Alleviating the consequences of covid-19: Supporting food security and psychosocial first aid in 4 regions of Guatemala

Project period:

18.06.2020 - 17.12.2020

Granted amount:

496,042,- DKK

Organization:

DIGNITY - Dansk Institut Mod Tortur

Partners:

Centro de Investigación para la Prevención de la Violencia en Centroamérica -CIPREVICA-

Pool:

DERF - Nødhjælpspuljen

Grant type:

COVID19 On-Watch Countries (On-Watch Countries)

World goals:

Goal 1: No Poverty

Goal 2: Zero Hunger

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Efforts take place in:

Guatemala

Resume

This intervention will be implemented in four areas of high socio-economic vulnerability in Guatemala. This intervention will target poor indigenous women as their livelihood dependents on informal market (selling vegetables, tortillas, and small dishes), which has been closed down. In addition, transportation is not available (as well as closing of several community roads), so they cannot take or bring food or products to the local market, even if opened. Youths included in this intervention are also starting to experience issues such unemployment and lack of access to school leading to bad coping strategies such as; being recruited by gangs, and drug trafficking. This poses a scenario of violence and high potential for conflict, worsened by the pandemic. This proposal thus contributes to strategic priority 2 of COVID19 GHRP, it will address food security/livelihood as well as psychosocial first aid for the most vulnerable citizens in the target areas. The aim is also to strengthen and support local communities to practice socio-political advocacy for their (human) rights during the pandemic, but also for the context after the pandemic. The element of “livelihoods” is included through the strategy of combining food distribution with the provision of agricultural inputs (seeds and tools for both food and cash crops like orchids)). These elements, together with an intervention strategy for the psycho-social recovery and organizational strengthening, are linked to Strategic Priority 2 of the COVID19 GHRP, referring to “decrease the deterioration of human assets and rights, social cohesion and livelihoods.” The intervention is also focused on fulfilling, two of the rights set forth in the Humanitarian Charter, contained in the Sphere Standards: The right to life with dignity and the right to receive humanitarian assistance.