Security and Justice Sector Reform Project Quarterly Report (October 1 – December 31, 2015)

The project's main objective is to strengthen the security and justice sector in Guatemala, with a focus on improving the capacity of state institutions to manage security and justice administration and provide security and justice for citizens. One of the key achievements of the project was the development and promotion of the National Civilian Police Organic Law, which was officially presented to the President of the Republic by the Commissioner for Police Reform. This law aims to improve the efficiency and accountability of the National Civilian Police. Additionally, three justice sector institutions - the Public Ministry, the Public Defense Institute, and the Judicial Branch - received International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification for quality management of administrative processes. This certification contributes to greater transparency and accountability in these institutions. The project also continued to work with its institutional counterparts to build upon previous achievements and work towards current goals. With the National Civilian Police, the project helped develop a proposal to better investigate corruption cases. In the Judicial Branch, the project continued to implement several projects aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and access to justice, including the electronic notification system, management models in 24 Hour Courts and Pluripersonal Courts, and oral processes in the Appeals Court. The project also provided support to create a third section of the High Risk Court and Tribunal and provided training in scientific evidence collection. The project's progress was made possible through collaboration with its counterpart institutions and the provision of technical assistance. Despite the changes in government officials and the political instability generated by the judicial processes, the project continued to make progress in line with its Annual Work Plan and performance indicators. The project's achievements contribute to greater transparency, efficiency, and accountability in Guatemalan institutions, and are a step towards strengthening the security and justice sector in the country. The project's counterpart institutions, including the National Civilian Police, the Public Ministry, the Public Defense Institute, and the Judicial Branch, continued to work towards their goals and objectives. The National Civilian Police, for example, continued to implement its reform plan, which includes the development of a new police curriculum and the establishment of a police academy. The Public Ministry, on the other hand, continued to work on improving its investigative capacity and providing support to victims of crime. The project's monitoring and evaluation activities continued to track the progress of the project and its counterpart institutions. The project's performance indicators, which include measures of institutional capacity, access to justice, and citizen satisfaction, continued to be monitored and evaluated. The project's results, including the achievements mentioned above, were reported to the project's stakeholders, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Guatemala. The project's quarterly report highlights the progress made by the project and its counterpart institutions in the quarter from October 1 to December 31, 2015. The report provides an overview of the project's achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, and serves as a basis for planning and decision-making in the next quarter.