Rights and Opportunities for Indigenous Youth in Guatemala

Countries:

Guatemala

Start project:

2018

Donors:

Kerk in Actie

Partners:

Asociacion Refugio de la Niñez

The current project is built on the accomplishments of previous projects that have received support from Kerk in Actie and ICCO. Therefore in 2018 the Shelter is expected to continue to strengthen social leadership among indigenous adolescents and young adults in Alta and Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. The specific objective of the project is to promote social, political and legal acknowledgement of the rights of indigenous adolescents and young adults in Alta and Baja Verapaz.

Background

Chilhood Shelter opened its doors on April 29, 2009. It was founded by a group of professionals with experience, knowledge and commitment to transform the complex situation of human rights violations of children and adolescents in Guatemala.

The Shelter has been a local partner participating in the program: More opportunities, more rights for youth in Guatemala and Nicaragua, financed by Kerk in Actie since 2016. The program aimes to strengthen social leadership among indigenous youths in Guatemala and Nicaragua, from a gender, rights based and pertinent cultural approach. The program focuses in the following main lines of action:

- Economic empowerment;
- Lobby, advocacy, political participation; and
- Violence prevention.

With their previous project implemented in 2016-2017, the Shelter contributed to strengthen social leadership among indigenous adolescents and young adults in Alta and Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. Specifically, this was achieved by creating conditions that fostered better living conditions in these communities as well as social, political and legal acknowledgement of the rights of this indigenous population group.