Violence Prevention and Improvement of Opportunities for Youth

Countries:

Guatemala

Start project:

2018

Donors:

Kerk in Actie

Partners:

CEIPA (Centro Ecumenico de Integracion Pastoral)

The current project proposal is aimed to strengthen the social leadership of adolescents and indigenous youth in the department of Retalhuleu, Guatemala. Its specific objectives are to generate conditions that promote good living in the communities of Retalhuleu; and to promote the social, political and legal recognition of the rights of indigenous adolescents and youth from the department of Retalhuleu.

Background

CEIPA is an organization of the Guatemalan Civil Society, that for 25 years, has carried out its actions in the South-West region of Guatemala. CEIPA was founded based on principles and values of human rights and for that reason promotes economic, social, political and cultural rights of children, especially adolescents linked to labor force, and youth from the south-western Guatemala.

CEIPA has been a local partner by participating in the program: More opportunities, more rights for youth in Guatemala and Nicaragua, financed by Kerk in Actie since 2016. The program is aimed to strengthening 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 and political participation; and
- Violence prevention.

With their previous project implemented in the 2016-2017, CEIPA has strengthened capacities and skills among groups of rural youth in Retalhuleu, with the ultimate goal of finding sustainable livelihoods, as well as strengthening citizenship and leadership with identity.