USAID LAC Democracy and Governance
USAID has long taken a leading role in helping to foster robust, responsive, and sustainable democracies worldwide. A democratic foundation promotes social and economic opportunity, facilitating long-lasting, broad-based economic growth, strengthening social safety nets, expanding access to justice, and giving each citizen a voice.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, where USAID’s first foray into Democracy and Governance took place, we work in partnership with governments and local partners on a variety of projects and initiatives designed to build more effective governance, strengthen civil society, ensure respect for human rights, improve the justice sector, and help citizens feel more secure in their daily lives.
We invite you to learn more about our work by reading the descriptions and clicking through to the links below.
Support for Human Rights
Building More Inclusive and Equitable Democracies in the Americas
Implementer: Inter-American Institute of Human Rights—Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos (IIDH)
USAID supports IIDH’s CAPEL (Centro de Asesoría y Promoción Electoral—Center for Electoral Promotion and Assistance) branch, which serves as the secretariat for electoral authorities in the region. USAID’s grant to IIDH/CAPEL (1) improves the technical capacity and independence of electoral institutions through the region; (2) promotes interaction between electoral observation missions, including those led by underrepresented groups; (3) strengthens political parties’ organizational and management capabilities; and (4) strengthens IIDH’s capacity to respond rapidly to emerging situations in the region that threaten democratic governance and human rights
IIDH: http://www.iidh.ed.cr/
CAPEL: http://www.iidh.ed.cr/capel/index.htm
Support for Citizen Security Initiatives
USAID works in close coordination with other United States Agencies, including the Department of State, to help build sustainable, integrated crime and violence prevention and mitigation initiatives in the region, such as the Mérida Initiative in Mexico, the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI), and the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). The following projects contribute to our efforts to create safer communities across the LAC region:
Armando Paz
Implementer: The Organization of American States (OAS)
USAID is collaborating with the OAS to improve regional security in Central America through the Armando Paz (Arming Peace) project. Part of the USAID-funded Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI), Armando Paz provides innovative media partnerships for at-risk youth and supports the development and implementation of prevention-oriented public policies. Armando Paz has utilized multiple media outlets—a website, text messaging, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and radio and television—to solicit young people’s suggestions on how to create a more peaceful society. Youth leaders attend national conferences, collaborating with other youth, business leaders, and government officials to bring their ideas to fruition.
Armando Paz: www.armandopaz.com
AMUPREV – Municipal Association for Violence Prevention
Implementer: The International City-County Management Association (ICMA)
This cooperative agreement with ICMA aims to: create networks of municipal leaders for the sharing of best practices and lessons learned in crime and violence prevention; conduct exchanges of regional and U.S. municipal officials, including mayors and police; and provide technical assistance to regional officials in crime and violence prevention, including community-based policing approaches. The centerpiece of the project is AMUPREV – (La Associación Municipal para la Prevención de la Violencia, or Municipal Association for Violence Prevention), which reaches across Central America to foster constructive conversations and partnerships to further the effort to control the rampant crime and violence plaguing much of the region.
Impact Evaluation of Citizen Security Projects in Central America
Implementer: Vanderbilt University/Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP)
USAID oversees a randomized impact evaluation of its crime prevention programs funded under the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). The project uses quantitative and qualitative tools to measure citizen security indicators in both treatment and control communities across Central America. Cited by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as a model for the U.S. Government, the impact evaluation will help us understand whether, why, and how crime prevention programs work. This project receives additional funding from USAID’s Democracy and Governance Office and the Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Research and Mission Support
Democracy specialists based in our Washington office work with colleagues in Washington and in the LAC region to conduct innovative research on issues related to democracy and governance as well as to help regional Missions develop new strategies and programs when needed. Democracy and governance assessments, conflict assessments, rule of law assessments, and many other tools help us to analyze national and regional trends, and allow for greater focus in our research. For more information on these assessments, please visit the website for our global Democracy and Governance Office.
Select Washington-based research initiatives are listed below:
AmericasBarometer
Implementer: Vanderbilt University/Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP)
AmericasBarometer, or Barómetro de las Américas, is a series of public opinion surveys of democratic attitudes and behaviors conducted across 26 countries in the Western Hemisphere. The studies provide a voice for citizens across the region by monitoring their needs, attitudes and experiences related to democratic governance. They also allow country officials, civil society, the media, and academics to better understand the state of democracy in their countries and allow USAID to focus and measure its programs in the region. This project receives additional funding from USAID’s Democracy and Governance Office.
Vanderbilt/LAPOP: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/lapop/
AmericasBarometer country reports: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/lapop/studies-country.php
AmericasBarometer Insights Series of short analytical reports: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/lapop/insights.php
Central America and Mexico Gangs Assessment
Implementer: Creative Associates
In 2006, USAID experts teamed up with Creative Associates to conduct a landmark assessment of the gang problem in Central America and Mexico. This assessment measured the scope and nature of the problem in each country and region-wide, identifying root causes, programmatic gaps, and best practices. The only work of its kind to date, the assessment helped shape the United States Government’s approach to working with Central American governments on gang prevention and crime and violence mitigation.
For more information on the Central America and Mexico Gangs Assessment, please visit: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/democracy/gangs.html
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