DanChurchAid
Guatemala
Partners: Political space
Coordinación Nacional de Viudas en Guatemala (CONAVIGUA)
CONAVIGUA was established in 1988 by Maya Indian widows whose husbands, sons and fathers were killed and buried in clandestine graves by the military during the internal armed conflict. CONAVIGUA is working with the exhumation of these mass graves in order to document the human rights violations committed and bring them to court. The organisation is promoting the protection of indigenous people’s rights through information and advocacy activities in the Western region of Guatemala, training indigenous women and youth in human rights, working for their increased access to decision making processes and seeking to reduce racism and discrimination of this group. Visit website: www.conavigua.org.gt
Seguridad en Democracia (SEDEM)
Security in Democracy (SEDEM) is an NGO working to promote democratic security in Guatemala through strengthening civil society structures to monitor civil and military security services in the departments of Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango and San Marcos. SEDEM is conducting training activities on democratic security and is working with dissemination of information, awareness raising and advocacy for transparency, accountability and responsibility. The NGO is aiming at securing that the state policy is in accordance with human rights and international norms on security and justice. Visit website: www.sedem-gua.org
Programa de Pastoral Social de la Diócesis de Huehuetenango (PPSDH)
The Catholic Church’s Social Pastoral Programme of the Diocese of Huehuetenango (PPSDH) is carrying out advocacy work in order to facilitate the access to justice for poor and marginalised groups, especially the indigenous Maya population. Huehuetenango is one of the poorest departments in Guatemala with a mainly indigenous population. The department was heavily involved in the armed conflict, and mistrust, violence and a lack of access to justice are among the most severe problems. PPSDH is working for the enforcement and respect of human rights through education activities and by providing legal services. DanChurchAid has supported the programme since 1996.
Fundación Myrna Mack (FMM)
Fundación Myrna Mack is a human rights organisation named after the anthropologist Myrna Mack. She was assassinated by the Guatemalan military in 1990 after having documented the crimes committed towards the indigenous Maya population during the civil war. Since 1993, the Myrna Mack Foundation has played a key role in the fight against impunity and the promotion of access to justice as well as citizen participation in the democratisation of the system of justice in Guatemala. The organisation plays an active role in different political advocacy spaces for changes in the system of justice and has become a reference for international organisations such as the UN system. The Foundation is conducting research and elaborating proposals on subjects related to justice and security and provides training and capacity building in human rights and legal matters. Visit website: www.myrnamack.org.gt
Centro de Acción Legal para los Derechos Humanos (CALDH)
CALDH is a human rights organisation working for reconciliation and the application of justice in war crimes and other human rights violations which occurred during the period of the internal armed conflict in Guatemala. CALDH seeks to avoid that these crimes are forgotten and is fighting against the perpetuation of the inequality before the law, the racism towards the indigenous population and the impunity for the human rights violations. The organisation is collecting evidence against former dictators and carrying out advocacy and information activities. DanChurchAid has supported CALDH since 2001. Visit website: www.caldh.org
Comité Ejecutivo de Justicia
Comité Ejecutivo de Justicia is working on strengthening the justice and crime prevention in the department of Huehuetenango, through different activities: organization, incidence, training and outreach from setting an agenda priority. The Executive Committee of Justice, has been part of the efforts being made throughout the country, to improve the functioning of the justice system and to prevent crime. The efforts has been focussed on the following areas: Formal Operation of the services of Justice, Prevention of Lynching,The Legal Maya system, Violence Against Women, Children and Adolescents, Seniors, Red referral of cases of intrafamily violence, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Conflict regarding access to earth.
El Comité Ejecutivo trabaja en el fortalecimiento de la justicia y la prevención del delito en el departamento de Huehuetenango, a través de diferentes actividades de: organización, incidencia, capacitación y divulgación a partir del establecimiento de una agenda prioritaria.
El Comité Ejecutivo de Justicia, ha sido parte de los esfuerzos que se hacen en todo el país, por mejorar el funcionamiento de la justicia y prevenir el delito en la siguientes áreas temáticas: Funcionamiento de los servicios Formales de Justicia , Prevención de Linchamientos, Sistema Jurídico Maya, Violencia Contra la Mujer, Niñez y Adolescencia, Personas de la Tercera Edad, Red de derivación de casos de VIF, Métodos Alternativos de Resolución de Conflictos y Conflictos de Tierra.