El Salvador

El Salvador – officially the Republic of El Salvador – is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. Between 1980-1992, the military-led government and left-wing guerillas waged a civil war that resulted in the deaths or disappearances of at least 75,000 citizens.¹ The effects of the civil war are felt to this day, leaving behind a legacy of impunity² and gang violence.³

In the midst of a cultural transformation, the distribution of religious affiliations in El Salvador has changed significantly in recent years. According to a survey by LPG Datos, 38% of Salvadorans identify as Catholic, 38% as Evangelical, and 20% as non-religious.⁴ Historically a predominantly Catholic nation, this shift reflects a notable decrease in the number of Catholics, and an increase in Evangelicals and people without religious affiliation. This trend is particularly pronounced among people under 36, where Evangelicals are now the majority.⁵

Research from the Forum for Reflection on Salvadoran Reality (FORES) also shows that religion remains a fundamental pillar in Salvadoran culture, although it is experiencing significant challenges and evolutions due to increasing religious diversity and global social changes.⁶

Constitution and government

Democratic backsliding

Reforms enacted under the presidency of President Bukele and his Nuevas Ideas government have sparked concern that the political landscape is moving back towards authoritarianism almost three decades after the end of the civil war.⁷ The declaration of a state of emergency in March 2022 has been repeatedly renewed and remains in force at the time of writing – resulting in significant democratic backsliding, and the removal of checks and balances.⁸ President Bukele was re-elected for a second term in February 2024 with 84% of the votes despite longstanding constitutional provisions prohibiting consecutive terms in office.⁹ In July 2025, a constitutional amendment was passed by Bukele’s Nuevas Ideas party that enables indefinite presidential re-election and extends presidential terms from five to six years while removing run-off elections.¹⁰

In April 2024, El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly – dominated by President Nayib Bukele’s Nuevas Ideas party – approved an amendment to Article 248 of El Salvador’s Constitution which creates a fast-track pathway for constitutional amendments. The change was ratified in January 2025 and eliminates the requirement that constitutional amendments be approved by two successive legislatures – raising serious concerns about public consultation and scrutiny.¹¹

Over several years, the super-majority of the ruling party in the Legislative Assembly has been pivotal in eroding judicial independence, weakening accountability mechanisms, and systematically violating due process guarantees​.¹²

Legal framework

The Constitution¹³ and other laws and policies guarantee freedom of religion or belief, as well as freedom of expression (Article 6), freedom of assembly, and freedom of association (Article 7).

The Constitution states that all persons are equal before the law and prohibits discrimination based on nationality, race, gender, or religion (Article 3).

Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees:

“The free exercise of all religions, without limitation other than those based on morality or public order.”¹⁴

The Constitution bars ministers of any religious denomination from belonging to political parties or standing for elected office (Article 82). It also prohibits them from engaging in political propaganda in any form.

The final clause of Article 7 of the Constitution prohibits the existence of armed groups of a political, religious or unionized nature.

Official symbolic deference to religion

The concept of a deity is present in national symbols, including the preamble to the Constitution, and the State’s motto “God, Union, Freedom”.¹⁵ The second Sunday of December is designated as the National Day of the Bible.¹⁶ The 23rd November is observed as the National Day of Prayer.¹⁷

In July 2021, the legislative assembly passed an amendment to the Law on Patriotic Symbols¹⁸ to include the phrase “Placing our faith in God” (“Puesta Nuestra Fe en Dios”). The amendment ensures that the phrase may now be placed on the walls of State buildings and rooms.¹⁹

In response to criticism, a minister reportedly explained that “[t]he presence of God is something personal, there is no intention of forcing anyone to believe because we live in a free country [..] It is to leave a mark among the deputies who now represent this legislature.”

Since assuming the presidency in 2019, President Bukele has repeatedly resorted to religious rhetoric, quoting directly from the Bible. He has regularly encouraged prayer, and used his powers of presidential decree to designate national days of prayer.²⁰ Upon his re-election in February 2024, he attributed the improvements in security to God “who wanted to cure our country”. Reflecting on his own statements, he said,

“I can see the headlines now, ‘Bukele mentions God, but the State should be secular’. They [international critics] even want to make us atheist. We respect all religions, we respect atheists, agnostics. We respect them, and we are friends, but let us believe in God if we want to. Let us give Him the glory if we want to.”²¹

