Who we work with in Latin America
Inter Pares' program in Latin America
Regional Organizations
PCS (Project Counselling Service, Consejeria en Proyectos) is our primary operational counterpart in Latin America. Established in 1979 to promote and defend human rights, and to support the capacity of local Latin American organizations to respond to the needs of uprooted and other populations affected by political violence, PCS has over thirty years' experience working in conflict and post-conflict situations. PCS' programs emphasize the capacities and leadership of women, who, along with their children, constitute a majority of uprooted populations. PCS' cross-cutting themes are gender and human rights. PCS and Inter Pares support Latin Americans' efforts to share the lessons they've learned, to contribute to new responses to ongoing conflict, and to create more participatory and democratic forms of governance.
National Organizations
Mexico
The Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (Fray Bartolomé Human Rights Centre) does documentation, research, advocacy, and litigation for the promotion and defense of human rights in Chiapas, Mexico, working primarily with rural indigenous communities.
The Centro de Derechos de la Mujer de Chiapas (Centre for Women's Rights in Chiapas) provides legal support for women victims of violence, as well as training of women human rights defenders.
Comité de Derechos Humanos Fray Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada (Fray Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada Human Rights Committee), based in the department of Ocosingo in Chiapas, was created in response to the military incursion into Chiapas. The Committee is comprised of human rights promoters and trainers, and focuses its work on conflict resolution, communications and research, as well as providing training to local indigenous human rights promoters.
Guatemala
Casa del Migrante Tecún Uman (Migrants’ House of Tecún Uman) works in the border region of Guatemala and Mexico, providing emergency assistance, legal support, and advocacy for migrants. Through research, documentation, public education and advocacy, the Casa del Migrante works to defend the human rights of migrants by changing social attitudes, policies, and laws that imperil the security and freedom of movement of migrants throughout the region.
Since 1988, the National Coordination of Widows of Guatemala (CONAVIGUA) has been working with local groups of widows to obtain justice and reparations for their family members killed or disappeared during the armed conflict. Present in seven departments of Guatemala, CONAVIGUA has been actively promoting the implementation of the peace accords in Guatemala by denouncing militarization and by promoting gender equality and human rights.
Created in 2003, the Defensoría del K’iché (Public Defender's Office of K'iché), located in the department of the K’iché in Guatemala, is a human rights organization that builds the capacity of local communities to defend and exercise their rights. It does this by supporting local communities with conflict resolution and legal support, as well as awareness raising on human rights issues, through radio programming. In addition, the Defensoría organizes a training school to educate local communities and leaders on human rights issues.
ECAP (Equipo de Estudios Comunitarios y Acción Psicosocial, Community Studies and Psychosocial Action Team) was established in 1997 to provide psychosocial support and accompaniment to victims of torture and their communities. ECAP also conducts research, analysis and training on the effects of torture and treatment strategies.
ICCPG (Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales de Guatemala, Institute for Comparative Studies of Criminal Sciences in Guatemala) is an academic institute working on human rights, criminal justice policies and security issues.
INCEDES (Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Sociales y Desarollo, Central American Institute for Social Studies and Development) is a centre for social and participatory research, focusing on migration issues.
Kaqla is a group of Mayan women intellectuals and professionals whose objective is to promote debate and democratic actions to strengthen Mayan women's participation in Guatemalan society, through political training, research and institutional strengthening.
Obispado de San Marcos (Diocese of San Marcos) builds the capacity of local communities to defend their rights, be the agents of their own development, and to build cultures of peace. The Diocese provides training, public and awareness, and legal support to local communities on issues of human rights, land, women’s rights, and truth and justice for crimes of the past.
El Salvador
COFAMIDE, the Committee of Families of Perished and Disappeared Migrants of El Salvador, started out as a group of families of missing migrants, who came together to provide each other emotional and logistical support in the search for missing loved ones. Today, COFAMIDE continues to provide on-going emotional support to families, as well as logistical support with legal and police investigations and repatriation of bodies. They do education on the risks of undocumented migration in schools, universities, and with communities on the Salvadoran Guatemalan border. COFAMIDE also engages in advocacy with the Salvadoran government to get support for families of disappeared migrants and to pursue policy and legislative changes that will contribute to the safety and dignity of migrants and their families.
La Colectiva Feminista para el Desarrollo Local (Feminist Collective for Local Development) focuses on building the organizational and advocacy capacities of women in rural communities. They also do advocacy and public awareness in alliance with other key organizations in the Salvadoran women’s movement.
Tutela Legal del Arzobispado (Legal Office of the Archbishop of San Salvador) does legal defense and advocacy on cases of human rights violations, and issues of truth and justice relating to crimes committed during the civil war in El Salvador.
