Justice, Human Rights and Security Strengthening Activity Quarterly Report #7

AID-522-TO-16-00007, since September 30, 2016. The project aims to strengthen the justice, human rights, and security sectors in Honduras. Institutional strengthening for human rights is a key achievement of the project. The Honduran government's decision to create a stand-alone Ministry of Human Rights provided an opportunity for Unidos to support meaningful institutional strengthening. International expertise was brought in to guide ministry staff through the formulation of its mission, vision, unit-level objectives, organizational chart, and key personnel profiles. A comprehensive organizational management plan was delivered to Human Rights Minister Karla Cueva in April, which was the first time a Honduran ministry initiated efforts with a comprehensive, organizational roadmap. Fighting corruption is another major achievement of the project. The creation of the Anti-Corruption Jurisdiction in 2017 was a major achievement of the Honduran Government's partnership with the Organization of American State's Mission Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH). During the quarter, 12 anti-corruption judges and 35 attorneys of the jurisdiction's Special Prosecutors Unit (UFECIC) participated in training led by international experts in anti-corruption. UFECIC recently brought corruption charges against a former first-lady affiliated with the ruling party and against dozens of current and former members of Congress. Support for judicial branch improvements is also a key aspect of the project. Unidos signed an MOU with the Judicial Branch, outlining the project's support for improvements to the court system, the Public Defenders Office, and the Judicial School. During the May 24 signing ceremony, Supreme Court President Rolando Argueta characterized USAID and the project as "a bulwark" of support for judicial reform in Honduras. Unidos will begin working with the court system's Quality Management Unit (UGECA) in the coming quarter to create a system of indicators to measure court performance. Enhancing management of the Public Defenders Office is another key activity of the project. Unidos and consortia partner the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) presented the results of an HICD performance assessment of the Public Defenders Office to Supreme Court President Argueta and to 205 public defenders in Unidos' target municipalities during the first weeks of the quarter. The assessment helped create momentum for reform and consensus around concrete steps to improve the Office, which is part of the judicial branch. Unidos began working with the Public Defenders Office to develop an enhanced organizational management model on April 6, a process expected to take four months. Promoting access to justice for those who need it most is a key objective of the project. Seven civil society organizations implementing Unidos access to justice grants continued to provide psychological and legal counselling to women survivors of gender-based and domestic violence, people with disabilities, members of the LGBT community, and members of the Afro-Honduran minority. The grants are valued at approximately $1.5 million. Accompanying complainants to the police, prosecutors' offices, and the courts has brought activists into direct contact with the authorities in influential ways. Advocating equal rights and protections for all is another key activity of the project. In addition to direct support for people who suffer abuses, Unidos grantees are carrying out a variety of advocacy and educational activities aimed at changing societal and institutional attitudes towards these groups affected by stigmatization and discrimination. During the quarter, grantee organizations working with women, the LGBT community, and Afro-Hondurans gave presentations to 814 health workers who attended the XXII National Congress of Nursing Professionals. The speakers sensitized participants about providing adequate services to survivors of violence who belong to those groups. Encouraging inclusive business practices is also a key objective of the project. Unidos and USAID met with 27 representatives of 16 business associations that belong to the Honduran Private Enterprise Council (COHEP) on April 19 to discuss Unidos objectives and activities and explore opportunities to work together. Unidos began developing a grant that it expects to award in the next quarter to an organization with close ties to the private sector that will coach businesses on how to interact with people with disabilities. Unidos and COHEP also discussed developing a program to certify businesses as employing inclusive practices. Improving relations between the police and marginalized neighborhoods is another key activity of the project. Unidos' Citizen Security team supported National Police efforts to improve public relations in conflictive urban neighborhoods, empowering communities to get involved in their own security and encouraging police to be more responsive to citizens' needs through community policing. Unidos and grantee CESAL supported Community Cultural Fairs in the Tegucigalpa target neighborhoods of La Sosa, La Travesía, and Los Pinos. The events brought approximately 670 residents out for sports and recreational activities, music and dance, fun and games for children, free hair styling and manicures for women, and health services