Project description

Title: Promotion of justice and security policies at the local level in cooperation with the Myrna Mack Foundation
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Guatemala
Lead executing agency: Myrna Mack Foundation
Overall term: 2007 to 2009

Context

In rural areas of Guatemala, serious criminal offences und human rights violations are rarely prosecuted by the law. Frequently, it is the local justice and security authorities themselves who are involved in causing delays and obstructing the investigations. This results in impunity, lack of security and mounting pressure to resort to vigilantism and lynch law. Experience has shown that only public pressure at local level can promote the instigation of investigations. Civil society organisations, however, generally do not have sufficient knowledge of legal proceedings to successfully demand the removal of impediments to such proceedings and to press for investigations to be instigated.

Objective

Local justice and security agencies introduce criminal trials as soon as possible.

Approach

The project promotes the training and strengthening of local agencies, who can establish long-term cooperation and coordination between the actors in civil society, elected representatives at departmental and municipal levels, and local justice and security agencies.

Measures are implemented that promote:

• reform of the justice system, so that social organisations and/or local actors are supported in having their grievances dealt with;
• enforcement of democratic security, by strengthening mechanisms for local citizen participation;
• exercise of civil rights under conditions of greater rule of law and in compliance with democratic security.

Social organisations and actors acquire the knowledge to be able to professionally monitor and evaluate reforms in the justice sector and in democratic security.

Results achieved so far

Local actors have received technical advice according to their requirements and have been strengthened in bringing their concerns to the judicial system. Agreements on inter-institutional cooperation have been made with six local organisations. The project has thus provoked debate between governmental and civil society organisations.

The interim version of a comparative study on trials in the area of citizen security in Latin America is now available.

Local governmental and non-governmental actors and organisations have been trained in citizen participation; social auditing; presentation of evidence; civil security; and in impact analysis in the areas of judicial and democratic security. Eight forums in four different departments were organised with extensive and varied participation.

The expected results have been strengthened overall by building strategic alliances with local actors.