world's most neglected displacement crises in 2022](https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/the-worlds-most-neglected-displacement-crises-in-2022)

01. Jun 2023 | Burkina Faso|Burundi|Colombia|DR Congo|El Salvador|Ethiopia|Mali|Sudan|Venezuela|Cameroon

## ["I want my place": Housing, land and property rights for persons affected by displacement in El Salvador](https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/i-want-my-place)

12. Oct 2022 | El Salvador

## [Protection Snapshot 9: The Impact of Violence on the Right to Health for Displaced Persons in the North of Central America and Mexico](https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/protection-snapshot-9-the-impact-of-violence-on-the-right-to-health-for-displaced-persons)

26. Aug 2020 | El Salvador|Guatemala|Honduras|Mexico

[More publications](https://www.nrc.no/search?searchCategories=124,131,132,175,178,314,315,50&searchMethod=1)

**Region:** Central America  
**Population:** 6.37 million  
**Total displaced:** 237,471  
**Refugees hosted:** 510