Religious privileges and exemptions

Article 26 of the Constitution gives explicit constitutional recognition to the Catholic Church. Religious groups often pursue registration with the relevant government authority to benefit from tax exemptions and to enable donations to be treated as tax-deductible under law.²² Non-Catholic groups register as associations or foundations with the Ministry of the Interior and, under Article 231 of the Constitution, churches designated for religious services are exempt from paying property tax.²³

Education and children’s rights

In January 2023, the Grow Together for the Comprehensive Protection of Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence Law (Ley Crecer Juntos para la Protección Integral de la Primera Infancia, Niñez y Adolescencia)  ²⁴ superseded previous legislation governing the rights of children. Article 105 enshrines children’s rights to the freedoms of thought, conscience and religion stating,

“Children and adolescents have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which will be exercised in accordance with their evolutionary development, without limits beyond those that are prescribed by Law that are necessary to protect their security and respect for the rights of others.

“The family, society and the State shall guide children and adolescents in the practice of these freedoms, and guarantee their exercise by creating the necessary support mechanisms that contribute to their comprehensive development and in accordance with the principle of equality, non-discrimination, and equity.

“Educational establishments have the duty to respect the culture and religion of children and adolescents, and not restrict, undermine or censor the exercise of these freedoms. In any case, those who attend private religious education centers must respect their practices and teachings, without violating the principle of their best interests.“²⁵

Furthermore, Article 58 of the Constitution prohibits schools from discriminating in the admission of students owing to the “nature of the union of their parents or guardians, or social, religious, racial or political differences.”²⁶

Religious education

State schooling is officially secular and does not include a religious education component. Religious groups may run private schools without government funding, but all private institutions – religious or otherwise – must satisfy Ministry of Education standards. Parents decide whether their children receive religious instruction in the private system, and Article 105 of the Grow Together law requires students attending private establishments to “respect their practices and teachings.”²⁷

Repeated calls by legislators to require the reading of the Bible in schools have consistently been rebuffed, most recently in 2019.²⁸ However, a recent study conducted by Francisco Gavidia University reportedly indicates that 95% of Salvadorans are in favour of the reading of the bible in schools.²⁹

Comprehensive sexuality education

Article 33 of the Grow Together law guarantees all children and adolescents without exception the right to “receive comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health care” noting the fundamental role of the family in ensuring the exercise of this right.

The right is further emphasized in Article 47, which emphasizes the obligation of all public and private schools to comply with Article 33.

However, President Bukele has taken a firm stance against the promotion of “gender ideologies” in schools.³⁰ Such terminology is often used to challenge the teaching of comprehensive sexuality education in schools.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US, President Bukele is reported to have stated that,

“I think it is important to bring God back to schools, to bring back morality, civic responsibility, to learn traditional things, like math and history. No one is against modernizing, what we are against is inculcating unnatural, anti-God, anti-family ideologies that have no place in our schools.”³¹

February 2024 statements made by the Minister for Education that “all trace of gender ideology has been removed from public schools,” have been criticized by civil society as violating the Grow Together Law.³² The President of the Citizen’s Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion (Agrupación Ciudadana por la Despenalización del Aborto), Morena Herrera, emphasized that the removal of comprehensive sexuality education from the curriculum should be “considered a crime, because it is the removal of a right, above all in a country with such high levels of child sexual abuse and high rates of pregnancy among girl children and adolescents.”³³ Data indicates that children and adolescents account for at least a third of all pregnancies.³⁴

Family, community and society

A legacy of impunity and gang violence

Between 1980-1992, the military-led government and left-wing guerillas waged a civil war that resulted in the deaths or disappearances of at least 75,000 citizens. Members of the Catholic Church, including Archbishop Romero, were prominent campaigners against human rights abuses during the 1980-1992 civil war, and several members of the clergy were targets for assassination.³⁵ The quest for justice for all those affected remains ongoing.

Militarism and violence did not abate following the signing of the Peace Accords. Refugees who had fled to the US during the civil war and formed gangs were deported back to El Salvador, where they continued their gang activity.³⁶ At the height of the violence, gangs exerted tremendous control over residents’ daily lives and were operational in over 94% of El Salvador’s municipalities.³⁷

In March 2022, the Legislative Assembly adopted a state of emergency that suspended certain basic freedoms following an escalation in gang violence. The state of emergency remains in force to date following multiple extensions that the government has asserted is necessary to address gang violence in the country.

