Aporophobic Manifestations in Access to Justice for Women in El Salvador

Abstract

This article analyzes women’s access to justice in El Salvador from an intersectional perspective, considering the structural inequalities and socioeconomic factors that intensify their exclusion within the judicial system. The study examines how aporophobia, understood as discrimination against people living in poverty, particularly affects women in vulnerable situations by limiting their access to legal services, adequate representation, and institutional support. Through the analysis of national cases and a comparison with international standards, the research identifies high legal costs, the lack of specialized legal representation, and the persistence of institutional bias as the main obstacles, reinforcing gender inequality and a culture of impunity. The findings show that these barriers constitute structural obstacles that require priority attention. In this regard, the article underscores the need to implement inclusive, gender-sensitive public policies, promote awareness of aporophobia within the justice system, and advance reforms aimed at ensuring equitable access to justice, in order to protect women from violence, discrimination, and other forms of abuse and to guarantee the full exercise of their human rights in El Salvador.