Dr. Kirsten Howarth is Lecturer in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response at the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) at the University of Manchester. She completed her PhD on post-war violence and crime in El Salvador in 2012, examining its causation and impact on Salvadoran society with a particular reference on the role of gangs and their impact on the consolidation of peace and long-term development. Her current research focuses on humanitarian interventions in centres of urban violence.