Human rights organizations and the United Nations have raised serious concerns about the state of emergency, citing reports of arbitrary detentions, deaths in custody, and torture.³⁸ In December 2024, Amnesty International stated that,

“What the government calls ‘peace’ is actually an illusion intended to hide a repressive system, a structure of control and oppression that abuses its power and disregards the rights of those who were already invisible—people living in poverty, under state stigma, and marginalization—all in the name of a supposed security defined in a very narrow way”³⁹

Through the state of emergency, the authorities have conducted sweeping raids and arrests. Human rights groups estimate that 81,000 people have been detained as part of the campaign, many of whom are not thought to have demonstrable links to gangs.⁴⁰

A number of religious groups, including the Catholic Church have reported a breakdown in communication between the Church and the state. In the wake of the state of emergency, groups working to rehabilitate former gang members have become more cautious about raising human rights issues.⁴¹

However, at the same time, President Bukele has reportedly commented, “These pastors are right: God can redeem anyone. God and God alone can forgive their sins and save them. If God forgives them, they will enjoy eternal life. But here on Earth they still must face the consequences of their actions.”⁴²

Sexual and reproductive health and rights

El Salvador maintains a total ban on abortion (Articles 133-137 of the Penal Code).⁴³

Penalties for women seeking abortions range from two to 50 years in prison. Women thought to have had an abortion may be convicted of the crime of “abortion” in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy; in cases where pregnancies are further along, women may be charged with manslaughter, homicide (Article 128 of the Penal Code), or aggravated homicide (Article 129 of the Penal Code). This is even the case where women have suffered complications during their pregnancy which have resulted in miscarriage or stillbirth, but where others suspect that the pregnancy was aborted.⁴⁴

The ban was enacted in 1997 following lobbying by conservative religious groups – including evangelical and pentecostal Christians – who continue to protest any loosening of the restrictions that have been proposed in the legislative assembly.⁴⁵

In December 2024, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that El Salvador had violated the human rights of a woman denied an abortion despite her high risk pregnancy. The court ordered the State to adopt “all necessary regulatory measures” so that doctors are authorized to terminate “pregnancies that pose a risk to the woman’s life and health.”⁴⁶ The ruling does not bind the country to amend its laws, and the prospect remains unlikely given President Bukele’s outspoken opposition to doing so.⁴⁷

In May 2024, the new Legislative Assembly eliminated several specialized legislative commissions, including its Commission on Women and Gender Equality, in existence since 2009.⁴⁸

LGBTI+ rights

Members of the LGBTI+ community face pervasive discrimination and are the target of hate crimes by police, gangs, and members of the general public.⁴⁹ Same-sex marriage is illegal.⁵⁰

In June 2024, President Bukele dismissed over 300 employees from the Ministry of Culture, citing their promotion of an agenda incompatible with his government’s vision.⁵¹ According to ILGA World, the decision followed the cancellation of a production of a drag play at the National Theater previously authorized by the ministry. It had been staged for one day when it sparked controversy over its allegedly “unsuitable content for Salvadoran families.”⁵²

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

Article 6 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and media freedom, however, these rights have been increasingly undermined in practice with officials attempting to discredit the work of journalists and civil society actors, including by labeling them as defenders of gangs.⁵³

De facto blasphemy law

Article 296 of El Salvador’s Penal Code (‘Attacks against freedom of religion’) criminalizes not only interference with worship (impeding, interrupting, or disturbing the free exercise of a religion), but also public conduct that is considered to offend religion and religious traditions. It also criminalizes the destruction of – or damage to – objects used for religious worship. Punishment under Article 296 carries a sentence of six months to two years, which increases to one to three years if the act is aimed at creating publicity. ⁵⁴

Attacks on the media

As a result of the harassment and surveillance they face, journalists critical of the authorities are increasingly opting to self-censor.⁵⁵

In 2022, amendments made to the Penal Code paved the way for journalists to serve between 10 and 15 years in prison if they shared gang messaging that “could cause anxiety and panic among the general population. The vague wording of the clauses effectively stifles reporting on gang violence in the country.⁵⁶

Attacks on human rights defenders

Under the current administration, non-governmental organizations have largely been excluded from engagement with policymakers.⁵⁷

President Bukele’s government has reportedly targeted civil society groups, including journalists and human rights groups, both through smear campaigns and the threat of criminal prosecution.⁵⁸

The State has used the state of emergency to justify the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders. Most of these cases involved people defending land, territory and natural resources, and labor rights, according to Amnesty International.⁵⁹

“Foreign Agents” law

In June 2025, President Bukele’s Nuevas Ideas party brought into force a “Foreign Agents”⁶⁰ law under Decree 308 which lays out regulations, obligations and prohibitions for any person or organization the government considers to be a “foreign agent.” Under Article 3, the law deems a “foreign agent” those that “carry out activities… that serve the interests of, are controlled by, or are financed directly or indirectly by a foreign principal…including non-profit associations and foundations.”

