Strengthening Governance and Human Rights in Central America

Direct addressees: Courts of Justice officials, Prosecutor's Offices and Attorney General's Offices; human rights defenders; organizations of women and Indigenous and Afrodescendant Peoples and victims of human rights violations

Indirect beneficiaries: Human rights defenders, women, indigenous and Afro-descendant people and collectives

Outcome 1: Civil society organizations strengthen alliances and coordination and advocacy strategies to activate the functioning of ISHR bodies and demand commitments from States to protect human rights according to international standards.

Outcome 2: Organizations of the Inter-American Human Rights System consolidate with the States sustainable strategies for monitoring, promotion and protection of human rights for human rights defenders, women, Indigenous Peoples and Afrodescendants.

Expected results:  

During the phasing-out, priority is given to consolidate ongoing processes and strengthen their sustainability, amongst other things through knowledge management:

1. CEJIL consolidates alliances with CSOs to make the situation of human rights and their defense more visible
2. CEJIL and NGOs contribute to improve the access to justice and promote strategic litigation processes and protection measures before the ISHR
3. CEJIL facilitates training and knowledge management processes on strategic litigation for civil society partner organizations
4. The IACHR has produced recommendations for the States regarding their human rights situation
5. The IACHR has activated measures and mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders
6. The IACHR compiles and makes available to duty bearers and rights holders relevant information for the protection of human rights
7. The IACHR and the States agree upon, consolidate and implement training and knowledge management processes for the protection of human rights
8. The IACHR follows up on a plan for monitoring compliance with Court judgments

The program responds to Switzerland’s commitment to promote a just international order, world peace and multilateralism. With regard to the donor context of the program, Switzerland is recognized for emphasizing the protection of the human rights of vulnerable and marginalized populations with a strong gender focus.

Results from previous phases:  

1. The program contributed to a stronger monitoring and follow-up of the IAHRS in the sub-region. The States of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have complied with 18 reparation measures established by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) in the framework of 8 cases in the monitoring stage. This achievement highlights the binding mandate of the only Inter-American Court and its recognition by the States. Some of the reparation measures were of structural nature, for example the "Plan de Sánchez Massacre" case, as well as the Veliz Franco case, both from Guatemala.
2. Due to pressure applied by the Center for Justice and Law (CEJIL) in coordination with Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and resolutions from the ISHR, the discussions about amnesty laws in Guatemala and El Salvador have been halted. In addition, two trials for serious human rights violations have been initiated by the internal justice systems.
3. Despite the fact that the government of Honduras (2014-2017, 2018-2021) has committed multiple human rights violations, the State complied with 10 recommendations that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) established in the 2019 Country Report.
4. Thanks to CEJIL's legal accompaniment, together with NGOs and pressure from the ISHR, in El Salvador four women deprived of their liberty for obstetric emergencies were released, and in Nicaragua the UN Human Rights Council was able to form a Group of International Experts (GEI) to investigate possible crimes of serious human rights violations. Despite being outside Nicaragua, MESENI, with the support of NGOs and testimonies of victims, has managed to preserve the historical memory of the more recent Nicaraguan history. It has also incentivized the initiation of justice, truth and reparation processes in coordination with victims.

Human rights organizations/entities: OHCHR, WOLA

Foundations: Ford, Rockefeller, Pan American Development Foundation (PADF)

Other donors: Norway, Netherlands, Italy and Spain

Swiss Embassies in Washington, Guatemala and Costa Rica for political advisory as well as the State Secretariat in Berne, as part of the phasing-out, an active coordination will be fostered between those actors.

Phase 3 01.10.2022 - 31.07.2024   (Active)