Nicaragua
Popul Vuh is a local development association based in the department of Matagalpa, working with poor marginalized neigbourhood associations to strengthen citizen participation in local decision-making.
Colombia
Casa de la Mujer (Women's Centre) is a feminist organization working to strengthen women's rights in Colombia, and promoting the creation of pre-conditions for peace and democracy in Colombia.
CODHES (La Consultoría para los Derechos Humanos y el Desplazamiento, Consultancy on Human Rights and Displacement) was created in 1992 to carry out research and advocacy contributing to the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular of the internally displaced population in Colombia. This is done through research, the production of information and analysis on internal displacement, and the formulation and promotion of alternative policies for the state to respond to the needs of the internally displaced.
DIAL (Diálogo Inter-Agencial en Colombia, Inter-Agency Dialogue in Colombia) is a coordinating group of international development agencies with programs in Colombia. It carries out advocacy with the Colombian government on the definition and implementation of policies and humanitarian programs on internal displacement.
Fundación Mujer y Futuro (Women and the Future Foundation) is a feminist NGO that has worked for thirteen years in the northeast of Colombia in the development of initiatives that expand and promote women's rights, prevent domestic violence, and develop psycho-social support for the displaced population. It focuses on gender relations and works to empower displaced women.
ONIC (Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia, National Indigenous Organization of Colombia) was formed in 1982. Its mission is the defence of the rights of indigenous people through strategies that defend indigenous autonomy and that work toward unified positions. It represents many indigenous communities and has been important in raising the profile of indigenous issues in Colombia, both nationally and internationally.
Peru
APRODEH (Asociacion Pro Derechos Humanos, Association for Human Rights) is a non-governmental organization engaged in the defence and promotion of human, social and economic rights in its quest to reinforce democracy in Peru. Since 1983, APRODEH selects and prepares legal cases for victims of human rights abuses in Peru, engages in public awareness campaigns and communications strategies about gross violations of human rights, and engages local authorities and the judiciary on human rights issues.
DEMUS (Estudio para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer, Study for the Defence of Women's Rights) is a feminist non-governmental organization working since 1987 on the defence and protection of women's rights in Peru. DEMUS promotes women's rights to a life free of violence, to reproductive rights, and to sexual rights. DEMUS uses social, psychological and legal approaches, selecting and preparing legal cases, engaging in public awareness campaigns and communications strategies, and facilitating psychosocial support for women affected by violence.
IDES Ayllu (Instituto de Desarrollo Social Ayllu, Institute of Social Development Ayllu) is a human rights organization based in Huancavelica. Ayllu is a Quechu word that can be translated to “a community of families.” IDES Ayllu accompanies local grassroots organizations of women and victims of the conflict to strengthen their organizational, administrative and governance mechanisms, as well as supporting them in advocating with local and regional authorities to respect their rights. IDES Ayllu also provides legal counsel for legal procedures.
IDL (Instituto de Defensa Legal, Institute for Legal Defence) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the defence and promotion of human rights, consolidation of peace, and strengthening democracy. Its primary activities are legal defence, and education in human rights, non-discrimination, justice and democracy for poor sectors, particularly in rural areas, as well as with rural, municipal and judicial authorities.
Organizations of victims of the armed conflict in Peru: Inter Pares and PCS work with several organizations of victims of the armed conflict who advocate with the Peruvian government to obtain reparations and justice. At the national level, Inter Pares works with CONAMUACAI (Coordinadora Nacional de Mujeres Afectadas por el Conflicto Armado Interno, National Coordination of Women Affected by the Armed Conflict), ARIL (Asociación Reflexión de Inocentes Liberados, Association of Freed Innocents), ANFASEP (Asociación Nacional de Familiares de Detenidos, Secuestrados y Desaparecidos del Perú, National Association of Families of People Disappeared, Detained and Kidnapped), and CONDECOREP (Coordinadora Nacional de Desplazados y Communidades en Reconstrucción del Perú, National Coordination of Displaced Communities).
REDFAH (Red de Facilitadores de Huancavelica, Facilitators’ Network of Huancavelica) is a network of young professionals and students. REDFAH members meet regularly to inform, discuss and train themselves on various topics such as human rights, participatory governance, and the local political context. REDFAH also promotes a culture of peace and human rights in Huancavelica through hosting a weekly radio show and educational activities. Inter Pares offers support to several youth organizations of the provinced of Angaraes and Huancavelica to strengthen their organizational mechanisms and their role in civil society.
SISAY (Centro de Desarrollo Andino, Centre for Andean Development) provides technical and organizational assistance to rural communities in Ayacucho and Huancavelica, emphasizing programs that address poverty and food security.
| Reviewed July 15, 2011 |  |
Publishing Policies |