“Foreign agents” are required to register and are prohibited from activities “for political or other purposes” that the government deems affect “public order”, “national security”, or “social and political stability.” Those that register are subject to a 30% tax on funds received and transactions. The government may also “monitor the activities of foreign agents.” The law stipulates that failure to comply with the obligations will result in administrative and criminal liabilities ranging from USD 100,000 to USD 150,000 for failures to comply with Article 8, and from USD 150,000 to USD 250,000 for violations of Article 9.

The “Foreign Agents” law has been widely condemned by human rights groups and international observers as a deliberate attempt to control, silence, and punish civil society and those critical of the government. It mirrors similar “foreign agent” laws which have emerged under increasingly authoritarian regimes across the world that have been used to restrict freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and the legitimate work of non-governmental organizations.⁶¹

1. Amelia Hoover Green and Patrick Ball, “Civilian killings and disappearances during civil war in El Salvador (1980–1992)”, Demographic Research , July – December 2019, Vol. 41 (July – December 2019), pp. 781-814, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26850667 [↩]
2. El Salvador”, The Center for Justice and Accountability, accessed 13 December 2024, https://cja.org/where-we-work/el-salvador/ [↩]
3. “El Salvador’s bitter civil-war legacy”, Al Jazeera, 15 January 2012, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2012/1/15/el-salvadors-bitter-civil-war-legacy [↩]
4. LPG Datos, “El catolicismo y evangélicos están igualados en El Salvador”, La Prensa Gráfica, April 4, 2023 https://www.laprensagrafica.com/lpgdatos/Grey-catolica-y-evangelica-estan-igualadas-en-El-Salvador-20230403-0091.html [↩]
5. Gabriel López Delgadillo, “La diversidad religiosa en El Salvador,” El Independiente, May 25-31, 2023 https://www.elindependiente.sv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/EL-INDEPENDIENTE.-Edicion-1072.-25-31-mayo-2023.-La-dictadura-del-like.pdf [↩]
6. Israel Adonay López Choto, Gerardo Rafael Vásquez Moreno, Natalia Marisol Girón Salinas, “Cambio cultural en El Salvador 2018-2023,” Foro de Reflexión sobre la Realidad Salvadoreña (FORES), Revista Con-Secuencias, No. 7, January-April 2024,  https://revistacon-secuencias.com/rcs_sv/article/view/3[↩]
7. “El Salvador: Government deepens authoritarian pattern in the face of social discontent”, Amnesty International, 20 May 2025 https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/05/el-salvador-gobierno-profundiza-patron-autoritario-frente-al-descontento-social/ [↩]
8. “El Salvador: Congreso aprueba la 32da prórroga del régimen de excepción para combatir las pandillas”, AP News, 6 November 2024, https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-pandillas-a7ce7341085b503ed3f7649c7e6b036f “Prórroga del régimen de excepción”, Asamblea Legislativa, accessed 17 December 2024, https://asamblea.gob.sv/node/13456 ; Ana María Méndez Dardón and Geoff Thale, “Régimen de excepción en El Salvador: de una medida de seguridad a una política de estado”, WOLA, 4 December 2024, https://www.wola.org/es/analisis/regimen-de-excepcion-el-salvador-medida-seguridad-politica-estado/; “IACHR Issues Report on State of Emergency and Human Rights in El Salvador,” IACHR, 4 September 2024, https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/jsForm/?File=/en/iachr/media_center/preleases/2024/207.asp[↩]
9. “El Salvador country profile”, BBC, last updated 9 July 2024, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-19401932 [↩]
10. Nelson Renteria, “El Salvador scraps presidential term limits, opening door for another Bukele term”, Reuters, 1 August 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/el-salvador-scraps-presidential-term-limits-opening-door-another-bukele-term-2025-07-31/ [↩]
11. “El Salvador: Ratification of the constitutional reform deepens the risk of human rights abuses”, Amnesty International, 7 February 2025,
    https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/02/el-salvador-reforma-riesgo-derechos-humanos/; Wilfredo Miranda Aburto, “Los diputados de Bukele aprueban por sorpresa un mecanismo de reforma constitucional exprés en El Salvador”, El País, 1 May 2024, https://elpais.com/america/2024-05-01/los-diputados-de-bukele-aprueban-por-sorpresa-un-mecanismo-de-reforma-constitucional-expres-en-el-salvador.html; “El Salvador: Constitución “a la carta” podría profundizar la crisis de derechos humanos en los próximos años”, Amnesty International, 3 May 2024, https://www.amnesty.org/es/latest/news/2024/05/el-salvador-constitucion-carta-podria-profundizar-crisis-derechos-humanos-proximos-anos/ [↩]
12. “El Salvador: Constitución “a la carta” podría profundizar la crisis de derechos humanos en los próximos años”, Amnesty International, 3 May 2024, https://www.amnesty.org/es/latest/news/2024/05/el-salvador-constitucion-carta-podria-profundizar-crisis-derechos-humanos-proximos-anos/ ; “El Salvador” chapter in World Report 2024 (Human Rights Watch, 2024), https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/el-salvador [↩]
13. Asamblea Legislativa, Constitucion, 20 December 1983, https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/171117_072857074_archivo_documento_legislativo.pdf [Spanish]; https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/El_Salvador_2014.pdf?lang=en [English][↩]
14. Unofficial translation of Art. 25.- Se garantiza el libre ejercicio de todas las religiones, sin más límite que el trazado por la moral y el orden público. Ningún acto religioso servirá para establecer el estado civil de las personas.[↩]
15. “Símbolos Patrios”, Presidencia de la Republica de El Salvador, (accessed 7 January 2025), https://www.presidencia.gob.sv/simbolos-patrios/ [↩]
16. Asamblea General, “DECRETO No. 1082”, 5 December 2002,
    https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/171117_073336436_archivo_documento_legislativo.pdf; Mario Vega, “Diciembre, el Mes de la Biblia”, El Salvador, 21 December 2018, https://historico.elsalvador.com/historico/551547/diciembre-el-mes-de-la-biblia-2.html[↩]
17. Mario Gonzalez, “Este sabado sera el Dia Nacional de Oracion”, elsalvador.com, 20 November 2024, https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/conmemoraciones-cristianismo-/1183012/2024/ [↩]
18. Asamblea Legislativa de la Republica de El Salvador, Law on Patriotic Symbols (Ley de Simbolos Patrios), Decreto Legislativo No. 115, 14 September 1972, https://www.jurisprudencia.gob.sv/web/viewer.html?File=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jurisprudencia.gob.sv%2FDocumentosBoveda%2FD%2F2%2F1970-1979%2F1972%2F09%2F8898C.PDF (accessed 30 January 2026)[↩]
19. Unofficial translation of: “La presencia de Dios es algo personal, no existe la intención de obligar a nadie a creer porque vivimos en un país libre (…) Es dejar huella entre los diputados que ahora representamos esta legislatura” in Azucena Henríquez, “Diputados aprueban que frase “Puesta nuestra fe en Dios” sea incluida como símbolo patrio”, La Prensa Grafica, 21 July 2021, https://www.laprensagrafica.com/elsalvador/Diputados-aprueban-que-frase-Puesta-nuestra-fe-en-Dios-sea-incluida-como-simbolo-patrio–20210721-0015.html ; Asamblea Legislativa, “Decreto No. 101”, 20 July 2021, https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/CF3F8C7C-06FB-4F8D-8930-295D935760EC.pdf [↩]
20. “Nayib Bukele decreta la fecha del 10 de agosto como Día Nacional de Oración”, Diario La Huella, 10 August 2020, https://diariolahuella.com/nayib-bukele-decreta-la-fecha-del-10-de-agosto-como-dia-nacional-de-oracion/; “Plegaria colectiva: Bukele decreta “día nacional de oración” en El Salvador ante la tormenta Iota”, Prensa Libre, 17 November 2020, https://www.prensalibre.com/internacional/unamonos-en-oracion-bukele-decreta-dia-nacional-de-oracion-en-el-salvador-ante-la-tormenta-iota/
    Luciano Peiteado, “Nayib Bukele: ‘He aceptado a Cristo en mi corazon,” El Corriente, 16 February 2023, https://lacorriente.com/nayib-bukele-he-aceptado-a-cristo-en-mi-corazon/ [↩]
21. Secretaría de Prensa de la Presidencia de El Salvador, “President Nayib Bukele Gives a Press Conference”
    [video, in Spanish]

    , YouTube, February 4, 2024, accessed January 16, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DimwAb6uYtE;
    Javier Bolaños, “Bukele, president who referred to God in his speeches, reelected in El Salvador”, Christian Daily, 5 February 2024, https://www.christiandaily.com/news/bukele-the-president-who-mentions-god-in-his-speeches-reelected.html; Editor de ChurchPOP, “‘Déjennos creer en Dios’: Discurso de Bukele se hace viral tras ganar elecciones en El Salvador,” ChurchPOP Español, February 9, 2024, accessed January 16, 2026, https://es.churchpop.com/dejennos-creer-en-dios-discurso-de-bukele-se-hace-viral-tras-ganar-elecciones-en-el-salvador/[↩]

22. “El Salvador” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/el-salvador/ [↩]
23. “Preguntas frecuentes – Registro de Asociaciones y Fundaciones Sin Fines de Lucro”, Ministerio de Gobernacion, (accessed 7 January 2025), https://www.gobernacion.gob.sv/preguntas-frecuentes/#:~:text=%C2%BFD%C3%B3nde%20se%20encuentra%20el%20Registro,Centro%20de%20Gobierno%2C%20San%20Salvador ; El Salvador: Código Civil. Aprobado en 1859. Incluye reformas de 2022, 23 Agosto 1859, https://www.refworld.org/es/leg/legis/pejec/1859/es/132138 [accessed 7 January 2025][↩]
24. Asamblea Legislativa, Ley Crecer Juntos para la Proteccion Integral de la Primera Infancia, Ninez y Adolescencia, Decreto No. 431, 22 June 2022, https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/F8EFC34A-551A-40FF-9E7E-E4831D3488DF.pdf [↩]

25. Unofficial translation of: “Las niñas, niños y adolescentes tienen derecho a la libertad de pensamiento, conciencia y religión, los cuales se ejercerán conforme a su desarrollo evolutivo, sin más limitantes que las prescritas por la Ley que sean necesarias para proteger su seguridad y el respeto a los derechos de las demás personas.

    La familia, la sociedad y el Estado deberán orientar a las niñas, niños y adolescentes sobre la práctica de estas libertades, y garantizar su ejercicio creando los mecanismos de apoyo necesarios que contribuyan a su desarrollo integral y en atención al principio de igualdad, no discriminación y equidad.

    Los centros educativos o de formación tienen el deber de respetar la cultura y religión de las
    niñas, niños y adolescentes y no restringir, menoscabar o censurar el ejercicio de estas libertades.
    En todo caso, aquellos que asistan a centros privados de educación de carácter religioso, deberán respetar las prácticas y enseñanzas de éstos, sin violentar el principio de interés superior.”

    [↩]

26. Unofficial translation of: “Ningún establecimiento de educación podrá negarse a admitir alumnos por motivos de la naturaleza de la unión de sus progenitores o guardadores, ni por diferencias sociales, religiosas, raciales o políticas”[↩]
27. El Salvador” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, 2024), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/el-salvador/ [↩]
28. Erika Saldaña “Nuestro Estado es laico,” El Salvador, 17 November 2019,
    https://historico.elsalvador.com/historico/659897/nuestro-estado-es-laico.html; “Proponen nuevamente lectura de La Biblia en centros educativos”, La Prensa Grafica, 15 January 2016, https://www.laprensagrafica.com/elsalvador/Proponen-nuevamente-lectura-de-La-Biblia-en-centros-educativos-20160115-0078.html; “Proponen lectura de La Biblia en centros educativos del país,” El Salvador Avanza, November 14, 2019, accessed January 16, 2026, https://elsalvadoravanza.com/proponen-lectura-de-la-biblia-en-centros-educativos-del-pais/; Samuel Tapia, “Diputados divididos por ley impondrá lectura de la Biblia en escuelas, envían proyecto a Comision”, Acento, 16 October 2018 https://acento.com.do/actualidad/diputados-divididos-ley-impondria-lectura-la-biblia-escuelas-reenvian-proyecto-comision-8615389.html[↩]
29. Yolanda Magana, “95% de salvadoreños a favor de la lectura de la Biblia en las escuelas: ¿qué ha dicho Bukele?”, El Mundo, 26 April 2024, https://diario.elmundo.sv/politica/95-de-salvadorenos-a-favor-de-la-lectura-de-la-biblia-en-las-escuelas-que-ha-dicho-bukele [↩]
30. Cristian González Cabrera, “Censoring Sexuality Education is Not a ‘New Idea’”, Human Rights Watch, 11 October 2022, https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/11/censoring-sexuality-education-not-new-idea [↩]
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